CHAPTER 2

Since the incident, Calem felt burdened by a growing fear of judgement. The secrecy surrounding the event became increasingly oppressive, and he desperately wished to keep it hidden, tormented by an overwhelming, indescribable mixture of shame and confusion. The following week, Calem felt anxious about attending church, he expected everyone to know what had happened. However, upon arrival, nothing seemed out of place. A sigh of relief slipped out of him when he observed that everyone was treating him exactly as before.

Ben was operating the sound system that week in the corner of the balcony, accompanied by Larry, Tom, and David. Unexpectedly, Tom welcomed Calem with a quick nod as he entered. With a lack of subtlety, Tom nudged David, prompting him to look up and nod in greeting to Calem. Calem shyly acknowledged the greeting as he hurried to his seat.

“Calem, come sit with us,” Larry said.

As soon as Larry called out his name, Ben ceased what he was doing and turned around to look for Calem. Calem shook his head, declining Larry’s invitation. He walked over to sit with Nicky and a group of girls engaged in a lively conversation about the week’s events while waiting for the Bible study to start.

During Bible study, hushed snickers from the boys’ corner intermittently made Calem glance uncomfortably in their direction. His anxiety intensified as he noticed Tom and David exchanging indiscreet whispers, occasionally casting meaningful glances at him with conspicuous intent. As the hour dragged on, a growing sense of discomfort settled over Calem as he realised he had not previously noticed Ben furtively staring at him too. He did not think he could sit through the Divine Service, even with his favourite preacher presiding that week. Once the class had finished, Calem slipped out quietly; however, Tom caught up with him at the bottom of the stairs.

Tom leaned in close to Calem, positioning his lips with a deliberate proximity to Calem’s ear.

“We’re going to Newlands Swimming Pool Wednesday morning. You should come.”

Before Calem could react, the sound of approaching rushed footsteps on the stairs caught their attention - it was Ben. He came to an abrupt halt upon seeing them together.

“Tom, there’s something up with the sound system,” Ben said.

Tom nodded in acknowledgment to Ben, all the while keeping his gaze fixed on Calem.

“Okay, I’ll be there,” Calem said.

When the words left Calem’s lips, Tom grinned and promptly ran up the stairs past Ben. Once outside the church, Calem looked back and saw Ben standing in the same position, looking at him through the cross-shaped window with the same inscrutable expression. After a few seconds, Ben looked away as his girlfriend Sarah joined him. Meanwhile, Calem turned around and walked away.

The next morning, at 10 a.m., Calem got up to spend the day at the local swimming pool. As he stepped out of his front door the spectacular sight of Table Mountain almost took his breath away. On a clear summer day in Cape Town, like that day, the iconic flat-topped mountain rose majestically in the distance, its outline sharply defined against the blue sky.

It was his ritual during summer to spend every Monday morning swimming and bathing at the local swimming pool until lunchtime. He had been walking the five-kilometre route on his own from his home to the pool since he was twelve years old. The summer day passed uneventfully, and he had a wonderful time in the water. There was something about being submerged in water that made him feel renewed or reborn.

Around 1 p.m. he gathered his belongings and headed to the locker rooms to shower and change. By the time he got home, he was famished, and polished off the remaining Sunday lunch leftovers. As was customary, his mother had prepared a delicious lamb curry and paratha the previous day, which happened to be the one dish she particularly excelled at. After lunch, he dozed off while watching video rentals behind his mother’s back. His brother Jeremy brought the movies for them to enjoy before they had to return them the next day.

When he awoke, he found that his mother had already ironed all the week’s clothing and arranged them in their respective wardrobes. As he prepared a snack his favourite Monday night programme, “Carte Blanche” with Ruda Landman and Derek Watts began. While discussing an actor’s grievances about an invasion of his privacy, Landman caustically remarked, “If you pretend to be candy, then prepare to be chewed.”

As Calem climbed into bed and reflected on the program, he was not entirely certain if he agreed with Landman on this specific point. Nevertheless, he could not deny the significance of the saying, as it replayed in his thoughts, he felt that it held a deeper meaning for him than initially apparent.