DONKER NAG – Hans du Plessis
The lightning bolt (weerligstraal) and the thunder (donderslag) hit the tree next
to (langs) the restaurant simultaneously (gelyktydig). Then there is darkness (dit is
donker). Klara drops (val) the tray (skinkbord) with empty (leë) plates (borde).
Then it is quiet (stil). All that she sees in the flickering (flikkerende) candle light
(kerslig), are the few (paar) frightened (verskrikte) faces (gesigte) of the people
who are still (nog) sitting in the restaurant.
Then the bright (helder) blue of the next lightning bolt (weerligstraal), the loud
sound (slag). It is raining outside (buite). Someone in a rain jacket (reënjas)
storms out the door, falls (struikel) down the step (trap). When the person (mens)
in the jacket is struggling (sukkelend) to get upright (orent), the thunder (weer)
strikes (slaan) again: they see how the person jolts (ruk) when the bolt (straal) hits
(tref), he falls backwards (agteroor) and lays dead still (doodstil).
The man at table 6 jumps (spring) up and runs (hardloop) outside (buitetoe).
They can see how (hoe) he bends (buk) over the body (liggaam). “Dead
(morsdood),” they hear the man from table 6 say when he gets back (terugkom).
Then the power (krag) suddenly (skielik) goes on again.
The man from table 6 phones (skakel) on his cellphone and talks to someone
(iemand).
When the manager (bestuurder) stares (aanstaar) at her with white eyes, Klara
starts picking up (optel) the broken (stukkende) plates (borde) from the floor.
Everyone tries (probeer) to go on (aangaan) as if nothing (niks) really (regtig)
happened (gebeur). The lights from an ambulance are flickering (flikker) outside
(buite). Klara looks on her watch (horlosie). Just (net) before (voor) 2. She is
never (nooit) getting home tonight (vannag).
The man with the scarred face (littekengesig) at table 4 calls (wink) her closer
(nader). “Another (nog) brandy (brandwyn), doll (poppie). A man needs (nodig)
it.”
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, She thinks it’s his 6th brandy. When she puts down (neersit) the glass in front of
him, he tries (probeer) to take (vat) her hand, but the next thunder strike
(donderslag) suddenly hits (slaan), he misses and she can stand back (wegstaan)
slightly (effens).
“We are closing (toemaak) soon (nou-nou), Sir. Something else (nog iets) for
you?” Just (net) her training (opleiding) ensures (sorg) that the smile stays (bly)
on her pretty face. The man’s eyes dig (boor) into her. She wishes (wens) that the
dresses (rokkies) that they make (laat) the waitresses (kelnerinne) wear
(aantrek), were longer. Sy feels his eyes (blik) on her body (lyf).
“Can I give you a lift (geleentheid) home?”
“Thank you, but I have my own (eie) transport (vervoer).”
“Bring the bill (slip), doll (poppie).”
The restaurant is almost (byna) empty (leeg); just (net) four tables still have
guests (gaste), the few (paar) who don’t go away (gaan weg) on (met) holiday
(vakansie) between (tussen) Christmas (Kersfees) and New Year (Nuwejaar).
Klara turns around (draai om) to get (haal) the man’s account (rekening). At table
six, the dark-haired man (swartkopman) is sitting alone. When she walks by
(verbyloop), he talks.
“Miss, is it possible (moontlik) to get (kry) a last coffee?”
“Certainly (seker), Sir.” She has learned (geleer) from experience (ondervinding)
with which (watter) kind of (sort) customer (klant) a pretty waitress (kelnerin)
can have a chat (geselsie aanknoop). The man at table six is that type of
customer (klant).
“I’ll bring it. Is the rain never going to end?” she asks.
“Starting to at least (darem) slow down (bedaar) a bit,” he says calmly (rustig),
and he smiles (glimlag). “Scared (bang) of going home (huistoe gaan)?” he asks
without sounding (klink) flirty (orig).
“Kind of.” Klara smiles (glimlag). “It’s scary (grillerig) outside and the streets are
empty (leeg) this time of the night, especially (veral) now in the middle of the
holiday (vakansie).”
“Do you drive (ry) alone (alleen)?” he asks.
“Yes. I stay (bly) in a student home (studentehuis), but my housemates
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2
The lightning bolt (weerligstraal) and the thunder (donderslag) hit the tree next
to (langs) the restaurant simultaneously (gelyktydig). Then there is darkness (dit is
donker). Klara drops (val) the tray (skinkbord) with empty (leë) plates (borde).
Then it is quiet (stil). All that she sees in the flickering (flikkerende) candle light
(kerslig), are the few (paar) frightened (verskrikte) faces (gesigte) of the people
who are still (nog) sitting in the restaurant.
Then the bright (helder) blue of the next lightning bolt (weerligstraal), the loud
sound (slag). It is raining outside (buite). Someone in a rain jacket (reënjas)
storms out the door, falls (struikel) down the step (trap). When the person (mens)
in the jacket is struggling (sukkelend) to get upright (orent), the thunder (weer)
strikes (slaan) again: they see how the person jolts (ruk) when the bolt (straal) hits
(tref), he falls backwards (agteroor) and lays dead still (doodstil).
The man at table 6 jumps (spring) up and runs (hardloop) outside (buitetoe).
They can see how (hoe) he bends (buk) over the body (liggaam). “Dead
(morsdood),” they hear the man from table 6 say when he gets back (terugkom).
Then the power (krag) suddenly (skielik) goes on again.
The man from table 6 phones (skakel) on his cellphone and talks to someone
(iemand).
When the manager (bestuurder) stares (aanstaar) at her with white eyes, Klara
starts picking up (optel) the broken (stukkende) plates (borde) from the floor.
Everyone tries (probeer) to go on (aangaan) as if nothing (niks) really (regtig)
happened (gebeur). The lights from an ambulance are flickering (flikker) outside
(buite). Klara looks on her watch (horlosie). Just (net) before (voor) 2. She is
never (nooit) getting home tonight (vannag).
The man with the scarred face (littekengesig) at table 4 calls (wink) her closer
(nader). “Another (nog) brandy (brandwyn), doll (poppie). A man needs (nodig)
it.”
THIS SUMMARY AND TRANSLATION IS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR
DISTRIBUTION ALLOWED, PLEASE
1
, She thinks it’s his 6th brandy. When she puts down (neersit) the glass in front of
him, he tries (probeer) to take (vat) her hand, but the next thunder strike
(donderslag) suddenly hits (slaan), he misses and she can stand back (wegstaan)
slightly (effens).
“We are closing (toemaak) soon (nou-nou), Sir. Something else (nog iets) for
you?” Just (net) her training (opleiding) ensures (sorg) that the smile stays (bly)
on her pretty face. The man’s eyes dig (boor) into her. She wishes (wens) that the
dresses (rokkies) that they make (laat) the waitresses (kelnerinne) wear
(aantrek), were longer. Sy feels his eyes (blik) on her body (lyf).
“Can I give you a lift (geleentheid) home?”
“Thank you, but I have my own (eie) transport (vervoer).”
“Bring the bill (slip), doll (poppie).”
The restaurant is almost (byna) empty (leeg); just (net) four tables still have
guests (gaste), the few (paar) who don’t go away (gaan weg) on (met) holiday
(vakansie) between (tussen) Christmas (Kersfees) and New Year (Nuwejaar).
Klara turns around (draai om) to get (haal) the man’s account (rekening). At table
six, the dark-haired man (swartkopman) is sitting alone. When she walks by
(verbyloop), he talks.
“Miss, is it possible (moontlik) to get (kry) a last coffee?”
“Certainly (seker), Sir.” She has learned (geleer) from experience (ondervinding)
with which (watter) kind of (sort) customer (klant) a pretty waitress (kelnerin)
can have a chat (geselsie aanknoop). The man at table six is that type of
customer (klant).
“I’ll bring it. Is the rain never going to end?” she asks.
“Starting to at least (darem) slow down (bedaar) a bit,” he says calmly (rustig),
and he smiles (glimlag). “Scared (bang) of going home (huistoe gaan)?” he asks
without sounding (klink) flirty (orig).
“Kind of.” Klara smiles (glimlag). “It’s scary (grillerig) outside and the streets are
empty (leeg) this time of the night, especially (veral) now in the middle of the
holiday (vakansie).”
“Do you drive (ry) alone (alleen)?” he asks.
“Yes. I stay (bly) in a student home (studentehuis), but my housemates
THIS SUMMARY AND TRANSLATION IS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR
DISTRIBUTION ALLOWED, PLEASE
2
