Ordinarius Vir

Ordinarius Vir: Year One #1

The taxi screeched to a halt. The front passenger door swung open.

"Um, don't be mad man. Will pay you later," said Mandla.

The driver grabbed him by his collar and shoved him out. Mandla stumble on the sidewalk. The taxi zoomed down the road with a roar.

Mandla stood up and picked up his bag. People and buildings crowded about him. The vehicles roared about the road, a sea of people flowed by and the street grimy as ever.

His eyes darted around him. He looked about the street boards until his sight settled on a board that read 'Long Street'.

He let out a sigh of relief. "Fuck, finally made it. Hope I didn't almost get killed for 10R."

His eyes wandered about Long Street. The street was lined with businesses of all kinds. The large populous added a liveliness to the street. A form of orderly chaos.

He went passed a deli. It was squeezed between a book store and clothing store. The tables set outside it had beautiful pink protea flowers. The street adjacent to the deli had a couple of street vendors.

They quickly swarmed him, each carrying different items at hand.

"Look, am not buying anything," said Mandla as he meandered through the bunch.

He looked about a bit more, but he felt overwhelmed. He took a seat on a street bench. He leaned back.

The stores seemed to have morphed to a single entity before him. All a vomit of coloured billboards, people, and vehicles.

His eyes settled on a food truck. A man set a table next to the truck. The short man whistled, a melody so suiting Mandla couldn't help but listen for a minute.

Mandla approached the truck. "Hey."

The man turned, "Oh, shit. Let me set up the table then I will take care of you in a sec."

"Um, I didn't come to order."

The man gave him a warm smile, "okay, so bro what can I help you with?"

"I'm looking for a store."

The man furrowed his brows, "bro, you came to my truck to ask if I can point you to another business?"

"Um, look... I'm sorry, I will ask someone else."

The man chuckled, "I'm joking, so what store is it."

"Ellen."

"Oh, that bitch's store," the man growled, "it's at the end of the street."

"Oh, um, thank you."

The man then grabbed a jar next to him. He raised it. The jar had a paper glued to it with 'tip' written on it.

The man grinned. "Any amount will do."

Mandla took out 10R and put it in the jar.

"Bro, a tiger. Touch my blood." The man raised his fist. Mandla fist pumped the man.

"What's your name? Mine's Drian."

"Um, Mandla"

"Lekker, see you when I see ya." Drian went on about his work, whistling once more.

Mandla walked down the street as instructed. The stores and people grew denser. He made it to the end of street; his gaze on a pink board with 'Ellen' written on it.

Mandla went inside the store. He looked about the room. Everything was pink, from the tiled floor to the four walls. It was a cosmetic/clothing store.

Mandla didn't exactly know what he was going to do here beside being a packer. His hands grew sweatier by the second. All before him were women.

"Can I help you?" asked a woman as she walked forth.

Mandla, surprised, looked at the women. She wore a pink tee and had a huge smile on her face.

"Um, uh... n-nothing."

They both looked at each other. Neither knowing their next move.

"Mhmm, Sir. You don't need to be embarrassed; I will help you pick something for your girlfriend."

"Um, I didn't come to buy something for a girlfriend I don't have."

Her smile weakened, "oh...well, if you want to buy something for yourself."

"Look, um, I'm not here to do shopping."

She folded her arms. "Sir, then why are you here?"

"I'm Mandla, can I see your manager."

"My manager?" she paused as she looked about. "Okay, but can you wait for a minute or two?"

"Sure."

The women dragged herself to the back of the store. She knocked on a door behind the counter. She went inside. Five minutes went by, then she returned in a haste.

She held a pink shirt. "Looks like your test is beginning. Here is your shirt."

"Sorry?"

"We have a lot of applications so she set dates for training potential workers to see who is good for this job. My name is Sophia. I'm your supervisor, okay."

Mandla just stood dumbfounded. "Um, what? Look, supervisor...I don't even know what I will do. And shouldn't I meet the manager. I don't have a lot of work experience, but shouldn't I be signing something?"

Sophia nodded, "I hear you, but we assume you already know your job position. You will not sign anything until you show us that you can do your work, and besides, the manager is always busy."

"Ookay, but really, what am I supposed to do?"

Sophia let out a deep sigh, "you will check for shoplifters, you will stand near the entrance and check bags. You seriously came to a job without knowing why you came?"

"I knew it was a job, it's not like I will be a special agent so no need to cause myself a headache. So how long will this test be?"

"From now till we close, that is if you get the job."

Mandla's mouth went agape.

"Give me your bag, it will be safer in the staffroom," said Sophia.

Mandla hesitated giving her the bag. He could just leave, there were more jobs out there. Though Ma'am Frank would nag him.

He let out a deep sigh in defeat. He gave her the bag. He reasoned even if he fails, he could always say he tried. The time now was about 10. He needed to stand near the door until five in the afternoon.

He felt his leg ache; being late that wasn't unusual. Only a few minutes were left. Mandla turned and his gaze then settled on the store. There were only a handful of women left.

A woman walked toward him, which drew him from his thoughts. She wore a dark ragged hoodie coupled with a plain grey skirt. Her grey hair was short and tangled.

Her eyes darted between him and the door. She picked up her pace. Mandla quickly stood between her and the entrance.

"Ma'am, can you please show me your bag," said Mandla.

"Sorry?" asked the woman.

"Can you open your bag, I need to see what you bought."

She tightened her grip on the bag and slowly took a few steps back.

"I-I didn't buy anything."

"Um, that still means I have to look through it."

"Wait, why? I-I didn't steal anything," she paused as her gaze dropped. "Move out of my way."

She tried to force her way through, but Mandla didn't even budge. He looked about. A few customers were looking his way. His eyes locked with Sophia, who was also watching.

A deep sigh escaped his lips, "look, if you don't show me then how will I know you are telling the truth?"

She looked at him for the first time. Her face golden brown and wrinkly. "I-If I did, what will you do?"

Mandla was kind of stumped. He didn't exactly know what to do. All he knew was he needed to end this as soon as possible.

"You will then give me what you stole. Then, um, I guess you are banned from entering this store again."

She gave a small nod. She opened her bag. She took out a small pink shirt and hoodie coupled with a small dress with flowers.

Mandla took them in confusion. "These... they weren't for you?"

She gave one last nod and slipped past him.

Mandla just stood in silence. He felt like shit. Sophia walked towards him. A broom at hand and bucket on the other.

"That woman, who was she?"

"Don't know, but you handled it well. We are closing, so mop the floor" she said.

Mandla laughed. He stopped and looked at Sophia one more time. She looked serious.

"You are not joking?"

She dropped the bucket and handed him the mop. "Nope, so mop away."

"Look, I have a back problem. I can't bend for too long or I will get back pains."

Sophia arched her brow and folded her arms. "Is it?"

"Um, yeah... look, do you want me to get cramps. They get really bad; one time they got so bad I couldn't even walk."

Sophia let out a sigh, "I don't believe you, but I will let you off. You are dismissed for the day."

"Dismissed for the day? You mean I got the job?"

Sophia gave him a nod, "yeah. Be here by half six in the morning."

"HALF SIX!"

"Yeah, so will we. It's her rules not ours."

"Um...okay, quarter to seven it will be."

"HALF SIX, if you are late even a second, she will fire you."

Mandla rolled his yes. He watched as Sophia walked away as she looked over her shoulder. She seemed rather strict for no reason. He didn't exactly care yet. For now, he had a job, which meant Ma'am Frank will get off his back.

The sky wore a sparkly dark coat for the cold January night. The streets of Zone 6 grew dark, any form of life hiding in their low-income houses. The streetlights were no help. Most blinked on and off, the rest were vandalised.

Mandla walked on. His neck slightly bent forth and his head focused on his way home. He shivered, goosebumps growing on his exposed forearms.

He took a sharp right turn onto Lula Street. He could see Ma'am Frank's house. A bright blue house, lined with trimmed trees and flowers. It stood out like a sore thumb in the poorly made houses of Zone 6.

Mandla picked up his pace. The warm embrace of home within his reach. Excited, for the first time he did something and maybe he won't be seen as good for nothing.

He bumped against someone and staggered back. His eyes dilated at the shadowy figure.

A man stood before him, a dirty bucket hat on and hands shoved deep in his jacket.

"Sorr-"

Bang.

A second went by. Two. Three. Mandla's eyes grew wider. The man held a small gun. His eyes then went down. His shirt had a damp red stain.

He fell to his knees. Then on his side. The warm embrace of death his last comfort from the cold January night.

The man shoved his hands back into his pockets and nonchalantly went on his way.

Thanks to A J for proofreading.