Two-step in die Moederstad – Mioné du
Toit
She takes a long look (kyk) at the precious (kosbare) bobbin lace (kloskant) that
is displayed (uitgestal) on the old chest/kist (skeepskis). The day just does not
want to get better (vaart of vreugde kry nie).
When he touches her elbow (elmboog) to get her attention (aandag), she looks up
and sees the woman with the old and rundown (afgeremde) face in the old
fashioned (outydse) mirror (spieël) on the opposite (oorkantste) wall (muur).
The old and withered (geblaaste) glass of the mirror contorts (vertrek) the face ever
so slightly (effens), but the drooping lines (hanglyne) around the mouth is part
(deel) of the face. And the sad (mistroostige) eyes. The sagging cheeks
(hangkieste). The sagging shoulders (hangskouers). She is startled (skrik)
upon recognising (herkenning) that it is her, that joyless (vreugdelose), worried
(bekommerde) woman in the mirror.
Someone calls Marie to have a look at the price (wat kos hy nou) of a cupboard
(kas) similar to the one they have. At the back (agter) in one of the rooms on the
side (syvertrekke) of the antique shop (antiekwinkel) there is indeed a Flemish
(Vlaamse) buffet almost (amper) like the one in their dining room (eetkamer).
The price is almost (amper) three times (drie keer) as much (soveel) as what they
paid for theirs. That day - how they had to charm (mooi praat) the dealer
(handelaar), how they had to argue about the price (gekibbel), how they quickly
had to make sums (somme) regarding how the sales tax (verkoopbelasting)
would push the price up, how they secretly (skelmpies) gripped each other’s
hands tightly (styf vasdruk) in the hopes that the cupboard would become theirs –
where has that joy (blyheid) gone (heen)?
She stands to the side (eenkant) at the music dealer (musiekhandelaar) and looks at
how he is picking out (uitsoek) his special guitar strings (kitaarsnare). It has to be
the Konzertsaiten from Austria (Oostenryk). Last year this purchase (inkoop) was
still (nog) such a festivity (feestelik), when they walked out of the shop (uitstap)
with the special strings (snare) that they could not find anywhere (nêrens) in the
North (Noorde), and how he grabbed her around the waist (om die lyf gegryp)
when they exited the shop and almost dragged (gesleep) her to the car, straight
(reguit) to the beach (strand) where he restrung (besnaar) the guitar and sang
love songs (liefdesliedjies) to her. He now seems disinterested (belangeloos)
as he makes the payment and puts (druk) the small parcel (pakkie) in her handbag
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
1
ALLOWED
, (skouersak).
Next, they walk to the old, well known (bekende) bookshop but where is the snow
(sneeu) from the year before last (voorverlede jaar)? The beloved (geliefde)
shelves (rakke) look dilapidated (oes) and uninteresting (onopwindend). She
pretends to (pligshalwe) fidget in the shop and finds a beautiful two volume Knight
edition (uitgawe) of The Works of William Shakespeare. Beautiful engravings
(gravures). The credit card procedure (kredietkaartprosedure) takes (duur) long. The
old antique’s dealer (antiekwaar) is opposed to (teensinnig) the modern ways
of life.
It is grey and overcast (bewolk) outside. It starts to drizzle (misreëntjie) and out of
habit (uit gewoonte) she makes sure that the precious (waardevolle) books don’t get
wet. They reach (reik) for each other’s hands, united (eensgesind) in the great
sorrow (verdriet). Back to the holiday house (vakansiehuis)? Go to a movie like in
the old days? Visit a museum? Perhaps an art museum (kunsmuseum)? Neither (nie
een) can bear (behartig) having another coffee.
And then they hear it: coming from a small cross street (dwarsstraatjie) – an old-
fashioned (outydse) jazz song (liedjie). A man and a woman are doing an old-
fashioned folkdance (kompatertjie-volksdansie) on the sidewalk (sypaadjie).
Neither of them is very steady (vas op sy voete) on their feet but together they
manage to work in a quick (flinke) two-step as well. The woman’s shoes are
worn (uitgetrap), and her face is very thin (ooormaer). Her song can joyfully
(vrolik) be heard over the man’s low voice (bromstem). The man’s jacket is
tattered (toiingrig), and he sings toothlessly (sonder ‘n tand in sy mond). They
don’t seem to mind the rain (geen swarigheid).
Marie and her husband eventually (naderhand) start walking in an attempt to not
keep staring (aan te gaap) at the couple. Their song follows them, through the
streets and later through the Gardens (Tuine). She cannot help but to look back ever
so often (kort-kort) to witness so much unbridled (onbevange) joy of life
(lewensblyheid).
Marie leans back (agteroor) in the comfortable chairs of the museum’s new
planetarium. Not even the old trusted (vertroude) museum is the same (dieselfde)
anymore. There is no relief (verligting) for the sorrow (verdriet) that they carry
with them in the artificial (kunsmatige) sky (sterrehemel). Talking about it does
not lessen the sorrow at all, neither does the silence (stilswye). The joy (vreugde)
that they have tried to recapture (herwin) in all their old trusted (vertroude)
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
2
ALLOWED
Toit
She takes a long look (kyk) at the precious (kosbare) bobbin lace (kloskant) that
is displayed (uitgestal) on the old chest/kist (skeepskis). The day just does not
want to get better (vaart of vreugde kry nie).
When he touches her elbow (elmboog) to get her attention (aandag), she looks up
and sees the woman with the old and rundown (afgeremde) face in the old
fashioned (outydse) mirror (spieël) on the opposite (oorkantste) wall (muur).
The old and withered (geblaaste) glass of the mirror contorts (vertrek) the face ever
so slightly (effens), but the drooping lines (hanglyne) around the mouth is part
(deel) of the face. And the sad (mistroostige) eyes. The sagging cheeks
(hangkieste). The sagging shoulders (hangskouers). She is startled (skrik)
upon recognising (herkenning) that it is her, that joyless (vreugdelose), worried
(bekommerde) woman in the mirror.
Someone calls Marie to have a look at the price (wat kos hy nou) of a cupboard
(kas) similar to the one they have. At the back (agter) in one of the rooms on the
side (syvertrekke) of the antique shop (antiekwinkel) there is indeed a Flemish
(Vlaamse) buffet almost (amper) like the one in their dining room (eetkamer).
The price is almost (amper) three times (drie keer) as much (soveel) as what they
paid for theirs. That day - how they had to charm (mooi praat) the dealer
(handelaar), how they had to argue about the price (gekibbel), how they quickly
had to make sums (somme) regarding how the sales tax (verkoopbelasting)
would push the price up, how they secretly (skelmpies) gripped each other’s
hands tightly (styf vasdruk) in the hopes that the cupboard would become theirs –
where has that joy (blyheid) gone (heen)?
She stands to the side (eenkant) at the music dealer (musiekhandelaar) and looks at
how he is picking out (uitsoek) his special guitar strings (kitaarsnare). It has to be
the Konzertsaiten from Austria (Oostenryk). Last year this purchase (inkoop) was
still (nog) such a festivity (feestelik), when they walked out of the shop (uitstap)
with the special strings (snare) that they could not find anywhere (nêrens) in the
North (Noorde), and how he grabbed her around the waist (om die lyf gegryp)
when they exited the shop and almost dragged (gesleep) her to the car, straight
(reguit) to the beach (strand) where he restrung (besnaar) the guitar and sang
love songs (liefdesliedjies) to her. He now seems disinterested (belangeloos)
as he makes the payment and puts (druk) the small parcel (pakkie) in her handbag
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
1
ALLOWED
, (skouersak).
Next, they walk to the old, well known (bekende) bookshop but where is the snow
(sneeu) from the year before last (voorverlede jaar)? The beloved (geliefde)
shelves (rakke) look dilapidated (oes) and uninteresting (onopwindend). She
pretends to (pligshalwe) fidget in the shop and finds a beautiful two volume Knight
edition (uitgawe) of The Works of William Shakespeare. Beautiful engravings
(gravures). The credit card procedure (kredietkaartprosedure) takes (duur) long. The
old antique’s dealer (antiekwaar) is opposed to (teensinnig) the modern ways
of life.
It is grey and overcast (bewolk) outside. It starts to drizzle (misreëntjie) and out of
habit (uit gewoonte) she makes sure that the precious (waardevolle) books don’t get
wet. They reach (reik) for each other’s hands, united (eensgesind) in the great
sorrow (verdriet). Back to the holiday house (vakansiehuis)? Go to a movie like in
the old days? Visit a museum? Perhaps an art museum (kunsmuseum)? Neither (nie
een) can bear (behartig) having another coffee.
And then they hear it: coming from a small cross street (dwarsstraatjie) – an old-
fashioned (outydse) jazz song (liedjie). A man and a woman are doing an old-
fashioned folkdance (kompatertjie-volksdansie) on the sidewalk (sypaadjie).
Neither of them is very steady (vas op sy voete) on their feet but together they
manage to work in a quick (flinke) two-step as well. The woman’s shoes are
worn (uitgetrap), and her face is very thin (ooormaer). Her song can joyfully
(vrolik) be heard over the man’s low voice (bromstem). The man’s jacket is
tattered (toiingrig), and he sings toothlessly (sonder ‘n tand in sy mond). They
don’t seem to mind the rain (geen swarigheid).
Marie and her husband eventually (naderhand) start walking in an attempt to not
keep staring (aan te gaap) at the couple. Their song follows them, through the
streets and later through the Gardens (Tuine). She cannot help but to look back ever
so often (kort-kort) to witness so much unbridled (onbevange) joy of life
(lewensblyheid).
Marie leans back (agteroor) in the comfortable chairs of the museum’s new
planetarium. Not even the old trusted (vertroude) museum is the same (dieselfde)
anymore. There is no relief (verligting) for the sorrow (verdriet) that they carry
with them in the artificial (kunsmatige) sky (sterrehemel). Talking about it does
not lessen the sorrow at all, neither does the silence (stilswye). The joy (vreugde)
that they have tried to recapture (herwin) in all their old trusted (vertroude)
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
2
ALLOWED
