Up and down, to and fro in those dark streets, I drove looking for Amanda Sizani, a big-eyed, dark-skinned girl with medium-length natural hair. Short, and had a curvaceous petite body. A black beauty, I could say. In the township, predicting who can know who you're looking for is easy: birds of a feather flock together. Remember, the people of the township are not good at giving directions. They will tell you about everything else but what you've asked.
Thus, it is critical to know the categories of girls and their different behaviors. I call it profiling.
Amanda here would be one of those quiet girls, easygoing and friendly, especially when drunk. They have controlling friends: ugly friends who pretend to be protective. Those friends will give you a tough time chatting with her, especially when they have money. The same friends drink by selling this kind to the highest bidder in the grooves. They don't want her to leave with a stranger, but given a chance, they'd fly away with the unknown guy into the deep of the night at the eye's blink. For them, you buy a few beers and ask to borrow their friend for a minute. That's sixty seconds, they will forget about her in fifty-nine.
The next day I experienced no trouble finding my target. It promised to be a good day at work. I had a photo of a Zethu Buwa, a light-skinned, brown-eyed jewel who surely bathed in milk. Her beauty made her easier to find because she stood out. Her bushy hair was unrelaxed yet worn with confidence. She spent time drinking at Malume's tavern in Phase 2, Kamvelihle. A short girl with a huge thick booty. She and a friend sat on some wooden tables outside the joint under a hut-like cabin. They were sipping beers, three to be exact. I bought three more and I joined them. We chatted about school as she wore an NMU jacket. My alma mater university and luckily, I had my student card with me. Many guys are frauds out there. But why would a girl like her be a target of the League? The world needed educated girls too.
"Oh, which campus were you in?"
"Second Ave…"
"Wow, I was there too. How nice. Do you know Dr. Tai-Ping?"
"Yeah, he was my lecturer."
"Wow, same here."
"He is a nice guy, that China man."
"He is not Chinese."
"Oh, what is he then?"
"I'm joking. I don't know the guy's nationality, but do you get my point?"
"Yes, yes, I get you and I'm guilty. Just because a person has squinted eyes doesn't mean they are Chinese."
"Exactly, he could be from Taiwan, or something."
"Yeah, or Japan…"
"I think the Japanese are different. I can separate them from Chinese."
"What? To me, they are the same. How can you tell which is which?"
"The Chinese are those with ponytails. The Japanese are the Samurai."
"Man, these are not movies."
I laughed, "But that's where I first learned about those guys, Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and Jacky Chan, my heroes."
"Wow, Drunken Master, can you please buy a shot?"
"Yes." I went to the counter and came back with a bottle of gin.
A friend who had been to the restrooms rejoined them. Her face looked rather familiar. She whispered something to her and pointed in my direction. I asked Zethu to go with me to buy some hot chips:
"No, ask Lebo to go with you," she said.
"Who is Lebo now?"
"I'm Lebo," said the friend who joined me at the shop.
"Eh, um sorry miss, where do I know you from again?"
"Are you serious? Don't tell me that you are serious that you Gift now don't know me. After you slept with me here last of last week," she looked around for some weapon.
Kasi girls can be violent.
"No-o," I laughed, "I was joking. It's just a joke. How can I forget you Lebo? You gave me a great night."
"Yeah, what were you saying to Zethu there? Do you know Zethu is my friend?"
"I know, I was just chatting with her, nothing much. She went to NMU."
"Okay, buy…" she pointed to the cashier.
"Hi, Sisi can I have two big chips, please."
We gave one packet of hot chips to them and proceeded home with the other packet. I walked her to my house at around 22:38. I left her there to cook. She knew the house. Wow, one of these days I'll wake up married, I'm telling you.
"I'll be back by twelve."
"Okay but if you are not here by that time, I will pour water on this bed and go home, I tell you."
"I'll be here."
I planned to go drop Zethu at The Point and come back home to Lebo, but I couldn't find Zethu at the tavern. And time was running out. How could such a promising day turn out to be a nightmare? What would my bosses say if I failed? I went through every corner to no avail. I couldn't find her friend there either. I asked around and people had last seen her with me. I started my car and rushed home avoiding Lebo drenching my bed. I got there by 23:12 and voices came from inside. I opened the door. Zethu and her friend weighed in the house for me. I had told them where I lived during my introduction and Zethu had a great memory. I breathed a sigh of relief but where was Lebo?
"She is asleep," said Zethu.
"Okay then let' go drop you, friend."
"Fine."
We left Lebo sleeping and went to drop the friend at NU1. We still had gin, so we drank. I poured her two stiff tots of gin and she soon fell out of it. She tried to speak, and her voice was dilly-dallying. As we drove, I gave her a cigarette, and it knocked her out. Her time of arrival at The Point was 23:57.