Veldiep – Fanie Viljoen
Chapter 1
When (wanneer) the world stops (gaan staan)
Tim Muller is sitting on the stands (pawiljoen) when Jessica tells him that she
has met (ontmoet) someone else (anders). Although (alhoewel) he does not
show (wys) too much emotion outwardly (uiterlik), the fact that he clenches
(trek saam) his fingers and his breath (asem) is caught (gevang) in his throat
(keel), indicates (wys) to the reader that this revelation (erkenning) has
affected (geaffekteer) him deeply.
A description (beskrywing) of Jessica follows (volg): she has short, dark curly
hair (krulle), a pale (bleek) neck, brown eyes and round (rond) lips.
Behind them the rugby team are crying out (roep uit) excitedly (opgewonde)
to each other (mekaar) to score (aanteken) another try (drie) before the bell
(skoolklok) rings (lui).
Tim is unaware (onbewus) of this. His whole (hele) world just came to a
standstill (stillstand). He asks Jess who the new boy is, but she is evasive
(ontwykend) and says that it’s just (net) a guy (‘n ou). She apologizes (sy is
jammer) before turning around (omdraai) and walking away (wegstap).
Tim calls her name, but she continues (hou aan) to walk away from him. She
doesn’t even look back (kyk terug). He wants to (wil) cry (huil), but thinks that
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION ALLOWED 1
,guys aren’t supposed to (veronderstel) do that.
The bell (klok) rings (lui). The rugby players jog off (draf) the field, one saying
that they will continue (speel verder) the next day, but to Tim the next day
feels like a curse (vloek).
He thinks back to that morning and chastises (straf) himself for not noticing
(opgemerk) that things were not ok with Jess: her body (lyf) was turned away
(weggedraai) from him when he wanted (wou) to give her a quick kiss
(soen) on the cheek (wang). If he was more attentive (oplettend), he would
have realized that her body was tense (vol teësin), but he was blind.
He thinks back to the day he took (gevat) her for a picnic (piekniek) by the
dam on the wildlife (wild-lewe) estate (landgoed) they live (woon). His mom
helped him with the snacks (eetgoed) and pretty glasses and plates (borde).
That day, Jess laughed and lied (gelê) in his arms. He fed (gevoer) her little
bites (happies) of the food. Her fingers traced (verken) his face (gesig) and
she lightly (liggies) touched (gedruk) the dimple (dimpel) in his cheek (wang),
saying all angels (engele) have dimples. Later she sang him a song (liedjie)
by Coldplay and then they kissed (gesoen).
Tim wishes (wens) he could have that moment (oomblik) back now. He softly
says her name and thinks how it feels like that of a stranger (vreemdeling).
Even (selfs) if he says it a million (miljoen) times (keer) over (oor) in his head, it
won’t take the sadness (hartseer) away.
Chapter 2
Everything (alles) is ok (oukei)
Tim waits (wag) until (tot) all the boys have gone to class before he leaves
the stands (pawiljoen). He doesn’t know how he is going to get through the
rest of the day with the last four periods (periodes) being Afrikaans, Life
Science (Lewenswetenskap) and a double math’s period (Wiskunde).
He considers (oorweeg) bunking Afrikaans, but then the Afrikaans teacher
sees him and calls him inside (binne). His best friend, Edgar, notices (kom
agter) something is wrong (verkeerd) and asks Tim if he is ok. They have
known (ken) each other (mekaar) since (van) primary school (laerskool).
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION ALLOWED 2
, Edgar used to (het) sleep over (oorslaap) a lot at one stage (op ‘n stadium).
He confessed (erken) to Tim that his parents (ouers) had been fighting
(baklei). Tim could see the next day that it was a relief (verligting) for Edgar to
admit (erken) this to someone. A month later another (nog) confession
(erkenning) followed (gevolg): Edgar’s parents were getting divorced (skei).
Whenever Tim would ask Edgar about it, he would just reply (antwoord) that
he was dealing with it.
Today Edgar’s mom is raising (maak groot) him. His dad, a mechanic
(motortegnikus), pays a measly amount (skrapse) of child support
(onderhoud). Edgar sees him every (elke) second (tweede) weekend, but
sometimes only once (eenkeer) a month because his father has met
(ontmoet) someone new and she is now his priority (prioriteit). In the
meantime, Edgar and his mom are struggling (sukkel) still, but they are
dealing with it.
Edgar asks Tim again what is wrong since he knows when Tim is not ok, but
Tim still tries to (probeer) hide the truth (waarheid) from his friend who knows
him so well (so goed ken). Tim says they’ll talk later and then takes out his
Afrikaans language text book (taalhandboek) called Bobaas-Afrikaans
Graad 11, which tells us that Tim is 16 or 17 years old. “bobaas” just means
“top notch”.
Tim’s book is practically (feitlik) still new because he thinks that since he
speaks Afrikaans every day, he doesn’t have to (moet/hoef nie) study it.
Edgar tells him to page (blaai) to p51 (een en vyftig), which is about idioms
(idiome).
Tim is relieved (verlig) when the school day comes to an end and he loosens
(maak los) his tie (das) that has been strangling (wurg) him. His thoughts
(gedagtes) are filled (vol van) with Jess.
He’s almost (amper) at the bus stop when Edgar catches up (vang op) to
him, saying they should talk, but Tim is not ready yet and tries to (probeer)
walk away (wegloop). Edgar grabs (gryp) him by the shoulder (skouer), but
Tim just sighs (sug) and asks Edgar to leave him alone (los hom uit) a bit.
Edgar asks if it’s about Tim’s parents or something at school and then comes
to the conclusion (gevolgtrekking) that it must be about (oor) Jess.
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION ALLOWED 3
Chapter 1
When (wanneer) the world stops (gaan staan)
Tim Muller is sitting on the stands (pawiljoen) when Jessica tells him that she
has met (ontmoet) someone else (anders). Although (alhoewel) he does not
show (wys) too much emotion outwardly (uiterlik), the fact that he clenches
(trek saam) his fingers and his breath (asem) is caught (gevang) in his throat
(keel), indicates (wys) to the reader that this revelation (erkenning) has
affected (geaffekteer) him deeply.
A description (beskrywing) of Jessica follows (volg): she has short, dark curly
hair (krulle), a pale (bleek) neck, brown eyes and round (rond) lips.
Behind them the rugby team are crying out (roep uit) excitedly (opgewonde)
to each other (mekaar) to score (aanteken) another try (drie) before the bell
(skoolklok) rings (lui).
Tim is unaware (onbewus) of this. His whole (hele) world just came to a
standstill (stillstand). He asks Jess who the new boy is, but she is evasive
(ontwykend) and says that it’s just (net) a guy (‘n ou). She apologizes (sy is
jammer) before turning around (omdraai) and walking away (wegstap).
Tim calls her name, but she continues (hou aan) to walk away from him. She
doesn’t even look back (kyk terug). He wants to (wil) cry (huil), but thinks that
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION ALLOWED 1
,guys aren’t supposed to (veronderstel) do that.
The bell (klok) rings (lui). The rugby players jog off (draf) the field, one saying
that they will continue (speel verder) the next day, but to Tim the next day
feels like a curse (vloek).
He thinks back to that morning and chastises (straf) himself for not noticing
(opgemerk) that things were not ok with Jess: her body (lyf) was turned away
(weggedraai) from him when he wanted (wou) to give her a quick kiss
(soen) on the cheek (wang). If he was more attentive (oplettend), he would
have realized that her body was tense (vol teësin), but he was blind.
He thinks back to the day he took (gevat) her for a picnic (piekniek) by the
dam on the wildlife (wild-lewe) estate (landgoed) they live (woon). His mom
helped him with the snacks (eetgoed) and pretty glasses and plates (borde).
That day, Jess laughed and lied (gelê) in his arms. He fed (gevoer) her little
bites (happies) of the food. Her fingers traced (verken) his face (gesig) and
she lightly (liggies) touched (gedruk) the dimple (dimpel) in his cheek (wang),
saying all angels (engele) have dimples. Later she sang him a song (liedjie)
by Coldplay and then they kissed (gesoen).
Tim wishes (wens) he could have that moment (oomblik) back now. He softly
says her name and thinks how it feels like that of a stranger (vreemdeling).
Even (selfs) if he says it a million (miljoen) times (keer) over (oor) in his head, it
won’t take the sadness (hartseer) away.
Chapter 2
Everything (alles) is ok (oukei)
Tim waits (wag) until (tot) all the boys have gone to class before he leaves
the stands (pawiljoen). He doesn’t know how he is going to get through the
rest of the day with the last four periods (periodes) being Afrikaans, Life
Science (Lewenswetenskap) and a double math’s period (Wiskunde).
He considers (oorweeg) bunking Afrikaans, but then the Afrikaans teacher
sees him and calls him inside (binne). His best friend, Edgar, notices (kom
agter) something is wrong (verkeerd) and asks Tim if he is ok. They have
known (ken) each other (mekaar) since (van) primary school (laerskool).
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION ALLOWED 2
, Edgar used to (het) sleep over (oorslaap) a lot at one stage (op ‘n stadium).
He confessed (erken) to Tim that his parents (ouers) had been fighting
(baklei). Tim could see the next day that it was a relief (verligting) for Edgar to
admit (erken) this to someone. A month later another (nog) confession
(erkenning) followed (gevolg): Edgar’s parents were getting divorced (skei).
Whenever Tim would ask Edgar about it, he would just reply (antwoord) that
he was dealing with it.
Today Edgar’s mom is raising (maak groot) him. His dad, a mechanic
(motortegnikus), pays a measly amount (skrapse) of child support
(onderhoud). Edgar sees him every (elke) second (tweede) weekend, but
sometimes only once (eenkeer) a month because his father has met
(ontmoet) someone new and she is now his priority (prioriteit). In the
meantime, Edgar and his mom are struggling (sukkel) still, but they are
dealing with it.
Edgar asks Tim again what is wrong since he knows when Tim is not ok, but
Tim still tries to (probeer) hide the truth (waarheid) from his friend who knows
him so well (so goed ken). Tim says they’ll talk later and then takes out his
Afrikaans language text book (taalhandboek) called Bobaas-Afrikaans
Graad 11, which tells us that Tim is 16 or 17 years old. “bobaas” just means
“top notch”.
Tim’s book is practically (feitlik) still new because he thinks that since he
speaks Afrikaans every day, he doesn’t have to (moet/hoef nie) study it.
Edgar tells him to page (blaai) to p51 (een en vyftig), which is about idioms
(idiome).
Tim is relieved (verlig) when the school day comes to an end and he loosens
(maak los) his tie (das) that has been strangling (wurg) him. His thoughts
(gedagtes) are filled (vol van) with Jess.
He’s almost (amper) at the bus stop when Edgar catches up (vang op) to
him, saying they should talk, but Tim is not ready yet and tries to (probeer)
walk away (wegloop). Edgar grabs (gryp) him by the shoulder (skouer), but
Tim just sighs (sug) and asks Edgar to leave him alone (los hom uit) a bit.
Edgar asks if it’s about Tim’s parents or something at school and then comes
to the conclusion (gevolgtrekking) that it must be about (oor) Jess.
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION ALLOWED 3
