Hello Weekend - Goodbye Sanity!

Friday night gave no indication of what was in store for the rest of the weekend! The boys went to a local youth group, Dael having gone earlier with friend C to skateboard and spend time with friends and I followed along with Bradley after work. The boys returned home at about 10.30pm and were in high spirits because the plan was to go to a big fete at a local school, which attracts a good deal of the local and surrounding population including most of the teens in town. I went with Bradley about mid-morning - reluctantly as it was extremely hot and humid and that type of weather always make me want to hide at home. However, dutiful mother that I am I felt sorry for Bradley as I am his only means of transport, him being almost 14 and I didn't want to restrict his social activities!

I was abandoned at the fete but managed to find the bookstall where I stocked up on books for the next year (total of 4). I was ready to leave by 1pm and dragged Bradley away to recover at home. Dael and C followed shortly after on C's motorbike and had a story to tell of how they had had a run-in with Dael's currently-ex girlfriend and her other buddies. There was almost an argument but the friends on both sides had averted the conflict.

That evening Dael and C went off to the local nightclub for the evenings activities. I fell asleep after supper and was fast asleep when I got a phone call from my daughter in Cape Town, saying that she had received disturbing 'farewell' messages from her brother. That woke me up and I decided to fetch him. I phoned C to get Dael to wait outside the club for me and to wait with him. When I arrived, Dael was there but C wasn't. Dael was non-communicative on the way home and on arrival after I had opened up the house, I went to lock the gate, thinking that we would likely have no further visitors for the night. As I walked up the short incline of the driveway from the gate, I heard it - a motorbike arriving at the bottom of my steep drive and changing down to first gear. I rushed to the edge of the bank and screamed his name but he didn't hear me and the last thing I saw was the motorbike ploughing into my locked gate before I turned and dashed to the house shouting for Dael. We all rushed down the driveway to where the felled C lay, holding onto his squashed man bits, this injury having been caused by his body ramming into the petrol tank of the motorbike when the bike came to an abrupt halt. I didn't know where he was injured but he oblivious to the fact that his 125cc motorcycle was lying on him, was only concerned about his future fathering abilities! Dael manhandled the heavy bike up off of C and after managing to start the beast again, luckily because we were still on a steep section of the drive, drove it up to the top before returning to help C up and into the house. C said he hadn't even seen the gate was closed until he was about to hit it and this is because of a faulty headlight which clicks off when he goes over a bump as well as impaired reflexes after a night of drinking. So Mr C was a very second hand young man that night and most of the next day because on top of a fair bit of drinking and falling heavily off his bike, he is suffering from a bout of flu and sinus. Oh and my gate - the bottom bar is bent, the wire mesh has a big bulb in it and my large padlock was broken in two bits - otherwise its fine!

Next day's plan was to go off to a local event of motorcycle racing! Again, another scorcher and there was mom ferrying Bradley as his own personal chauffeur. I wandered around for about 20 minutes and although I would have spent a bit longer there, 36 deg Centigrade heat is not good for me - I know my limitations! I left the boys with their friends and escaped to the safety and coolness of my mom's house for a bit of lunch and a visit. At about 3pm, I returned to fetch the boys and on the way home, stopped at the local shop for bread. Who should also be parked there but the currently-ex girlfriend and her loyal gang! While I went into the shop, the one chap and Dael were exchanging a few heated insults but the other vehicle and its occupants were gone by the time I came out.

We got home and I got busy with a few chores. When I came inside from hanging washing, I looked for the boys and found Dael in the kitchen pouring coca cola and resolutely swallowing tablets with a determined look on his face. I demanded to know what he was doing but he didn't speak simply continuing. I removed the tablets from him and started delivering a huge lecture on such a selfish and short-sighted action while all the while my heart was threatening to burst from my chest with the stress of it all. He still refused to talk but simply lay on the couch desperately texting his friends and started to nod off. I woke him and sent him off for a walk with his brother accompanying him to watch him. Eventually he returned and Bradley decided that he wanted to go to church as we hadn't been for some time. We changed and I told Dael that he must go with us and just sit in the car if he didn't want to come in. There was no way he was staying at home in his current state of mind. At church I had settled down to listen to the service when I noticed Dael walking out of the church after he had entered unnoticed by me. A young female friend of his, N who had just arrived spotted Dael, and squealing with joy, she jumped into his arms, happy that he was there. Dael, N and Bradley popped out of the church to spend some time talking and I was relieved that he had support after a traumatic episode.

After church and when we went home, he was much happier, relaxed and more resolved - crisis averted once again. All this tension and trauma is taking its toll on me and I will be relieved when the terrible teens are past but I fear this will only be in several years time because Bradley definitely has some excitement planned for me if I manage to survive Dael!