‘But that’s the thing. I’m pretty sharp at pool. Maybe not that sharp, and it’s been a while, but I reckon I could have taken him on a good day. And maybe this just happened to be… Oh, don’t look so sceptical. I used to play league in Durban.’
‘Chill, sweet K. I believe you.’ And to prove it, I lean forward and pull into her.
Initially, she kisses me back. But then she flinches away from me, total panic stations. ‘I’m sorry…’
‘Don’t be sorry.’
‘No, I have a boyfriend. I, uh, I can’t. Okay? I’m flattered and…’
‘It’s okay. I was trying my luck. Look, I’ve backed off. We’ll just reset the timer to zero. Sorry if I freaked you out.’
‘It’s fine. Thanks for the chat. It’s nice getting to talk, to connect, you know?’ She’s talking too fast, already up, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
‘Yeah, yeah. Okay. I know.’ I’m grinning at her fluster, which only makes her more so.
‘And tell your friend, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… He was an asshole, but he didn’t deserve that. The cops and—’
‘I’ll do that. But don’t stress it. Like I said, he had it coming.’
‘And forget what I said about it being psychological. I talk too much sometimes. It’s not… I mean, of course it’s genuine makoya.’
‘Sure. No worries. And come to Replica next Saturday. That’s a free entrance on your phone.’
‘Thanks. And Toby?’ She pauses in the doorway, but the camera catches me unawares. It’s an oldschool design, clunky and cumbersome, but I’m too preoccupied, caught in the flash, to catch the make.
‘If you wanted me to model, you only had to ask,’ I snip, but she’s completely composed now, as if it’s the camera rather than the nanotech inside that smoothes out her edges.
‘Thanks. I’ll see you around.’ She winks, which is so cute, it physically hurts. And then she vanishes down the staircase.
**** INCIDENT REPORT ****
LOG – CTC Public Disruption
Occurrence No: 94-1678
ACCUSED_____________________
(surname, first name) Mataboge, Tendeka
(alias) N/A
(sex) M
(DOB) 05.06.86
(Age) 32
(Place of Birth) HARARE
(ID number) 8606050112291
(cell SIM ID) 062-699-1359
(prior record?) Y
(criminal registration) #2291-1359-470
(residential address)
Last known: 43 subC, Berlin, Khayelitsha, Cape Town, 7948
(height) 1.94m
(weight) 94kg
(hair) dreadlocks
(eyes) brown
(complexion) dark
(ID status) Civilian.
LSM (Living Standards Measure): 6
(marital status) Married
– Emmie Chinyaka. Malawi national. 3/8/2018
(identifying marks)
Tattoo on left shoulder, thick black rings or ‘bull’s-eye’pattern. Black band tattooed on right bicep and wrist
(occupation) NGOs, charitable fund-raising/events
(employer) self-employed
(biological verification) N
(date) N/A (time) N/A
(priors)
> 23/2/2018 – CC 279 (a) Public disruption.
-- Participating in unlawful, unlicensed protest march.
-- Loc: Parliament.
-- Defuse. R5000 fine. 24H disconnect.
> 29/12/2017 – CA 415 Defacement of corporate property.
-- Loc: V&A Mall Christmas display.
-- Defuse. 24H disconnect. 16 days corporate service.
> 18/7/2017 – CC 279 (a) Public disruption.
-- Loc: Vanguard Drive, Langa. Defuse.
> 22/11/2013 CTTD 80 unpaid underway fare fines.
-- Amount settled in full.
> 4/2/2008 CSP 121 (Juvenile) Possession of narcotics with intention to distribute.
-- 150 grams nitra- amaldrine (street name Bliss).
-- Sentenced to eight months in Boys Town juvenile fa- cility.
-- Six months probationary surveillance.
> 17/10/2006 CVC 3A (Juvenile) Breaking and entering.
-- Loc: 28 Roberta St, Bonteheuwel.
-- Suspended sentence.
OFFENCE______________________
CC 279(a) Public disruption
(offence time) 11h23
(offence date) 17/9/2018
(location)
Stones Pool Hall, 181 Long Street
(conjoined with)
CC 592 (b) Aggravating behaviour
OFFICER’S NOTES:
Disruption alert logged 11h20 from Stones Pool Hall (Premises ID 33CBD-Long181). Officer and Aito /379 responded. On arrival found subject shouting threats and acting in aggressive manner.
A scan of the subject’s SIM ID register revealed that the subject has recent priors including previous public disruptions and a juvenile record.
Subject failed to respond to officer’s verbal warning or warnings uploaded to his phone.
Activated a defuse to subject’s phone. Defuse < 200 V. Non-lethal voltage. Defuse lasted approx 2.5 minutes.
Subject adequately subdued.
Officer left premises without further incident. Subject’s SIM logged on SAPS watch-list for period of twenty-four hours.
Temporary disconnect.
‘Sorry, Ten,’ Ashraf says, flicking his screen back to show me. The log is already live on SAPS.co.za, and this is what’s so truly fucked up, that government inc. thinks this level of transparency automatically rules out repression. If it’s all out in the open, it has to be above board.
‘But what did you expect?’ Ash says, like this is the time to be griefing me.
‘Fuck!’ He flinches as I slam my foot into a cold-drink can, sending it clattering down the street. At least it’s not a Ghost can – that would have been too much. skyward* is going to be seriously pissed.
The worst is confirmed when we get to the entrance to the D-line underway stop on Wale Street and my phone won’t scan. Or, rather, it does scan and blocks me outright in response to the police tag on my SIM, to the tremendous amusement of the leisure-class kids overdressed in their ugly expensive clothes. Bastards. Bastards. Bastards. I suck at my palm, which still stings, even if it’s stopped bleeding. At least the fucker didn’t mace me, else every biogen dog in the city would be trailing me like I was a bitch in heat.