The coincidence

Seipati started the conversation about Ntante Mogoadi when they were having tea at home with her mother-in-law. "Ntante Mogoadi is a good man, I don't know why he hasn't been married up until now', she said, looking at her with inspecting eyes.  "Yes he is, but he was a shy guy when we were at school", replied her mother-in-law. " Ntante Mogoadi? A shy guy, the one who knows a lot about love?". She asked with a surprised look. "And you, how do you know so much about his experience in love?"her mother-in-law asked enquiringly. "No, it's just that he usually give us advices about love in our marriage", she answered absent mindedly as the memories of the past started to flood in. Immediately she stood up to prepare for supper as her husband would be home soon.

She paused for a moment and thought about something. "You know ma? Ntante Mogoadi left his jacket in our car while we took him to the bus terminus. So, I thought I should make a way so he can get it back". How about we go to his house this coming weekend so that he doesn't waste more by coming here. Said Seipati smiling. She was noticing something in her mother-in-law. She was now able to engage in a conversation without her breaking her spirit. Atleast the ice is breaking, she thought.  " That is very thoughtful of you, because Ntate Mogoadi is and old man and it will cost him a lost to come here just to fetch a jacket". Her mother in-law said. "Yeah! You will come with us right? Seipati asked with a begging voice.

It was a hot Saturday afternoon, when Seipati and her family stopped a car infront of Ntate Mogoadi's hut. He was drinking a local brewed beer with one of his friends in the village. They were chatting and laughing. When they saw the car, Ntate Mogoadi stood up to greet them. He ushered them inside his hut thinking that they were in for consultation. They told him that they had brought the jacket. He thanked them for taking up time from their busy schedule just to bring the jacket. 

They chatted for a while and Ntate Mogoadi took the chairs and led them outside to sit in the shade of the hut where he was chatting with his friends. He introduced his visitors to his friend. It happened that his friend was also acquainted to Seipati's mother in-law. " Mirriam!" Ntate Mogoadi's friends exclaimed with an excited voice. He was already standing in front of Seipati's mother-in-law. Seipati and her husband were confused. They looked at each other enquiringly. 

It turned out that Ntate Mogoadi and his friend were at the same school with their mother. More than that the friend of Ntate Mogoadi was Mirriam's admirer. He was a charming young boy then who had every girl in their school eating from the palm of his hand. He was a star at all sports. Even in the class he was in the top five. 

Mirriam would enjoyed to play hard to get  while he was always chasing her after school. Mirriam and her friend would take another route to confuse him while he was looking for her. One day he bought her a chocolate. It was their last day at school since they had just finished writing the last exams of the year. She took the chocolate and tried to run while he was trying to kiss her. After kissing her, he also run and disappeared at the back of the classrooms. Since that day she never saw him because he and his parents moved to another town. His father got a new job and he had to start a new school elsewhere. While he was running, his pocket book fell in front of her. She picked it up and looked through it. It smelled the scent of mint sweets and the chocolate he bought her. She took it and put inside her school bag. She thought she would take it took him after school. When the school was over she took the pocket book together with a bucket to carry water. She told her mum that she was going to fetch water. She ran ad fast as she can to his house to give him the pocket book. When she arrived there, she saw a loaded truck taking off. Thabo(as it was the name of the boy) and his family were already leaving to a new place. The truck sped off leaving the dust behind it. Her heart sank and she felt a sharp pang deep down her heart. She held hand high to show him the pocket book. He raised his hand too waving goodbye. She stood there for a while not knowing what to do. After a few minutes, she dragged her feet to fetch water at the bore hole.

After a few months when the schools were re-opened in January, she received a letter from him. Her heart beat very fast as she was opening it. Her mind was racing and was wondering what was written in it. It was written like this:

My dear Mirriam

I am doing well here in my new school and I hope you are doing fine too. 

I can't help myself but keep thinking about my last day at our old school. The kiss I gave you. You are a beautiful girl and I like you a lot. I wish I could get another chance to be close to you. I know there are other boys who might interested to you, but can you please not forget about me. I keep thinking about you all the time. I hope one day we will meet again.

Yours in love 

Thabo.

She read it and put it in the pocket book Thabo left when he was running. She would read it all over again. She would repeat the last sentence, "I hope one day we will meet again.