Real Gone Kid by Kate Fridriks

Author:Kate Fridriks [Kate Fridriks]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steel Thistle Press Ltd
Published: 2022-12-31T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24

Sunday, 26 August 1984

‘We seem to be hitting all the red lights,’ Steve sighs as he slows the car.

‘Did you know that in South Africa, they call traffic lights, robots?’

‘Really?’ Steve chuckles, ‘How do you know that?’

‘I used to live in South Africa.’

‘Did you?’ Steve whistles softly, his eyes on the road ahead as the traffic lights change, and we move off. ‘I thought I could sometimes hear an accent when you speak. What was it like?’

‘It was different.’ I’m not sure how much detail he’d like to know, so add, ‘Like the sun shone almost every day – and the life was about being outside – not being cooped in the house.’

‘What about apartheid?’

‘I hated that I couldn’t have any Black or Coloured friends – the whole segregation thing felt wrong.’ I turn to Steve to gauge his reaction. He nods, looking thoughtful. ‘I gave up talking to my Afrikaner pals about it. They couldn’t see past it – said that the place would fall apart without this discipline of dividing the people – so I didn’t have that many friends.’

Steve’s eyes are soft. ‘It’s mad how apartheid seems reasonable to them. South Africa’s slapped with economic sanctions, its athletes aren’t allowed to compete on the world stage, yet still, they carry on with it. Or their athletes have to change their citizenship so they can run for Great Britain if they’re Zola Budd.’ Steve’s eyebrows knit together. ‘My dad’s black.’

He glances at me, obviously amused by the surprise which must be registered across my face. ‘Well, my stepfather. My birth father’s Danish – hence the blonde hair and blue eyes. Ritchie’s been my dad since I can remember. So, as a family, we take great interest in what’s happening in South Africa.’

I quickly gather my thoughts. ‘So was your family pleased when Glasgow was the first city in the world to award Nelson Mandela the Freedom of the City because it refused to accept the legitimacy of the apartheid system?’

‘For sure. My dad was impressed with that. Helped persuade him and me Ma to move here. Hopefully, he’ll be freed soon. Nelson Mandela, not my dad.’

I laugh.

‘The world’s a mess, eh? With all these racial, religious and political divides.’ I’m enjoying this conversation with Steve, about something as important to me as it is to him. Paul’s never really been interested in my life in South Africa beyond the language and the sunshine.

‘Is that why your family came back ? Because of apartheid?’ Steve grips the steering wheel as a car brakes in front of us.

‘Yes, my mammie and da struggled with it so we knew that we weren’t going to stay, but we came home sooner than planned when we found out my mammie was sick and needed treatment.’

Steve looks at me. I’m sensing that there’s a question he can’t ask.

‘She’s dead, yes.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Steve murmurs and falls into a thoughtful silence, which I sense I shouldn’t disturb.

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