Stories by: Rutendo L. Nzira: I arrived in Bulawayo around 4pm, Mrs Tshabalala was waiting for me in town, she picked me up from the City Ha...
Stories by: Rutendo L. Nzira: I arrived in Bulawayo around 4pm, Mrs Tshabalala was waiting for me in town, she picked me up from the City Hall pakamira bus mutown.
She was a serious woman in her early forties, vange vakapfeka khaki shorts, black t-shirt and a khaki waist-coat nema bathroom shoes. Vaive nezuda chairo mumusoro, ndakaramba ndichitarisa this fascinating hairstyle yavo iyi, it says a lot about confidence in a woman, and to others it can spell ruthlessness. Ganda ravo rairatidza good living, ndevaya vanhu vekuti even vasina kugeza vanongonhuhwirira and also look very good. The only thing zvatakataura were introductions, vaida kuziva kuti ndini here Grace Nyasha Takawira from Masvingo. Takabva tangonanga kumba kwavo kuSelbourne Park, vaive ne Double Storey house yainge yemuMagazine, pange pakanakisa, pakakurisa, panze pange pakapakwa mota 6 dzakasiyana siyana nekabus.
Vakasvikondiratidza mumba mandaizorara ndega. Takatenderera imba yese vachindiratidza pandaizoshanda, panze paive neCottage maigara mukomana aishanda panze.
Tapedza izvozvo vakazoti; “You call me auntie Star, Stabile is my name. Rachael told me you are a hardworker and I believe you have enough experience in housekeeping to handle this house alone”. Vaitaura vasina hanya nazvo kuti ndaipindura here.
“Cooking and daily cleaning you do it alone everyday, we all have 8 working hours, resting during meals times. But you have 14 working hours 6am to 8pm. Weekends you work half day, you clean up in the morning and rest in the afternoon. Every Monday is for thorough cleaning and laundry, there are two ladies who come to do that, you supervise them and pay them at the end of the day. So, the laundry of curtains, bed linen and all big items, cleaning of walls, windows etc those ladies will do those chores for you, right.
And, listen little lady, when I say thorough cleaning, I mean spotless, that’s why I hire you chicks and pay you well. Any questions?” vakazodaro, ndakashaya mubvunzo nekuti zvange zvandiwandisira zvavaitaura, and she was very much threatening.
Vakaenderera “You sit down to eat when you have finished clearing up everything after my family leaves the dining table. Meaning you have to be waiting on us, when I am around you make yourself available, when I call, you must respond because I cannot shout or call you twice, alright? You are young and energetic, haurware handiti? Any chronic disease? Any special condition? Be it dietary or anything?” Ndakadzungudza kuti ndaisave nezvaindinetsa.
“Good, maybe that’s what I forgot to mention uchiri kuMasvingo, I don’t tolerate sick people, my days are hectic, am a busy woman, I don’t have time for nonsense and weaklings. Any questions?” ndaive nayo mibvunzo asi ndakaona kuti paita mbuya mai Chomu vechirungu apa. Ndaiita sendiri kutaura nesimbi iye ari munhu, my God ndaizopagara here apa?
“Now go to your room and freshen up, come downstairs to the kitchen at six o’clock, then we will cook together” ndakatanga kufamba ndichienda kumastairs aienda kumabedroom. “Hey ntombazana what time did I say you come to the kitchen?”
“6 o’clock Auntie Star,” ndakadaro ndichityora muzura negumbo rimwe chete.
“Good, not 5minutes to, and never 5 minutes past. 5 minutes to is better, you wait for me and I never wait for you.” Vakafamba vachienda as I went up the stairs to my room. The room was nice, it was furnished with two ¾ beds. A fitted in wardrobe, dressing table, and a 32 inch flat screen TV with full DSTv. It was comfortable. This 1st floor had 6 bedrooms and a small lounge-cum-TV room. Four of the bedrooms had own bathrooms while 2 bedrooms had none, including my own room mange musina. I quickly took a bath, ndokugara pabed, ndakashaya simba rekubatidza Tv yacho because I did not know what to expect.
I am failing to describe Auntie Star’s character, she was not rough, but she was made of steel, you know munhu uya akaoma, akangoti kwindi, with no expression of a smile, anoti chero achiseka hauone mazino ake and unotoshamisika kuti ko akatofarawo apa. Ivo seriousness yavo yaisazoonekwa zvakanyanya nekuti she was beautiful and attractive, vaivaraidza kuramba wakatarisa, she was an African beauty, dark and extremely lovely. Asi vaiita sevakagadzirwa nesimbi, vasina any feeling or emotion within her. She made me feel so uneasy because I would not know whether she was happy or not. Ndakaramba ndakagara ndichingotarisa nguva paClock yaive mumba umu. Ipapo musuo wakangovhurwa roughly, auntie Star vakapinda vakabata uniform yeblue yaive neapron yewhite nematommy ewhite, vakakanda pabed ndokuti “that’s your work attire, put in on now and come downstairs”
Ndakapfeka quickly ndokuvatevera mukitchen, vakanditi ndimire watching her, vachibika rice, boiling green beans, butternuts, carrots, a variety of vegetables, then vachiisa nyama dzavo muoven. Hapana pavakambondibvunza or kundipa zvekuita, vaingotaura vega as if giving instructions or comments. Then we went on to set the table for 4 people, vakazonditi ndichisuka and tidy up her kitchen.
“I have showed you everything, I eat well, a balanced diet, I like my fresh vegetables everyday. But I hate cooking, this is the first and last time you will see me in this kitchen, I don’t have patience to wait for boiling things, you will do that, after all you are paid to do that. And …” vakavhura drawer ndokundiratidza mabook emarecipes; “I want surprise meals, check recipes from there, read, understand and cook well. I won’t have sadza nemuto everyday, I don’t want boring meals. You can do that for me hey?” Ndakagutsurira. Musuo wakabva wavhurwa pakapinda varume vatatu, mumwe chete aive mukuru then vakomana vaviri, teenagers. Vakakwazisana then Auntie Star ndokuti; “Family, meet Grace, our new house-help, Grace that is my husband, call him uncle D for Dumisani and our sons Jabulani and Gary.” Ndakavakwazisa vese vakaramba vakanditarisa kunge vaishamisika nehandshake yandaivapa ndichivapfugamira vese, Auntie Star vakanditi “Don’t mind them, come let’s set the dining table” takazoendesa chikafu ndikadzoka kuzogara mukitchen.
Like she had said I was supposed to make myself available and wait on them vachidya. I was called ten or more times vachida extra spice, more veggies, more chakati, another serviette, ndototenda sisi Anna takambopfuura nemu Chevron Hotel ah hameno kuti ndaidii pamba apa, maitiro avo yaive hotera chaiyo.
Basa mumba umu range rakawanda, zvedi 14 hours dzaipera ndakamira. Nekufamba kwenguva ndakange ndajaira. Pakazopera mwedzi miviri ndange ndave kuziva basa rangu. Ndaida kuverenga zvakare, A’ Level. Rachael akange anonditorera nekunditumira my O’Level results from Masvingo, I had 5As and 2Bs. Ndakabvunza bvunza and was told kwaive ne Private College for weekend classes. Mari ndaive nayo from sisi Anna, ndakange ndachengeta and apa auntie Star vaibhadhara on time hapana chandaiita chemahara, any extra hour ndaipiwa mari yacho. So maweekends angu ndaive kuCollege, ndaiita A’ Level Arts subjects; Literature in English, Divinity ne History.
Izvi zvakaita kuti ndishaye nguva yemashamwari kana yekuchurch chaiko. Mukoma Nkosi vaishanda panze ndovandaitombotaura navo, asi nyaya dzedu were limited nekuti vaisataura Shona kana tsee, iniwo Ndebele was my 1st time kuinzwa pandakatouya kuBulawayo ipapa. Kuti tiite nyaya neEnglish ah veduwee it was a bit taxing to both of us, kutaura chirungu for too long zvainzwisa musoro, so taingosekererana nekukwazisana.
The good thing about auntie Star, vaisatuka, chavo yaive endless instructions and responsibilities and chavataura vaida kuti chiitwe within the twinkle of an eye, kana vaikuudza kechipiri vainge vave kutodaidzira confusing you. The other thing, she did not care about my life at all, she cared nemaitiro andaiita basa pamba pavo chete. Hapana zvandaitaura navo zvisinei nebasa, I think dai ndaifira pamba pavo ndaizotorwa nemapurisa chete. I was free hangu kudya and kutorawo toiletries mupantry, ndini ndaiita the large quantities of groceries mumba mavo every 3 months. Ndaitonyanya kuziva zvirimo mumba more than herself, ivo vaisada kushaya chinhu kana vachida kuchishandisa ivo vakandipa mari, nguva nadriver wekundiperekedza kundotenga list yavo yese. Even pandakakumbira kuti weekends ndive free she did not ask kwandaida kuenda, vakangoti I should make sure her house in in order before I leave.
The other thing pamba apa paiitwa maparty, once a week paitoitwa party yaiuya maGovernment Officials, Police Chiefs, Army Generals, big business men and women, vana Who is Who vemuBulawayo, vodya nekunwa. Again I was the right hand lady waAntie Star, vaiuya nevanhu vavo for catering, changu kwaive kuona kuti zvinhu zvemumba zviri kufamba sei. Every party had some extra cash, saka zvairwadza asi zvaibhadhara.
She was a serious woman in her early forties, vange vakapfeka khaki shorts, black t-shirt and a khaki waist-coat nema bathroom shoes. Vaive nezuda chairo mumusoro, ndakaramba ndichitarisa this fascinating hairstyle yavo iyi, it says a lot about confidence in a woman, and to others it can spell ruthlessness. Ganda ravo rairatidza good living, ndevaya vanhu vekuti even vasina kugeza vanongonhuhwirira and also look very good. The only thing zvatakataura were introductions, vaida kuziva kuti ndini here Grace Nyasha Takawira from Masvingo. Takabva tangonanga kumba kwavo kuSelbourne Park, vaive ne Double Storey house yainge yemuMagazine, pange pakanakisa, pakakurisa, panze pange pakapakwa mota 6 dzakasiyana siyana nekabus.
Vakasvikondiratidza mumba mandaizorara ndega. Takatenderera imba yese vachindiratidza pandaizoshanda, panze paive neCottage maigara mukomana aishanda panze.
Tapedza izvozvo vakazoti; “You call me auntie Star, Stabile is my name. Rachael told me you are a hardworker and I believe you have enough experience in housekeeping to handle this house alone”. Vaitaura vasina hanya nazvo kuti ndaipindura here.
“Cooking and daily cleaning you do it alone everyday, we all have 8 working hours, resting during meals times. But you have 14 working hours 6am to 8pm. Weekends you work half day, you clean up in the morning and rest in the afternoon. Every Monday is for thorough cleaning and laundry, there are two ladies who come to do that, you supervise them and pay them at the end of the day. So, the laundry of curtains, bed linen and all big items, cleaning of walls, windows etc those ladies will do those chores for you, right.
And, listen little lady, when I say thorough cleaning, I mean spotless, that’s why I hire you chicks and pay you well. Any questions?” vakazodaro, ndakashaya mubvunzo nekuti zvange zvandiwandisira zvavaitaura, and she was very much threatening.
Vakaenderera “You sit down to eat when you have finished clearing up everything after my family leaves the dining table. Meaning you have to be waiting on us, when I am around you make yourself available, when I call, you must respond because I cannot shout or call you twice, alright? You are young and energetic, haurware handiti? Any chronic disease? Any special condition? Be it dietary or anything?” Ndakadzungudza kuti ndaisave nezvaindinetsa.
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| When My God... When? [Chapter 4A] |
“Now go to your room and freshen up, come downstairs to the kitchen at six o’clock, then we will cook together” ndakatanga kufamba ndichienda kumastairs aienda kumabedroom. “Hey ntombazana what time did I say you come to the kitchen?”
“6 o’clock Auntie Star,” ndakadaro ndichityora muzura negumbo rimwe chete.
“Good, not 5minutes to, and never 5 minutes past. 5 minutes to is better, you wait for me and I never wait for you.” Vakafamba vachienda as I went up the stairs to my room. The room was nice, it was furnished with two ¾ beds. A fitted in wardrobe, dressing table, and a 32 inch flat screen TV with full DSTv. It was comfortable. This 1st floor had 6 bedrooms and a small lounge-cum-TV room. Four of the bedrooms had own bathrooms while 2 bedrooms had none, including my own room mange musina. I quickly took a bath, ndokugara pabed, ndakashaya simba rekubatidza Tv yacho because I did not know what to expect.
I am failing to describe Auntie Star’s character, she was not rough, but she was made of steel, you know munhu uya akaoma, akangoti kwindi, with no expression of a smile, anoti chero achiseka hauone mazino ake and unotoshamisika kuti ko akatofarawo apa. Ivo seriousness yavo yaisazoonekwa zvakanyanya nekuti she was beautiful and attractive, vaivaraidza kuramba wakatarisa, she was an African beauty, dark and extremely lovely. Asi vaiita sevakagadzirwa nesimbi, vasina any feeling or emotion within her. She made me feel so uneasy because I would not know whether she was happy or not. Ndakaramba ndakagara ndichingotarisa nguva paClock yaive mumba umu. Ipapo musuo wakangovhurwa roughly, auntie Star vakapinda vakabata uniform yeblue yaive neapron yewhite nematommy ewhite, vakakanda pabed ndokuti “that’s your work attire, put in on now and come downstairs”
Ndakapfeka quickly ndokuvatevera mukitchen, vakanditi ndimire watching her, vachibika rice, boiling green beans, butternuts, carrots, a variety of vegetables, then vachiisa nyama dzavo muoven. Hapana pavakambondibvunza or kundipa zvekuita, vaingotaura vega as if giving instructions or comments. Then we went on to set the table for 4 people, vakazonditi ndichisuka and tidy up her kitchen.
“I have showed you everything, I eat well, a balanced diet, I like my fresh vegetables everyday. But I hate cooking, this is the first and last time you will see me in this kitchen, I don’t have patience to wait for boiling things, you will do that, after all you are paid to do that. And …” vakavhura drawer ndokundiratidza mabook emarecipes; “I want surprise meals, check recipes from there, read, understand and cook well. I won’t have sadza nemuto everyday, I don’t want boring meals. You can do that for me hey?” Ndakagutsurira. Musuo wakabva wavhurwa pakapinda varume vatatu, mumwe chete aive mukuru then vakomana vaviri, teenagers. Vakakwazisana then Auntie Star ndokuti; “Family, meet Grace, our new house-help, Grace that is my husband, call him uncle D for Dumisani and our sons Jabulani and Gary.” Ndakavakwazisa vese vakaramba vakanditarisa kunge vaishamisika nehandshake yandaivapa ndichivapfugamira vese, Auntie Star vakanditi “Don’t mind them, come let’s set the dining table” takazoendesa chikafu ndikadzoka kuzogara mukitchen.
Like she had said I was supposed to make myself available and wait on them vachidya. I was called ten or more times vachida extra spice, more veggies, more chakati, another serviette, ndototenda sisi Anna takambopfuura nemu Chevron Hotel ah hameno kuti ndaidii pamba apa, maitiro avo yaive hotera chaiyo.
Basa mumba umu range rakawanda, zvedi 14 hours dzaipera ndakamira. Nekufamba kwenguva ndakange ndajaira. Pakazopera mwedzi miviri ndange ndave kuziva basa rangu. Ndaida kuverenga zvakare, A’ Level. Rachael akange anonditorera nekunditumira my O’Level results from Masvingo, I had 5As and 2Bs. Ndakabvunza bvunza and was told kwaive ne Private College for weekend classes. Mari ndaive nayo from sisi Anna, ndakange ndachengeta and apa auntie Star vaibhadhara on time hapana chandaiita chemahara, any extra hour ndaipiwa mari yacho. So maweekends angu ndaive kuCollege, ndaiita A’ Level Arts subjects; Literature in English, Divinity ne History.
Izvi zvakaita kuti ndishaye nguva yemashamwari kana yekuchurch chaiko. Mukoma Nkosi vaishanda panze ndovandaitombotaura navo, asi nyaya dzedu were limited nekuti vaisataura Shona kana tsee, iniwo Ndebele was my 1st time kuinzwa pandakatouya kuBulawayo ipapa. Kuti tiite nyaya neEnglish ah veduwee it was a bit taxing to both of us, kutaura chirungu for too long zvainzwisa musoro, so taingosekererana nekukwazisana.
The good thing about auntie Star, vaisatuka, chavo yaive endless instructions and responsibilities and chavataura vaida kuti chiitwe within the twinkle of an eye, kana vaikuudza kechipiri vainge vave kutodaidzira confusing you. The other thing, she did not care about my life at all, she cared nemaitiro andaiita basa pamba pavo chete. Hapana zvandaitaura navo zvisinei nebasa, I think dai ndaifira pamba pavo ndaizotorwa nemapurisa chete. I was free hangu kudya and kutorawo toiletries mupantry, ndini ndaiita the large quantities of groceries mumba mavo every 3 months. Ndaitonyanya kuziva zvirimo mumba more than herself, ivo vaisada kushaya chinhu kana vachida kuchishandisa ivo vakandipa mari, nguva nadriver wekundiperekedza kundotenga list yavo yese. Even pandakakumbira kuti weekends ndive free she did not ask kwandaida kuenda, vakangoti I should make sure her house in in order before I leave.
The other thing pamba apa paiitwa maparty, once a week paitoitwa party yaiuya maGovernment Officials, Police Chiefs, Army Generals, big business men and women, vana Who is Who vemuBulawayo, vodya nekunwa. Again I was the right hand lady waAntie Star, vaiuya nevanhu vavo for catering, changu kwaive kuona kuti zvinhu zvemumba zviri kufamba sei. Every party had some extra cash, saka zvairwadza asi zvaibhadhara.
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