Page 107 - The Mending Season

Trish cleared her throat. I had never seen her nervous before that moment. She looked to Veronica as if for approval and then began, “Miss, we were playing, um, practising for the match with Williams. I think Tshidiso was trying to catch the ball but when she turned around she bumped into Beth, and then I saw Beth turn around and walk away. Miss, she looked very angry. So then I think she said something - I was too far away to hear what she said, but Tshidiso said she said the racist wordThe principal interrupted her, “Just tell me what you saw and heard, not what someone else heard, please. Go on.”“Well, then Veronica slapped Beth and the netball teacher came between them. Then Beth started to cry.”Trish shrugged and lifted her hand, palm up, to say “thats all I know”. No one else said anything.Mrs Allison turned to me, “Tshidiso, what did you see?”I told the story, cringing all the while at the sound of my accent but going on anyway. Then in the end instead of say­ ing “the word”, or “it”, I paused and inhaled, then said - loud enough for the class to hear - “Beth said “kaffir” to me. She said “kaffir” and thats when Veronica slapped her.”The principal’s face stiffened and her ears turned red. No one moved or said anything.“Well,”she said finally. “Well, thank you, Mrs Tanner. I will take this back to the rest of the staff. Veronica, can I see you in my office, please? Thank you, girls. Good morning.”“Good morning, Mrs Allison.”We said it, as always, in uni­ son. Veronica stood up to follow the principal.When Veronica came back, she was sobbing. She packed her desk, took her schoolbag and left. We were in the middle ofa lesson and were not allowed to speak, so none ofus could ask what was going on.107