Happy Days Are Here...Still

For the nth time, meet these two boys and a girl, who came in row. I've said it many a times without number, i'm not ashamed to have had them at 22! I still believe everything happens for a reason, and one day i know i'll get to know that reason. The folowing story is a dedication to them:



Once upon a time, in the remotest area ever, deep into the forest, at one cattle post, there was a girl. A little girl. She was 8 years old. Her name was Seanel (pronounced Shaw-nel).
To her life seemed just fine. Herding the goats into the kraal in the evening, separating the young from their mothers, and retiring to sit around the fire, was all she knew all those days of her life. She was in grade/standard 3. Staying at the cattle post, tracking a couple of kilometers to school everyday, barefooted, didn’t matter that much to her. All she wanted was to get an education. Dammmnnn! At a mere 8 years? What did she understand about the importance of education?

She was staying with her mother’s grandmother. And 10 more distant cousins. They lived in a small mud hut that had only a drum as the door. The roundavell was not big enough to accommodate all of them, but they had no choice.

Her mother stayed in the big city, trying to find work. She only gotten to see her mother 2 times during those 2 years she stayed at the cattle post. At that time, the only means of communication was through writing letters, and during her stay at the cattle post, she received only one letter from her mother. In that letter her mother wrote, telling her how much she loves her, and that very soon she’ll come take her to the city. In the letter, her mother asked her to hold on a little while longer. Inside the envelope was also enclosed some 60thebe coins. It was a lot of money at that time, coz she managed to buy herself half loaf of bread and some sweets.
During those years, she only got new clothes 2 times in 2 years, i.e. only on Christmas. The pair of panties she got during the course of the year, she never wore. The older cousins took them away from her. So she went to school with no underwear. The new pair of foot flops she got, she never wore them too. That’s why she walked barefooted to school everyday. Life at the cattle post was very hard. And living with those distant cousins made it harder. But that’s not what she cared about. She wanted the years to come and pass. She wanted the days to go by. She prayed for her mother to find work. She wished for the day, her mother will come, hold her hand, and tell her that, ‘’I’ve come for you. Pack your bags and let’s go’’.
After school she had to rush home (to the cattle post), because if she came late, she won’t find anything to eat. All the 11 of them ate in one big basin. When it was time to eat, it was survival of the fittest or an early bird catching the fattest worm kind of thing. Summer was fine, except for the constant biting of the mosquitoes. Winter was worse. She’ll be having on just a simple skirt and a very light top. That’s all she had then.

It was not safe living at the cattle post. It was difficult for her, herding the goats with no shoes on. But she had to coz she was ordered to. Else she would go for days without food. The water they used to wash with, bath with, cook and drink came from a well. And everyday, each one of them should fetch at least 5 buckets of that water. There was a time when she nearly fell into the well and when she got home, and told the grandmother, she was given the beating of her life!


One day she was coming from school after the afternoon study. She was walking alone. On the way, up on the road she saw a white car parked in the middle of the road. And 3 men were standing on the road too, discussing something she couldn’t hear. Immediately she saw the car, she branched into the bush and hid under one shrub. She waited. Listening to the men talk. She kept her breath very low. After what seemed like ages, the men left. She thanked her God, and proceeded to going home. In those days child abduction was very common, and in seeing those men that’s the first thing that came to her mind. Remember we talking about an 8 year old.

The best thing about this little girl was that she was very smart in class. At other times, when the teacher was not in, she’ll take over. And her teacher loved her that much. There was a time when she was called to a grade 5 class. When she got there, she was asked to explain to the learners the difference between a bird, bad and bed. And how to pronounce those words. The day her mother came to ask for her transfer, her teacher cried uncontrollably. But to her that was dreams come true….

Back to reality:
My middle name is Seane. I just added that (l) for the story.People don’t believe that, that happened to me as a child. I don’t know why. But it did. And today when I tell my mum about it she goes like, ‘’look where that got you now. You are a very smart responsible lady. I used to hurt that I did that to you, but there are times that I feel proud that I left you at the cattle post, coz of what you are today. I’m proud of you’’.


Today I do believe that what goes around comes around. I wasn’t staying with my mum when I started school and all, and now my kids are not staying with me. Sometimes I feel the reason why my mum doesn’t want me to take the kids is because she wants to make it up to me, for not staying with me when I was growing up. At the time I needed her the most. But, what if when those 3 grow up, they are gonna ask me why I didn’t stay with them now? Well P.S says that if I stayed with those 3, I’ll spoil them rotten. I believe him, coz I saw that, the time I was staying with them back in 2004. He says that my mum can do the better job in raising them up.


And I think I understand now why my mum could not stay with me then. That’s why I want to talk about it here. For the very last time in my life. She didn’t have a choice. Life was hard for her. And I think she didn’t want to put me through all that at that time. Thank God I was- and still am- her only child. It was better. Imagine me fending for 3. But I’m not complaining ooo! I have my mum to thank. She’s doing gr8 with the kids and I’ll always be gr8ful for that. I’m still wondering what I can get her for this coming xmas.


I just wanted to let this out of my chest. I feel much better now. And for the record...i don't want my kids to go through what i went through. I'll make sure of that...