Haywire – Episode 3
Episode 3.
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“Peter, I don’t want to have anything to do with your topic. You can’t spend everything on the fees and leave nothing for home.” She said.
“Look, this issue of the fees came abruptly. All I had in me was that I will make a part payment this month then finish next month but I was wrong. The school wants it in full before they could make recommendations for them to write their exams.” He tried to reason with her.
“But the idea of using my money entirely for this house, is not happening” “Okay, kindly lend me some money, I will reimburse you next month so that I can buy some stuff for home” he asked.
“Okay so how much are we talking about now?”
“How much would be enough for home?”
“A K2,500 or K3,000 can do”
“Okay Lend me that”
“But I will seriously need this money back or else, you won’t like what I will do to you”
“No problem. So you can use that amount you have lent me to buy home stuff.”
“No problem”
“So Fostinah you are seriously lending me money which you will use yourself again?” He asked very surprised.
“Do you really want to be lent the money? Its like you are not interested.”
“No I didn’t say that. I just wanted to be sure of it.”
Peter lay in the bed facing the other side not believing what had just happened. “So, if her money is for herself whats the point of saying I married a woman who is working? I would have just married a house wife who would just stay home and do the chores instead of this zombie lying next to me” he thought to himself.
——————————————————
It was a first weekend of the month and the ladies’ paces were fully loaded with
money. As Fostinah was off from work, she decided to go and have her hair done.
She got her phone to make arrangements with her friends to go and to the beauty
parlor together.
“Hello”
“Hello bana pregnancy” Fostinah said.
“Fostinah, mind the way you call me.”
“Never mind Debby, I called you so that we can meet at Boksburg Beauty Parlour
we do our hair and nails.” She said.
“Will you pay for me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! You will pay on your own.”
“Okay but I can’t drive. Am feeling so tired, you know this condition”
“Debby don’t act like you are the first person to be pregnant. Okay, can I come and pick you up?”
“Wait a minute I find out from Chabota. She was saying that she will be coming here”
“Yes, if she is coming there, let her drive you to the parlor. You will find me there”
“Okay girlfriend”
“Okay Mrs Petros”
“Fostinah have respect. Why can’t you say his surname? Foolish woman”
“Whatever! Just hurry up. You will find me there.”
“Okay”
Fostinah drove out of her yard going to the salon. She got there and chose the hair style she wanted done on her. She got a magazine and started reading it as her hair was being done.
A little while later, Debby and Chabota came to the beauty parlor.
“Hey Debby, Chabota, did she trouble you?” Fostinah asked.
“The way i was troubled as if I am the one who made her be in this condition” Chabota said.
“What? She deserves a fine beating” fostinah said.
“You ladies, mind the way you talk to me. Anyway let me sit down first” Debby said.
“Let me also choose the hairstyle i will do today” Chabota said.
“Yes girlfriend choose so that we can look great to the kitchen party tomorrow.” Said Fostinah.
“Just wait, I want to look so cute that my husband shouldn’t take his eyes off me today” Chabota said as they all broke into laughter.
“What about you Debby? Won’t you have your hair done?” Asked Fostinah. “Mmmm I don’t feel like. You know these days I even feel like just cutting my hair short. These wigs make me feel hot in the head” Debby said.
“I understand you. When I was pregnant for my firstborn child, clothes were feeling awkward on me. I enjoyed being naked almost all the times. That’s why I spent most of my times in the bedroom” said Chabota.
“Azimai, mamimba yaza kakufunthisani” said Fostinah. (ladies, pregnancies will make you go crazy)
“So seriously you won’t do your hair Debby?” Fostinah asked.
“No, I won’t”
“Or maybe did your husband stop you from using any money?” Asked Chabota. “Is it his money? He found her with money already” Fostinah answered before Debby could answer.
“Yes Fostinah you are right saying that he found me with money already but by accepting to marry him, my money became our money. So he has a say in it” Debby said.
“Like seriously? I wouldn’t allow my husband to dictate how I spend my money. Was he there when I was at school? Was he studying on my behalf? Please let me enjoy my money in peace” Fostinah said.
“So you mean your husband has no say over your salary?” Asked Debby. “Each one has a salary, so why should he poke his nose into my money” said Fostinah.
“Chabota is that what you also do at your home? Your husband’s salary is his and yours is yours?” Asked Debby.
“No, we don’t do that. We put our salaries together and budget. We also agree how much each should get for pocket money. So, this money I am using here at the salon is my pocket money.” Chabota said.
“What? You mean you put your salaries together? I can never do that. Then what is the essence of being married if we shoulder responsibilities?” Asked Fostinah.
“It’s not that Fostinah. When you get married, you become a helper of your husband. You help him in all angles. Physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially. And by doing that you tend to bond so much and misunderstandings are avoided on money issues.” Chabota said.
“Mmmm so what have you benefited from putting your money and that of your husband together?” Asked Fostinah.
“When we put our monies together, the money gets big such that we do a lot with it. We have built two big house already due to this strategy.” Chabota said. “Mmmmm okay. Good for you. And you Debby did you put your man in charge of your money?”
“I didn’t put him in charge because as we all know he didn’t go very far with his education to handle so much money but I don’t make a decision without consulting him. Considering his opinions make him feel respected and cherished. So, the point is my husband has a say in the money we have as a family. It’s our money now” Debby said.
“Ladies, you are sleeping. You should wake up. Don’t you know that if you give your man access to your money, you are giving him a breathing space to use money to cheat on you? Huh?” Asked Fostinah.
“My dear, men can cheat even on empty pockets. And on the contrary, if she sees how you do things with him, he won’t leave you for another person. And by the way, not expecting your man to cheat is like expecting no rainfall throughout the rain season.” Said Chabota.
“Yes, if you are a woman, you should always remember that your man will once cheat on you whether you like it or not.” Debby added.
“Mmmm okay. But my money is my money. Let’s agree on that” Fostinah said. “We can’t agree on that with you because we believe that my money is our money” said Chabota.
“That’s upto you because I had to lend him money to buy groceries for home yesterday” Fostinah said.
“What?!” Chabota and Debby shouted together.
Even the two salon ladies who were doing their hair froze hearing that a woman lent her husband money to buy groceries which she would use herself and her family.
“Are you out of your mind Fostinah?” Asked Debby.
“What?”
“Listen to me dear, you are slowly sending your man away from you. By the time you realise it, he will be gone.” added Chabota.
“That can’t happen. Anyway, let’s change the topic” said Fostinah.
When they were done with their business as the beauty parlor, they split going to their homes.
As Fostinah drove home alone, she pondered over what her friends had said about how they handle money issues in their homes. She had a different view of how to handle money from what her friends said. To her, her money was hers alone while her friends got their money to be for the whole family. “They are just crazy. I can’t stand that nonsense.” She said.
She then increased the volume of sound system playing a song “destiny” done by Cassper and Goapele.
“You were and you are and will be,
The soul in the air that I breathe,
The heart and love that I need,
And you are my destiny” Fostinah sung along as she entered the yard of her home.
Watch out for episode 4.
