Sweef | Sticks and stones – André Bester | English Summary

Sweef en ander Verhale

Sticks and stones – André Bester

Stefanus’s mother died, and after her death, his father decided that it would be good for them to leave Ladysmith and live in Paarl with their grandparents. The father can’t leave his practice in Ladysmith but is convinced the move is right for his child because he can attend the best school in the country. The grandfather is happy to show Stefanus his alma mater, and when they arrive, he proudly shows him around. It’s much bigger than anything to which Stefanus is accustomed. They step out of the car and walk towards the school’s entrance, taking in the new environment in its stimulating entirety – the various sounds of cicadas and birds, the bright colour of the sky and the Paarl valley in its lush greenness. It is quite the change from the brown of Ladysmith that he’s used to.

Standing at the entrance, he wishes his mother could be there with him because she brought up the idea of him attending school in Paarl in the first place. He remembers – it was after her third admittance to the hospital. She was sickly, and the glint in her eyes was gone, her dimples vanished, and he was stroking her hair. She said it was important that he go to “the best school in the country”. When Stefanus stood up, he realised he was clutching a tuft of her hair, and it scared him. He tucked it away in his pocket. After the funeral, when his dad brought up the conversation of changing schools, he was prepared. Unlike his mother, his father wasn’t all too invested in his education because he didn’t have the time to give him the amount of attention his mother did. He tells his grandfather that he’ll be happy there and his grandfather tells Stefanus that he’s proud of him and happy that he’s living with them now.

A few days later, the school term begins, and Stefanus’s grandfather drops him off at the school gates. Barely two steps in his new shoes, Stefanus feels himself being dragged by the collar. “Tune him, Stones! These new kids have no respect!” The older student spits at Stefanus, with the slimy spit sliding off his school badge and making a mark on his brand- new blazer. When an unseen someone says “Chips”, the older students disappear almost immediately – no striped blazer in sight. The voice is sympathetic, and the person behind it now visible. He extends a hand to Stefanus, but he gets up on his own. The unnamed saviour tells Stefanus that the other new kids are in the hall and shows him the way.

Later, he realises who that was – Mr Basson, the Afrikaans teacher. The teacher is doing a dramatic reading of the poem “Rietfontein” and Stefanus isn’t impressed – his mother read it to him before, so it definitely won’t be scary now, especially to a group of high schoolers. He thinks there are scarier things to be seen in movies, or even at the old school hall when the older students attempt to “teach the young ones a lesson”. Stones and his friends are still giving Stefanus a hard time, and his grandmother eventually asks why he always comes home with dusty clothes and the holes forming at the knees of his pants. She brushes it off as the horseplay of young men, but Stefanus Sr knows precisely what is happening and tells Stefanus to endure it – since he’s been there too.

One time, they dragged him and told him to lick someone’s dirty, dusty shoes clean. Stefanus did everything to keep from vomiting. On another day, while in Afrikaans class, the intercom blasts sound throughout, asking that Mr Basson sends in his list of absentees to the office. He sends Stefanus to the office and Stefanus decides to use this opportunity to hide in the bathroom before break after handing in the list. However, he finds Stones right there in the bathroom, and before he can close one of the stall doors to keep him out, Stones uses his physical strength to immobilise Stefanus. He wants him to pop his zits because he’s going to a sokkie and doesn’t want to be all pimply for it – if he bleeds, Stefanus will catch a beating. While he has Stefanus in a chokehold, Stefanus feels the pen in his hand. He went to the office and forgot to give the receptionist her pen.

Next thing he knew, his shirt was covered in spots of blood and Stones was screaming, holding his hand in pain. After that, Stones stopped being a problem. He’d never tell anyone that the reason why he couldn’t play the most important cricket match of his life would be because of a stupid little rookie.

SummariesKeroshan Pillay1 Comment