Domestic drama, crysanthemum make-up

Ball and Jay have found jobs staffing sales booths at city department stores. While they will work for the same company, they are at different locations.

They were to start work yesterday, but the inner-city clashes between red shirt protesters and security forces have forced a delay.

According to girlfriend Jay, the company head called on Sunday evening to say they could stay at home the next two days, as the red shirt mobs have forced department stores to close early.

They should start work on Wednesday instead, he suggested.

However, Jay kept this news to herself for the first 12 hours after the boss called.

When I dropped in to Ball’s place shortly before midnight on Sunday, she told me another story.

‘Tomorrow, you might want to take Ball to work, as I have the day off,’ said Jay.

The next day I turned up at 9am, ready to take him to his new job. I dressed up, in case he wanted me to take him into the department store where he will work. We were supposed to get there at 10.40am.

After greeting his Mum, I mounted the stairs to his room. The door was open. Ball and Jay were sound asleep. I pulled his toes.

‘I don’t have to go to work today,’ he mumbled.

At first, I didn’t get it. I went back downstairs to await The Master’s arrival. Mum had bought food. I put it into bowls, and poured him a cup of water.

Ten minutes later, he staggered downstairs. He did not eat, or talk.

He sat in front of the TV, looking morose. ‘I feel weak,’ he said.

I gave him some money for an energy drink.

After knocking that back, he forced himself to eat...and retired to his mother’s bedroom for more sleep.

Mum was busy with the toddlers and didn’t notice, or didn’t care.

Again, I was confused. What about work?

I massaged Ball’s body as he lay on Mum’s bed, hoping it would give him the strength he needed to get up, take a shower, and get dressed.

‘I don’t have to go to work today,’ he said again.

What?

His girlfriend Jay joined us downstairs.

Slowly it dawned on me that they weren’t going to work, despite what she had told everyone earlier about a Monday start.

Mum, and Ball's elder sister Kae were just as confused.

‘So just when do you intend starting?’ Kae asked Jay.

‘Wednesday,’ she announced.

I was upset. Once, I would have blamed myself for such a misunderstanding. Perhaps I misheard, I would tell myself.

But I knew I wasn’t wrong. I recalled clearly what the little madam had told me the night before. While she would spend the day at home, Ball would have to work. She also invited me to take him there.

As soon as I discovered Ball had no intention of working after all, I left.

However, 10 minutes later I called his mother, as I couldn’t let the matter rest.

‘When did Ball’s boss call to say he wouldn’t be needed at work, when as late as midnight last night, he still intended to go?’I asked.

Mum knew nothing. I was about to take a dip in my condo swimming pool at the time, but decided to go back to clear the matter.

Jay was sitting with Mum on the sofa. Ball was sitting on a chair next to them, in front of the TV.

I demanded Jay explain.

‘Why did you ask me here when you must have known he was not going to work?' I asked.
'I rose early, and raced over here...only to find that Ball had no intention of going,’ I said.

‘I told Ball at 3am today that he could take the day off,’ she admitted.

‘And when did you find out?’

‘Early last evening, while we were shopping,’ she said. Ball had stayed at home, so knew nothing about the call.

Mum and Jay had gone to a department store to buy clothes for their first day at work. She bought Ball and Jay white shirts, but had yet to buy the black trousers he needs.

‘I didn’t want to tell you, just in case you ended up drinking with Ball,’ she said. 'And I wanted Ball to think he was still going to work, so he would go to bed early.'

She deceived us both to keep her boyfriend away from the sauce.

'You assumed I wanted to drink. I didn't. It was midnight...I dropped in to give your mother some food,' I told her.

‘Unless his mother consents, I don’t buy him anything, and I have told you that before,' I said. ‘You have no right to deceive me, or keep your boyfriend in the dark,’ I declared.

As my voice rose, Ball turned up the volume on the TV.

Bail suppresses his worries, which makes him stressed. He can only take so much before lashing out at his girlfriend - usually after hitting the sauce.

Yet here I was, adding to his problems.

An hour or so later, I asked to talk to Mum alone.

She sent Ball and Jay out to perform an errand.

Mum is no fan of Jay. She is lazy, dishonest, and fails to pull her weight around home, she believes.

Nonetheless, she is Ball’s girlfriend, I reminded her – and he’s better off with her than without.

While we sat talking, Ball’s boss called.

Their conversation was over in a moment. According to Mum, the boss asked why Ball had not turned up for work.

What?

‘Jay told Ball he didn’t have to go to work, but I am not sure that’s right,’ said Mum.

‘I suspect she was worried I wouldn’t be able to buy her pants in time, so decided if she had to skip a day’s work, Ball should too,’ she said.

That’s too complicated for my sore head.

But as Ball and Jay returned, I lashed out at her a second time.

‘We’ve caught you out in a lie again,’ I said.

‘What are you talking about?’ she said angrily.

'Your boss never called to say Ball should take the day off - you made it up,' I said.

Mum mumbled something, as she tried to keep the peace. Ball sat down on the floor as if nothing was happening.

Jay fled to her bedroom upstairs in tears, while Mum went out to play HiLo with friends.

I was left with Ball, who said he was stressed and didn’t want to hear any more arguing.

‘She didn’t lie. You misunderstood,’ he insisted.

‘Well, your Mum thinks she lied. We care for you, but go about it in different ways. But if I have to take sides between your mother and Jay, I side with Mum,’ I told him.

‘Yes...but she’s my girlfriend,’ he said.

I looked at him.

‘Next to your girlfriend, I have no rights, Ball...and if you want me to leave, I am happy to go,’ I said.

Jay came down the stairs, her face puffy with tears. ‘Where’s your Mum?’ she asked Ball, over and over. She started packing up her clothes.

Jay had decided to leave, which is her usual reaction when she wants to punish her boyfriend.

I wanted to leave too.

‘I will be back in early evening. In the meantime, please talk to her,’ I told Ball. ‘It’s possible that Mum and I have misunderstood,’ I said.

Jay is his girlfriend, and as such she takes priority, no matter what Mum thinks, or what I want.

I don’t like making people cry, but nor will I stand by Jay as deceives me, and withholds information from her boyfriend.

‘Please insist on dealing with all work matters yourself – even if you do work for the same company,’ I told him.

As I sit in Ball’s cramped home, sometimes I look at the slum alleyway outside, longing for a catalyst, some drama which will test Ball's loyalty to me, or my own loyalty to his family...some crisis which will give us all our freedom, and the chance to start again.

PS: Two hours later, I went back with a peace offering. Ball had gone out with his younger brother to play football. I took a bunch of chrysanthemum flowers for Jay, and apologised.

I spoke to her for 20min. Her spirits improved. We agreed to start again.