With a last pull of the cigarette, it filled my body with a little heat as the last of the embers and the smoke tickled my nose. The aroma was long since no longer unpleasant so I enjoyed it. Still, the heat inside already began to be ripped away by the cold Fangs of the wind, letting me know it would be a long night as I started to move. Standing up from the bridge I let out a deep breath letting all the smoke go and breathing in the sharp needles of cold air tearing at my lungs worse than the cigarette. The last cigarette that young Joshua had given me almost a week ago. I quite like him, he is a kind young man if not a little too angry, but he would get over that. I couldn't help the light smile as I put the bud back into the box to be thrown away. Feeling the Southeast wind claw at me through my old jacket all I could do was try and bundle my arms together to hold onto whatever heat I could. Still, I might have had better luck trying to catch the wind. Don't think like that you only need to make it to the group.
"haaaa" I exhaled as I realized there were only a few of us left first Mark, then Msizi, and lastly Basa. Before Basa left he began speaking on a person who offered him a chance at a better life. The Red Man he called him. I couldn't get an image of him in my head why was he doing this, everyone wanted something by being kind, so why would he be different? A surge in the wind pulled me back and made me realize I had been standing still for I don't know how long but I was more frozen than before nearly deep in my bones it was strange. Just as the last of the heat left my body.
"Hello, there how are you?" Turning around I see a well-dressed man standing there. He wasn't dressed for this cold weather his clean and well-fitted red suit must not have been giving him much resistance from the wind but he stood unbothered, even his hair unruffled as if the wind. The only reason I was certain of him was that he was holding a cup of; What I assume was coffee, and the steam was being taken by the wind, the smell just barelytickling my nose before the cold attacked again.
"Hello." He said again the sound carried to me as if he was right by my ear a gentle smile now on his face.
"Goed, en hoe is jy meneer?" I stutter in a moment of awe from his presence trying my best not to take a step back.
"Ahhh, Goed dankie." He said smiling his body still unbothered
"Wou jy hierde koffie hê?" he asked with that same smile taking a step closer and reaching out with the cup, I graciously accepted and took a sip. The coffee's bitter taste was cut by the cold air making it go down smooth. Filling me with warmth and the confidence to ask my next question.
"Wie is jy?" I ask the coffee warming me inside and starting my mind again giving me a chance to think again.
"Ahhh, My magtag hoe kan ek no soe wees, jy kan vir my the roi maan noem, dit sal goed genoug." His dramatic words and performance were abruptly ending in a bow.
"Die Roi Man. Is jy rerig hom?" My halting words were only greeted by a gentleman's nod as I couldn't find the right words.
"Die Een en einigste." He spread his arms first to gesture then pointed at his suit as if to show that my question was a bit redundant but kindly as he straightened up and continued.
"Wil jy graag by my restaurant werk?" His question only made his presence more confusing and weird so I couldn't help but ask.
"Ek het gedink jy is 'n TV-man?" I responded out of confusion, the second I realized what I had said I recoiled myself and tried to fix but his words cut first.
"Nee, ek hou nie van tv nie." His face hardened and his words the sharpest they had been and colder than the wind. Shaking his face it softened up again but then looked me right in my eyes as he reached out his hand as if to force my answer. I tried to be honest even knowing what might happen.
"Ek weet nie hoe om te kook nie." I reply honestly to which I got a head tilt and a smile.
"Dit maak nie saak nie, ons sal jou leer hoe." He replied softly through the wind making me feel more at ease
"Ek wou net help." After that I had no more questions, I took his hand and we shook it. His smile is now softer than ever. With a subtle hand signal a large gleaming black car pulled up and stopped right in front of us he wordlessly reached out and opened the door for me, moving to the side to let me through. I stepped through the door into the car.
.
.
.
Stepping out of the back of the restaurant into the main area the new clothes scrapped against my freshly showered skin the smell or lack thereof was still messing with me before I was led forward by a hand from the red man leading me behind the counter as he made his way to the other side, all the while the glares of the patrons were boring into me leaving it so that I couldn't get my words out so someone else did.
"Who are you and what happened to Mike, will someone please explain?" A white guy with short-cut black hair stood up and began to shout at either me or the red man loudly but his face was now blank as if his expression was painted on his face. He began to move again but still said nothing.
"Meneer, kalmeer asseblief, ek weet ook nie." I stutter through my words to not put myself in a difficult situation but it didn't seem to calm him down as he started to make his way over to us.
*Snap*
The sound ruptured out from the figures of the red man pushing a wave of pressure out towards all causing everyone to freeze for a second before everyone continued as if nothing happened. As he continued to stand still halfway to the entrance. As Kian made his way over to the counter he was a regular it was pleasant to see him.
"So Kian what can I get for you?" I ask with a cheeky grin and get a solid clap as we shake.
"The usual please Bazel." He said with his normal smile his hand a bit shaky.
"No problem coming right up." I reach for the large glasses moving my hand on instinct to pour him a Guinness draft as I started to make small talk. Now unaware of the Red man who finally started moving again he made his way to the door opening it slowly before shutting it with a slam.