Part 35: Espresso for charity...

I still can't believe how happy this Fahmeeda was to see me yesterday!

 Who would have thought...

A few years ago, when I was still in school, Sabera and I volunteered for a fundraising tea garden for cancer...I asked to be a cashier, unfortunately on the day of the event they were short on waitresses' and asked me to be one!

Well, a group of highty thighty ladies had sat in my section, all the teachers were whispering about one lady who was Dr Mansoors 4th wife.

The group gave me a long order of specific teas and coffees and baked goods, thankfully, somebody more experienced put together the tray for me...their order totaled close to R500!

Half way through their tea they called me back to order one more Espresso, this time their was nobody to make it and I couldn't wait around forever so I had to make it myself, the only thing I knew about espresso was that it was served in a cute miniature mug so I made coffee just like I make for my father, extra milk, extra sugar...and served it in the small mini mug.

My word, what a fit this lady threw! She wanted a refund! So I took out my wallet and have her R14...she stared at it dumbstruck and then asked what's that for?
By now, almost everybody was watching us...without thinking I replied:, " this tea garden is for charity and charity doesn't give refunds, since you don't like your coffee and I made it, I'm returning your money"

I couldn't believe I had said that, but then I was glad I had...

Luckily, she just stood up gathered her stuff and left...it was only after she walked away that everybody realized the bill hadn't even been paid yet.

I still remember the look on the other ladies faces when they figured out they going to be paying for her share too.

I never expected to ever see her again...but there she was yesterday...as elegant and cool as ever, acting like we were long lost best friends.

I had been a bit nervous, I didn't know what to say or what she was going to say...

" I'm so sorry I have to rush off right now, Fatima please get my number from your MiL or I will get yours, we should meet for coffee or something... I could really use a girl like you on some of my projects.", She said warmly.

Once again, she had just gathered her things and left.

Soon as the door had closed behind her, my MiL and her Posey pounced on me,

"How do you know Fahmz?"

"Where do you know her from"

"why you never told me you know her all this time?"

I didn't know what to say or who to answer...i also didn't know if she was kidding me...coffee? With me? Why on earth!

I just shrugged, "she use to live in Sheppy before, small town and all that".

"Port Shepstone!", and then round two of the rapid fire questions began....

" was she married before?"

" I heard this is her 4th husband"

" what!"

" who was she married to before?"


While they dissected and speculated about her life I made a run for my bedroom.

when i told Imraan this silly story, he was so amused!

He said he had heard about the tuition program she runs for underprivileged children in a school in Shangweni.

"I think you made her into a good Samaritan that day...", Imraan said.

Yah right, as if I'm that influential. Maybe she had mistook me for somebody else...

Part 34: Lunch for the needy or the greedy?

Today when I got home from work there was nowhere for me to park, I had to park on the pavement outside!

 We have a carport that accommodates 6 cars plus a double garage!!

None of the cars parked in the bays were any I recognized except Sumaya's. At first I thought maybe something horrible had happened, then I remembered MiL was hosting her ladies committee meeting today...

I walked in to what sounded like the Victoria Street market...i almost walked back out! The kids at school make less noise than these 10 women.

Every month my MiLs community outreach group meets to plan their roster, this month its my MiLs turns to host the meeting...she has been stressing over the menu for weeks and had Sumaya and Shireen on a hop yesterday cooking and baking up a storm.

"Everything must be to the T, I don't want any ladies saying our lunch was like this and like that and last month was better!", I heard her drill my SiLs last night.

Sumaya was quiet annoyed that she had to make such variety for the tea table, just because last month the Drs wife had a 7-11 spread...7 lunch dishes and 11 tea things! My MiL, was not to be outdone...she was having a bakers dozen plus one spread...im not even kidding!

I just find it so ironical that a committee that meets to plan a lunch roster for the local school and clinic, places so much emphasis on the lunch they going to eat.

Every month my MiL tells us all the details of this get together...what she ate, what was made, who wore what, who said what...she returns home with weeks worth of gossip and tons of leftovers!

MiLs outreach group prepares lunch for underprivileged children at the local school, despite the nationwide government feeding scheme that has come into effect, the group still continues with their private one. So honourable, right?

 Each lady takes two days a month to make and deliver lunch to the school and two days a month to make and deliver sandwiches and tea to people waiting in the queues outside the local clinic, between them, this group ensures that fresh food is served everyday.

They meet monthly to plan the menu so that the same thing isn't served twice at the school or every week at the clinic.

My MiLs turn is the first two Tuesday's of the month for the school and the second two Tuesday's for the clinic...its no big deal for her, she only provides the ingredients, its Tumi and Thembi that get all the real sawaab.

But the meeting is a different story...my MiL had to be the hostess with the mostest today...
By the time I got home, all the organizing was done it seemed...the topic was now much more serious and engaging...gossip.

Who, what, where, how, when, why...nobody in the community was spared from slander and speculation I think!

The amount of dirty laundry being aired was frightening...if my FiL knew that the 5kg queen prawns in Kashmiri sauce was for this, he would have donated his money to another charity  I am sure.

I tried to sneak past to my room but MiL saw me and I had to do the parade, you know...kiss kiss, "no,no I'm Alhumdulliah, hehe, nice to meet you"

At least two ladies thought they knew me from somewhere so my whole family history had to come out...lucky for me, one lady was missing, so I only had to do the dance 8 times.

Finally, I had been right around the room, I was about to turn and make an excuse to leave when my MiLs 'arch enemy' returned from the loo...

I had heard so much kooch kooch about this lady from my MiL, she was the 3rd wife to some rich business man and she was very fancy and 'upper class', when it was her turn to host the meeting, they all looked forward to finally seeing her house, much to everybody's disappointment she took them out to lunch
! My MiL was quiet pissed off back then.

"Fahmeeda, have you met my daughter in law Fatima, Imraan's wife...she is a teacher!"

 I turned around and gasped...here was somebody I never thought I'd have to see ever again.


"YOU!!!!" we both said together...


My MiLs face suddenly changed to a look of fear...

"Come here!", Fahmz opened her arms wide...i never forgave myself for not taking your number!"

Say whaaaaaaat...