The Promotion...

The letter arrived on the 1st of December, Mai Rudo was estatic, after working as a bank teller at the Harare City Centre Branch she was thrilled that the bank had finally recognised her hard work. A Promotion – Operations Manager for Kwekwe. What a way to end the year.

She was going to break the news to her husband over his favourite meal; Sadza, pork bones and tsunga. She could not help but sing as she prepared dinner. The song in her heart was one of thanksgiving. If only her parents had lived to witness this proud moment. It hadn’t been easy for them to send her to University; cotton farmers from Gokwe. She could still remember her mothers hands, hard and discoloured from the years of cotton picking. She let out an unexpected laugh.

‘This one is for you mama and baba’.

The family sat for dinner.

‘Sadza and pork bones and its not even my birthday. What have I done to deserve this mid week treat’ Baba VaRudo remarked as he washed his hands to eat.

‘ I have some news for the family’

‘News’?

‘Yes, news. I will tell you when we finish eating’

When everyone had finished eating, Mai Rudo dashed to her bag to get promotion letter, she looked at it again and kissed it.

She handed the letter to Baba Rudo and turned to her children Rudo, Mudiwa and  Makaita, ‘mama is starting a new job in January in Kwekwe’

The children got up and started jumping up and down ‘New job, new job, mama has a new job’ they screamed with excitement.

‘You will have to take this back’ Baba vaRudo said after reading the letter.

The children stopped singing and jumping and scurried to their bedroom.

‘What do you mean take it back’? a puzzled Mai Rudo responded.

‘ I mean you will have to decline the offer, I can not move to Kwekwe, you can not move to kwekwe. This family is not moving ’

‘My plan was that ...’ She started to explain

‘Your plan, since when did you start making plans for the family Mai Rudo’? Baba VaRudo cut in before she could finish sharing her plan.

‘What I meant was, my suggestion is that you can stay here in Harare because you will get more painting jobs here in Harare than you will in Kwekwe. Rudo and Mudiwa can start form 1 in boarding school next year. Makaita can move to Kwekwe with me and ...’

‘We can not afford boarding school and we certainly can not afford to maintain two households’

‘But baba vaRudo, the promotion is coming with a salary increment, I am sure we can cater for the additional costs’ Mai Rudo pleaded.

‘Mai Rudo, dont make me repeat myself. Just write a letter to your superiors informing that you are pleased with the offer however you will only be able to take up offers in Harare’ Baba VaRudo got up to leave the table.

As he was leaving he turned around and said ‘next time you make pork bones, make sure you boil them well, these were underdone’