Siphico's Riddle Chap 1 - Nida's Charm

Warp chewed on fresh cheese and crisp tomato between two slices of thick, fresh bread. Siphico’s mouth watered.

Crusted flakes fell like light snowflakes onto the tips of his dirty-brown takkies. Every day now, for the last seven days, Mrs. Kgatle had packed his lunch box with thick slices of bread covered with cheese and tomato and every morning, Warp waited at the school gate, and relieved Siphico of his lunchbox.

Siphico stumbled to the waste bin and threw in the stale bread. Warp crept up behind him, ‘What are you up to?’

Dark, wolf-like eyes, gawked at him. Thin, tar hair ended in a point over the forehead. A black t-shirt and matching black trousers clung to a meaty body. An earring hung off the left ear. Warp’s mind didn’t function well under pressure, hence the nickname. Simple facts confused him.

‘Warp!’

‘Did you throw away your lunch, Kgatle?’ The bully exclaimed for all to hear.

A garden of primrose and sweet scented white star jasmine spread out in waves of fragrant colour that calmed the students, allowed them to focus. Two Taiwanese girls played hopscotch on flat paving. A rigid young girl, ponytail cascaded over the shoulder cowered behind a balloon shaped bush, bible clutched to the breast. A plump, pimpled teenager leaned against the metal door frame with a chocolate ice-cream lodged into the mouth.

Siphico's gaze panned the court-yard. The Taiwanese girls stopped playing hopscotch. The boy stopped slurping against his ice-cream. Every person in that courtyard glared anxiously at them. Siphico’s tongue stuck to his teeth.

Warp leaned into the bin, pulled out the dry bread, handed the food to him and exclaimed,

‘Eat it. Be quick.’

Siphico glared at the bread and the mountainous dry crust. He wanted to say no but he knew Warp’s keen sense of injustice fed off people without backbone.

‘If you don’t eat it, my mom will tell your mom. Your bum will be burning red by this evening. Now eat it!’

The bread cracked in his mouth. He closed his lips and swallowed.

Bite, swallow. Bite swallow. At last the agony was over.

‘And the crumbs, nancy boy.’

Siphico stood up and the anger in his eyes spread out and enveloped Warp.

‘I’m not a nancy boy.’

‘Nah, you’re just a boy, then. Bafana!.’

Siphico’s fists tightened, his knuckles tensed.

‘Go on! Connect. Go on, then!’

A bible connected Warp on the head and he crumpled. The girl who had cowered in the corner clutching her bible, leaped into the air with cat like grace, and pinned him to the ground. Warp lay immobile, momentarily stunned by this onslaught of violence.

‘I say you get away from heem. Okay. You unnerstand me. Comprehendo Amigo? Merde!’ Shit.

Warp’s mouth quivered, finally formed the word yes.

She released him. Reached for the leather bound bible lying open on the floor and kissed it. Turning her solid gaze to the sky, she said, ‘I am so sorry Lord. But as you can see, it served a purpose. Forgive me, but bullies like Warp must be stopped. Amen.’

She turned to Warp and kicked him in the groin. ‘Play with children your own age.’

Warp regained his composure, she stepped aside as he fled. The Taiwanese girls giggled profusely and ran after him.



A hand touched Siphico’s shoulder. He spun around.

The girl with the bible beamed at him, ‘Don’t worry, he’ll get his day. One day he’s gonna pick on the wrong person. Nida Rodriguez. I'm Portuguese.’

Nida held out a sturdy hand. A red tie clashed with the green, pleated skirt and yellow blouse. Her face captured the soft glow of mid morning sun as it peered over the courtyard wall. Her lips leaned into a permanent smile, high cheeks surrounded a delicate nose. The tie destroyed the image.

‘How come you’re wearing a red tie? School rules; it must be green.’

‘Mama cannot afford nothing new. It is the only one I have.’

‘I’ve got two. I’ll bring one for you.’

‘Thank you. It is kind of you to offer. I am in class 8b. I have seen you play soccer. You are good.’

‘Thanks. Anyway, got to run. Next period is English with Miss Tyler.’

‘I have old Badgeman for English. Makes English boring and not fun. Do you have an English name?’

‘No.’

‘What does Siphico mean?’

‘It means, Riddle.’

I’ll call you Reedel. Do you mind?’

‘Yes, I do. Siphico is my name. My mother and go-go calls me Siphico, why do you choose Reedle and it’s not Ree-del anyway, it’s Rid-del?’

‘I have an English name but I’m Portuguese.’

Siphico stared at the girl dressed in a red tie. She had a point.

‘Okay, you can call me Riddle. But never forget my real name and if you meet my parents, be sure to call me Siphico.’

‘Ok. I’ll call you Siphico in front of your parents.’ She laughed with a closed mouth.

He walked to the door and turned, ‘Thank you for what you did just now. I appreciate it.’

Nida grasped her hands. Her eyes beamed.

‘The next time I will punch his lights out!’ The words peeled off her tongue in her indomitable Portuguese accent.

He stepped into the corridor brimming with boisterous teenagers and prefects desperately trying to weave order out of the chaos. Before he could take another step, she called after him,

‘Ree – del! What ees my name?’

He leered at her through slanted eyes. Time stopped momentarily. His cheeks fired up. He knew she was a Rodriguez; he’d forgotten her first name.

What was it? Ina? Tina? Dana? Oops.’

Finally he said, ‘Rodriguez.’

She nodded in approval, ‘See you next break. Same place.’