Finding Ravi

 

I have to go and look for Ravi, vanhu vasati vatanga kuuya kuzobata maoko’, he said as he grabbed his car keys from the table.

‘I don’t know why you bother with that sister of yours. The whole time that amai was unwell she never made an effort to go and visit her, I don’t know what makes you think she will care now that amai is no more’

‘Its her right to know. Whether she cares or not, izvo zvave zvakewo’ he responded as he walked out of the bedroom.

‘I am coming with you, you are in no condition to drive’, she said as she ran after him while putting on her wig.

‘I will be fine, that environment is no place for a woman like you’. He said while starting the car.

She shrugged and watched him drive off.

He drove in a blur to the bar she operated from; it was a dirty and dingy bar that smelt of cigarettes and urine. He remembered the smell from the day he had gone there a year ago to inform her of amai’s illness

He entered the bar and approached a woman seating in a dark corner wearing a garment that looked like it had been painted on her body but sadly the painter had ran out of paint long before he got to her knees.

‘Makadini zvenyu’ he asked

‘Short time i1 yusa’ she responded

He ignored her offer, ‘ndiri kutsvagawo Raviro’

She looked at him from his eyes to his toes then back to his eyes again.

‘Ravi abva kutorwa ne client izvezvi, asi ini ndiripo’ she said with a smile.

‘Handina kufambira izvozvo, ndiri hanzvadzi ya Ravi’

‘Hooo ndimi lawyer nhai, anogara achikutaurai’ she smirked giving him another up down look.

He ignored her remark, ‘ Regai ndimumirire’

‘Ah manje client yamutora nhasi inomudzosa makuseni’

‘Ave ne phone here?’, he asked

‘Phone haana asi munogona kundisiira message ndozomuudza’

This was not how he wanted to deliver the news but he would be travelling to the village the following morning and didn’t want to go without making an effort to let her know.

‘Mozomuudza kuti amai vake vashaika kumusha, ini ndinomukira kumusha mangwana makuseni. Anogona kuzondifonera panumber dzangu idzi ndimuudze hurongwa’, he handed her a business card.

‘Nematambudziko shuwa, hamusikuda kunyaradzwa here’, she said placing her hand on her hips with a smile on her face.

He was repulsed.

He turned away to walk out of the dark and dingy bar.

‘Ndichamuudza’ she said to his back…