Hallo, my name is Jakes…

My real name is Jacobus, but everybody calls me Jakes. I was born in Heideveld and I am seven years old. I stay with my father, but he is seldom at home, and so my auntie is looking after me. My mom pops in now and then, but she stays with people in Gugs. My other mum is auntie Lewena in Badsberg Close. She knows very well I go to her to have porridge in the mornings. She makes tea which is very nice, sweet and milky. She packs some sandwiches for me and other kids to take to school.Her house feels like my house and I have always been sitting on the red step in the corner. Saturday mornings she plays us some dvd’s with doll stories. Auntie Lewena told me long ago that I must come and eat at her home in the evenings as well, like some of the other kids do.  We then pray, watch Sewende Laan and after that we must all go home.

I have lots of friends, but I am not always sure if that is a good thing or not. Having friends,causes problems—like last December. I remember when I was small ,I always went to the park on my own, where I played with pieces of glass from broken bottles and small stones. There was always someone who gave me five bob to go and buy a packet of chips from the uncle from Somalia.

Last December we had some big drama. I still think about it sometimes, but I try to forget about it. Just like the day I went to school for the first time. My father was drunk, and nobody bought me school clothes, shoes or pens and pencils. Nothing.I was so excited, that I did not even think about it before I saw the list  of stuff that I needed for school.   Luckily auntie Lewena helped me, and there was a friendly auntie in the shop who paid for my stuff. I was a day late for my first day at school, but it did not really matter.

I cannot understand why my shoes are always damaged.  Suddenly there would be a hole in the sole (then I walk on my socks), or a hole at my big toe and then it sticks out. It makes everybody laugh. Sometimes I also laugh.

I like Tuesday afternoons, because then we all play at auntie Lewena’s house. I always play with the small cars. Why play with a ball or build puzzles when there are cars?  We are to blame for some of the wheels on the cars that broke off. We do it on purpose. Auntie Lisa said we would have to play with the broken cars until December, but we don’t mind.  I also like the soup and bread we get on Tuesday afternoons, but the biggest fun is when we can rinse the mugs with the warm soapy water.Me and Nazmie then make beards and moustaches with the foam en pretend to be Father Christmas.Then we laugh and life is just great. Then I don’t think about last December’s drama.

Auntie Audrey and auntie Abi teach us in SmartBrain classes.  A for Apple, B for Ball C for…I cannot remember  any more. I don’t always understand it very well. I think it is because I don’t really listen, because my thoughts go back to the drama of last December.

I   cannot understand why we were so cruel with the cat. I also cannot understand why we were so nasty with  the girls.Our names are with the police for what we did to the cat en with the social worker for the problems we caused with the girls.  I think our names are with the police as well because of the girls. Last December was a bad time.

In auntie Lewena’s  house there is a picture which is supposed to tell us about the narrow and the wide roads. The things we did last December are also sketched on the picture. Those on the wide road are going to hell. Every day I look and look at the narrow road. I believe if I try hard enough to do what auntie Lewena tells me, things will work out.

And then I can also go to Heaven.