The Noise Returns, but slowly.
Many a soul has gone out somewhere. What is usually an extremely active city now is almost reduced to a ghost town. Is that even possible in our day? I guess it almost is. The noise has died down, will it return? Will it slip in slowly?
Right from when the birds start to tweet in the wee hours of the morning till late, close to midnight, the street of the city are live. Foot traffic, vehicle traffic, a siren here, loud music there are common place. One would meander the city streets heading for work. Another is to heading of the little corner shop fondly known as a Spaza Shop.
Whatever the reason, the city of Kempton Park in the Ekurhuleni Municipality of the Gauteng Province is never dull. Much like most parts of South Africa.
Kempton Park is so located that it is a transit point for many. The O. R. Tambo International Airport, the GauTrain, the Metro Rail and of course the mini bus sector provide the much needed options of travel. Destinations, just like points of origin matter less but are as diverse as the commuters themselves.
Hype could almost be felt in the air, as the holiday season began. As the dates lined up with one’s intensions, a soul you would see carrying a loaded suit case. One after the other, they all made their way out of the city. And only they would know to where.
As days drew close to Christmas day, the city became more and more quiet. Those that had a trip to take took it. The ones who did not, mostly stayed indoors.
24th December, 2017.
As though it where any other day, not much activity was going. One man there coming back from the shops a bag of groceries in hand was the most you would see.
The day remained quiet just as the previous few days. The sun was high and scorching. Even the little ones did not so much go out to play.
As lunch time approached, not a single barbecue stand, commonly known as braai stand was lit, at least as much as the eye could see from street view. One would wonder, are the festivities a crime in this part of town?
But as the evening drew in, the sun a little less harsh, a small group gathers around a car parked on the road side. A few drinks and some loud-ish music make their merry. Still, like a pin into a balloon, the party does not last long. Soon everyone retires.
25th December, 2017.
The morning comes, it is Christmas day but the streets are still a lazy sleeper. Maybe people have become so used to the idea, it no longer excites them. Just a thought though.
A little after Eleven O’clock that morning a glimpse of hope. One small braai stand is brought out to the balcony of an apartment building. (Fingers crossed).
The sight still is limping an hour later. It is not a party. It is just a family having a little braai lunch. Come on guys, one feels to shout, but to whom?
Four pm that afternoon, across the street another braai stand puffs of heavy smoke. Yes! Finally, they are waking up to the idea, thoughts run in the mind.
Hehe, the evening finally sets in and the city picks up some life. Folks gather in scattered groups around the fire. The roasting meat, oh what a smell. The crackling of hot coals, oh what a sight.
Bang, boom, bang, boom the noise of music starts to go, a car’s sub here, a home theater there. The kids like nocturnal creatures come out running about, giggling and so on. It is a jolly time again. There is no telling where this will end. The numbers start to grow about the gathering places.
As the evening grows older you can hear the sound of the fireworks in the slight distance. One can only hope no one gets hurt. Not much sparkle can be seen in the sky. Guess these are a kind of 9mm pistol and not a bazooka, (slight giggle).
A quick glance at one major street, Long Street, shows a number of braai fires going along its two kilometer stretch. Mostly though are concentrated in the last third towards of its length. Long Street is like a junior Highway in Kempton Park.
It has a lot of vehicle traffic as well as foot traffic. Off peak and weekends are just as bad. But that is what so “Long Street” about it is.
As the morning hours draw closer, not many a fire still leaves. People have going back into their state of hibernation just as fast as they came out. 2 a.m., the 26th all one can see is stand is ash on the braai stands, some bottles lying on the floor nearby.
The morning, and the day and indeed those that follow are no different from before Christmas day.
31st December, 2017.
This is going to be the killer. What shall we tell those who went away? Maybe we should have gone away as well, so no one has to report about this place. What does this day entail?
The Sun cuts over the freeway on the eastern side of the city like a hot knife through butter. No Cocks to sound the morning trumpets here. Everyone just pops out of bed as they wish, slowly.
There seems to be a slight improvement today compared to the last week. You can see more shopping being done. Perhaps this is the new thing nowadays, New Year’s Day.
The music has started and it is not yet Ten O’clock. Bags of coal are trickling in from the shops. Soon the fires will be lit.
There is a bit more life today indeed. Nothing to write home about, but we are still proud of it. A few braai grids are being cleaned here and there using onion sliced in half. By quarter past Eleven, the smoke is going off like chimney of a steam engine.
Ah, the neighbours have invited a few friends and family. The party is on our turf, what a joy. The cars parked on the street start to bring a sense of our normal life back ever so slightly.
The celebrations today are as diverse as the persons involved. Some a church service to attend, others a dance party, still more and more.
Everyone has something planned to satisfy their excitement-buds. This has been awaited for a whole year, it has to make sense. It is kind of like do-or-die. It is now or never.
On one end of our street, the braai stands are going and on the other a church service or two. Whatever your indulgence, you have to make it count. The boom of the car audio system and the kick of a five piece drum set, all go down to the soul’s depth.
Tonight the fireworks are the real deal. Some shoot like a semi-automatic others like a double barrel short gun. I guess the city was just flexing their muscles a week ago. This is what they feel from deep inside.
Whatever one is occupied with the end game is the same. We all want the same thing. Some call it a cross over, others the separation of the years, it’s all one mission.
Its 3 minutes to 12. The nerves are going. The countdown is only moments away.
Finally…5, 4, 3, 2, 1…voices blast in jubilation.
The music is nothing like has been head of in this festive period. The craze about being part of the New Year, the city is alive again! The people of Kempton Park know how to get the job done. The night goes on as do the celebrations.
The sun has risen; the parties have toned down but only for a while.
The day goes quieter and quieter and so do the next. The morning of the 3rd day of the New Year comes with some display of life as we know it.
Thanks to the return of the “runaways”. They slipped back in over the Last day and a half. They continue to flow back home like the migrating swallows. With them a fresh breeze of our very beloved noise. The noise slowly returns, what a great sign of new life.