MY bloeddruk sal my bedank as ek liewer nie oor bedelaars praat nie. My tong raak skuurpapier en my stokkieshare krul as ek hulle sien. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hulle is soos al die plae van Egipte in een saamgerol. Die mense met die plakkate is nog die ergste: \u201cGeen werk, vrou en kinders. Dankie, God se\u00ebn u\u201d. Waar\u2019s die Bybel se vermaning van jy moet jou brood in die sweet van jou aanskyn verdien? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Besef hulle nie dat luiheid soos \u2019n bitter miasma om hul hang nie? Maar, en dit gee my hoop, daar is mense wat prob\u00e9\u00e9r ten spyte van . . . en dis hulle wat die klein ligstraaltjies is wat my kruik laat oorloop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Onlangs soek ek vir Lena n\u00e1 lange jare op. Sy was jonk toe sy by Moeder begin werk het. Sy bly nie meer in die Brights nie, maar in Lee Town \u2013 die onderdorp. Ek is verras met die blomtuintjie by die voordeur. Dis ongenaakbare Karoo-aarde di\u00e9, maar \u2019n maer roosboom of twee, rooi malvas met blomme so groot soos pierings en sonneblomme wat hemel toe reik, laat \u2019n sagt-heid oor die plekkie l\u00ea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
N\u00e1 my tweede klop staan sy daar. Lena. Net soos ek haar onthou, net \u2019n bietjie korter, maerder en ouer, maar s\u00fd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die gitswart ogies in die pruimgesiggie agter die dik brilglase kyk my \u2019n oomblik stip aan en toe maak sy haar arms wyer as die Heer se genade oop, lag oopmond en gryp my vas. \u201cKle\u2019 Bokkie, is dit jy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oor \u2019n paar glase yskoue suurpap kap ek en Lena toe die murgbene oop. Ons onthouwoorde dam om ons op, loop die eenvoudige huisie vol, stroom oor die tuintjie en koers oor die klippe en bossies, dartel met die stofstrate langs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trane van blydskap en hartseer loop oor ons wange en die jare val weg. Ek\u2019s weer die klein dogtertjie met die ligte haartjies soos \u2019n sybok s\u2019n (vandaar die troetelnaam, Bokkie, tot vandag toe) en Lena en ek sit wydsbeen plat op die harde grond in die koelte agter die watertenk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2019n Bord sappige, heuningbruin gebraaide kaiings en brood tussen ons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ons monde en hande blink van die vet en kort-kort lek ons ons blink vingers klaptong skoon of vee die vettigheid sommer aan ons bene en sy ook aan hare af.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Met \u2019n oumensgesiggie wat straal, vertel Lena dat dit goed gaan. Sy had nege tjinners alleen grootgemaak nadat haar man dourie jare weg-geloop het. Sy het die kinders, behalwe een wat verongeluk het, \u201cgroot gekry\u201d en hulle is almal in \u201chulle se werke\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sy het op \u2019n tyd \u2019n ou Makulu opgepas, na twee kleinkinders gekyk en met varke geboer. Maar dit is l\u00e1\u00e1\u00e1nk terug. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oumenspensjin sorg nou en sy kon die huisie met afknyp \u201csjelkies\u201d en die genade van Bo aanskaf. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDie Genade help\u201d, seg sy, \u201cmaar hierie Lena m\u00e1\u00e1k dat dinge vir my werk. Ek brei en hekel nog sos wat jou mama my galeer het. Solank die ooghe hou en die riematiek wegbly, sal ik aanhou met die penne. Ja, die Jirre is vir Lena baje goed. As dit nie goed gan nie dan\u2019s dit my eighe skuld.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Om Lena huiwer \u2019n brose kleed van jeugdig-heid en vreugdevolle lewenslustigheid selfs in haar laat jare. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2019n Ode aan Lena met die onblusbare gees en baie ander soos sy, wat moue oprol en nie bang is om die hande in koue water te steek nie. Skitter sterstof hier op Moeder aarde.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dis van haar en ander soos sy wat Salomo skryf \u201cas meer van ons doen wat die hand vind om te doen, sal dit net beter gaan.\u201d Sela.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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