Die droom – Pierré Olivier
Oom Jaap shifts (skuif reg) in his seat on the Intercity bus. He has been looking
forward (sien uit) to this visit (kuier) in the Free State (Vrystaat) for a long time. It’s
lonely (sielsalig) on the farm (plaas), no matter how beautiful his Bonsmaras are
and how much rain the Bosveld had that year. He cannot believe that Ansa has
now been gone for three years already, just like that, in her sleep. Nothing was
wrong with her (niks makeer nie). He shakes (skud) his head and moves (skuif)
his feet so the boy who has the seat next (langs) to his can get in.
The boy (outjie) politely (beleef) asks oom Jaap if he does not want to sit next to the
window (venster). Oom Jaap looks up, asking the boy if he was speaking to him.
The boy bends (buk) down; that’s all he needs right now: a deaf (dowe) guy. He
speaks louder (harder) and slower (stadiger).
Oom Jaap smiles (glimlag). He won’t tell the boy that he isn’t deaf, just deep in
thought (diep ingedagte) and asks if the boy would like that window seat. The boy
shakes (skud) his head, his friend is sitting across (oorkant) the aisle (paadjie).
Both of the males would actually like to completely swap (omruil) because there is a
strange/odd (vreemde) girl sitting next to the boy’s friend, but they decide
(besluit) to wait with a suggestion (voorstel) like that.
Oom Jaap takes the seat by the window and looks out at the lush (males) green hills
(heuwels). No, there has not been such a good year in a long time. He will have to
decide when he gets to the Free State. Julia seems like a lady who has it all
together (agtermekaar vrou) and oom Jaap’s son and his wife get along (kom
goed oor die weg) well with her. He will have to see how her daughter feels
about him.
Funny (snaaks) how they both just have the one child.
The two boys make themselves comfortable (gemaklik) in their new seats and
immediately start chatting (gesels).
Oom Jaap asks if the boy’s friend doesn’t want to move to his side, then oom Jaap
will sit in that seat as the two boys are having such a good conversation (gesels so
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
1
ALLOWED
, lekker). The boys accept gratefully.
Oom Jaap takes the seat next to the aisle (gangetjie). The girl sits by the
window and looks out, her face (gesig) turned away (weggedraai). She checks her
wristwatch (armhorlosie) ever so often (kort-kort). Oom Jaap thinks she is
probably waiting for someone, maybe (dalk) a friend who is coming to greet
(groet) her. That person will have to hurry (wikkel) as it looks like it might rain. It
has been a year of storms and floods, and the weather bureau (weerkantoor)
predicts (voorspel) even more of that.
She suddenly smiles and waves (waai) at someone outside. Oom Jaap stretches
(rek) his neck. It’s a young man, quite attractive (aansienlik) with a suitcase (tas)
in his hand. He takes his seat and they greet.
The girl admits to the man that she was so scared he would be late and he
answers that she knows how it goes: just as you want to leave (gaan), someone
arrives (daag) with something that cannot wait. He ends off by saying he hopes
their weekend won’t be rained out.
They laugh happily (opgewek) and discuss (bespreek) their plans for the visit
(kuier) with their friends.
Oom Jaap’s thoughts trail off (dwaal weg): one’s (‘n mens se) life just flies by so fast,
there is still so much that he wants to do and see. He smiles; a whole (hele)
adventure awaits him as well, he hopes Julia’s daughter likes him as much as
his son likes her mom.
The girl by the window’s voice (stem) turns serious (ernstig) as she comments on
how it is becoming clearer and clearer, with it happening more often. Oom Jaap
listens involuntarily (onwillekeurig). The man replies to Rienie, the girl, that it is utter
nonsense (bog), wondering how you can be you and someone else still (nog) at
the same time? Rienie replies that Jaco, the man, might be joking (spot), but she
dreams about a farm amongst (tussen) wild trees. There are cattle (beeste) and
she is walking around on the yard (werf), feeding (gee kos) the chickens
(hoenders) and ducks (eende). She lives (woon) there with her father, mother
and she has a brother, Bernard. They are twins (tweeling).
Jaco replies that one can dream about anything and his voice is slightly (effens)
impatient (ongeduldig), continuing that it’s not to say that she is the one who is
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
2
ALLOWED
Oom Jaap shifts (skuif reg) in his seat on the Intercity bus. He has been looking
forward (sien uit) to this visit (kuier) in the Free State (Vrystaat) for a long time. It’s
lonely (sielsalig) on the farm (plaas), no matter how beautiful his Bonsmaras are
and how much rain the Bosveld had that year. He cannot believe that Ansa has
now been gone for three years already, just like that, in her sleep. Nothing was
wrong with her (niks makeer nie). He shakes (skud) his head and moves (skuif)
his feet so the boy who has the seat next (langs) to his can get in.
The boy (outjie) politely (beleef) asks oom Jaap if he does not want to sit next to the
window (venster). Oom Jaap looks up, asking the boy if he was speaking to him.
The boy bends (buk) down; that’s all he needs right now: a deaf (dowe) guy. He
speaks louder (harder) and slower (stadiger).
Oom Jaap smiles (glimlag). He won’t tell the boy that he isn’t deaf, just deep in
thought (diep ingedagte) and asks if the boy would like that window seat. The boy
shakes (skud) his head, his friend is sitting across (oorkant) the aisle (paadjie).
Both of the males would actually like to completely swap (omruil) because there is a
strange/odd (vreemde) girl sitting next to the boy’s friend, but they decide
(besluit) to wait with a suggestion (voorstel) like that.
Oom Jaap takes the seat by the window and looks out at the lush (males) green hills
(heuwels). No, there has not been such a good year in a long time. He will have to
decide when he gets to the Free State. Julia seems like a lady who has it all
together (agtermekaar vrou) and oom Jaap’s son and his wife get along (kom
goed oor die weg) well with her. He will have to see how her daughter feels
about him.
Funny (snaaks) how they both just have the one child.
The two boys make themselves comfortable (gemaklik) in their new seats and
immediately start chatting (gesels).
Oom Jaap asks if the boy’s friend doesn’t want to move to his side, then oom Jaap
will sit in that seat as the two boys are having such a good conversation (gesels so
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
1
ALLOWED
, lekker). The boys accept gratefully.
Oom Jaap takes the seat next to the aisle (gangetjie). The girl sits by the
window and looks out, her face (gesig) turned away (weggedraai). She checks her
wristwatch (armhorlosie) ever so often (kort-kort). Oom Jaap thinks she is
probably waiting for someone, maybe (dalk) a friend who is coming to greet
(groet) her. That person will have to hurry (wikkel) as it looks like it might rain. It
has been a year of storms and floods, and the weather bureau (weerkantoor)
predicts (voorspel) even more of that.
She suddenly smiles and waves (waai) at someone outside. Oom Jaap stretches
(rek) his neck. It’s a young man, quite attractive (aansienlik) with a suitcase (tas)
in his hand. He takes his seat and they greet.
The girl admits to the man that she was so scared he would be late and he
answers that she knows how it goes: just as you want to leave (gaan), someone
arrives (daag) with something that cannot wait. He ends off by saying he hopes
their weekend won’t be rained out.
They laugh happily (opgewek) and discuss (bespreek) their plans for the visit
(kuier) with their friends.
Oom Jaap’s thoughts trail off (dwaal weg): one’s (‘n mens se) life just flies by so fast,
there is still so much that he wants to do and see. He smiles; a whole (hele)
adventure awaits him as well, he hopes Julia’s daughter likes him as much as
his son likes her mom.
The girl by the window’s voice (stem) turns serious (ernstig) as she comments on
how it is becoming clearer and clearer, with it happening more often. Oom Jaap
listens involuntarily (onwillekeurig). The man replies to Rienie, the girl, that it is utter
nonsense (bog), wondering how you can be you and someone else still (nog) at
the same time? Rienie replies that Jaco, the man, might be joking (spot), but she
dreams about a farm amongst (tussen) wild trees. There are cattle (beeste) and
she is walking around on the yard (werf), feeding (gee kos) the chickens
(hoenders) and ducks (eende). She lives (woon) there with her father, mother
and she has a brother, Bernard. They are twins (tweeling).
Jaco replies that one can dream about anything and his voice is slightly (effens)
impatient (ongeduldig), continuing that it’s not to say that she is the one who is
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
2
ALLOWED
