Mind diversity

A young man going through a rough time in life during his teen years

Mind Diversity. by: Edwin Mokena.

Like just been confused, caught up in an awkward situation, not knowing what to
do. That was me, during my teen years.
I was caught up with all the frustration of the life ahead. Plus I had just completed my grade 12 and the next thing I found, I was just hustling in a small carwash in zone r. It wasn't the same though, but before I worked there, I had so many decisions crossing my mind, asking myself if I'll be able to find a descent job sooner so that I can atleast help my unemployed mother. One thing that discouraged me was that I didn't have an ID. So my life was just at standstill. It horrified me a lot because during those days, the weekly newspaper use to interview most people of my age, complaining about being made to re-apply for their id's whilst they have already had.
That was the thing feared by all, to be a south African citizen without an ID. That's why I settled into this car wash . the car wash thing didn't last long. My employers parents insisted to hold the money I made during the day of each day, even their son( my employer) was Impotent, it was like whenever his parents say "jump" he asked how high.
They started to change what they called "Rules" without consulting the oppressed. My mind and feelings became Peremptory, demanding to know why things turned out to be like that, but I never got the answer to my question. At the outset of this whole changing of things , I thought that maybe it was just a joke, until my Employer's parents called me inside the house one evening.
They told me straight forwardly that starting from that day, they wanted to keep everything in record. Reluctantly I nodded with my eyes looking straight into his. "Here is a book", said my employer's father. " every car you wash you record it inside this book and write its price next to the name of that particular car, after that you add the whole total of the day and leave the money here so that we can see the progress of the business and get to help where necessary, purchase new material and extend the car wash at the same time". I nodded again, but this time without Complacency. "We also want to cut the R20 note you spend everyday for food, we will make a lunch box for you", said my employer's father. Suddenly my mind became Irresolute whether I should quit right then or wait for the end of the month to get atleast a reasonable amount of money. I quickly made a decision of waiting until the end of the month, thereafter I'll never be back again.
I also decided not to tell them when I quit. Actually I wanted to leave them surprised, with many questions crossing their minds. They treated me like an outsider, giving me all the rules that I couldn't bear, let alone carry them out.
Later after a week my so called employer came over to the car wash to tell me that his father was complaining about the statements of water. He undoubtedly told me that this car wash thing has to be temporarily closed due to high water statements, the truth of the matter was that he wanted to get rid of me, but he didn't quiet know how. He just made out a lie, out of a blue. It was on Saturday, the time was round about 13h00.
He even told me to put the material together and close the car wash for the day. I asked myself him if I should open tomorrow, to my surprise he said no, he then told me straight that my job was over.
My knees felt weak for a moment. I felt very Indolent to even ask why did he do that. "So when are you gonna pay me?" I asked. "I'll pay you on Monday" he replied. "How much are u going to pay me"? I continued to ask. " how much do you want"? He replied by asking. "I want R400", I replied his question. "R400"?, he asked, as if he has seen a ghost. " Yes" I replied curtley not moving my eyes from him.
"Well", he said, I don't have that kind of money, even the car wash after your arrival until now hasn't made such an amount, so where do u think R400 will come from?
Deep down in my heart I knew that from the outset of my arrival until that day, I've made more money that exceeded R400 far beyond. I didn't argue with him. I quickly packed my stuff and returned the material to his homestead and went straight home.
I had a lull, then woke up to take a bath. By that moment, I had two separate minds. The other individual mind was forcing me to go back at my employer's home to demand my money right then, but then the other mind was patient for monday.( the day in which my employer promised to pay me on) i became tired with my own undecided and diversed mind to the extend that I went to my employer's homestead to demand what was mine. Reluctantly I found his parents. It was quiet a surprise because I wasn't really expecting them, however even if I expected them, it would have been better to find their son present when I asked about his presence. They told me that he has just gone out. For a brief moment I remained silent, composing what I would say to them, since well their dear arrogant son wasn't there.
What annoyed me was that the words I had planned to tell my employer were stored in my head for no particular reason.
" You can always leave a message and I'll make sure that my son receive your message" my father's employer broke the silence. "No thanks", I'll come back later, I replied. His father began to tell me various things at the same time, diversing my mind even worse. His stories were Tedious and annoying at the same time. I just replied Disdainfully and left him to decide my mood all by himself..
I spend the whole day of Sunday very emotional and angry.
On Monday morning I woke up, brushed my teeth and headed to my employer's home. I found the car he was driving but unluckily he wasn't there himself. His little sister told me that he will be only back home after 3 in the afternoon. Without any waste of time I returned home, so that his parents could not lay an eye on me, not after the way I spoke to them the last time they saw me.
Soon enough from that day the road to my employer's home was frequented by me futilely, without any luck, he was never at home. It was like he knew that I was coming and reluctantly he left, leaving me confused and angry by his absence. But I kept on going, I wouldn't just throw a towel and lose my money.
One day I went over to his place and like many other days, he wasn't there, instead I found his father who asked me how much does his son owe me. I Told him sternly that he owed me R400!! "Well, let me call him on his phone and hear his side of the story", said my employer's father. He called his son and they spoke about two minutes on the phone. After hanging up he went inside the house and came with a R50 note on his left hand. He gave me that R50 and Told that I'll get the rest from his dear arrogant son. I refused to take the R50 and told him again disdainfully that I wanted my money in cash, and not in halves. After saying that I left and slammed the gate to show my anger. I was being disrespectful to my employer's father for the second time. It didn't worry me because the things I said to him revealed the anger and hatred I had towards his son and even him for that sake. He was just an irresponsible father who doesn't care about other peoples needs, matter of fact he was selfish and self centered. The saddest part of this all was that I never received my money from his son... But I've had my revenge, today his son is a nyaope addict who's not even afraid to ask me for R5 whenever he sees me in the shopping complex