Meet the family

Missing my flight after having so much fun with Dan in Phoenix put a damper on things. I went to the American Airlines Desk and they got me a seat for that night. The following flight had been cancelled, so I had to wait another three hours. I wasn't going to ask Dan to come pick me up again, so I sat it out. I called Cindy, feeling like such a loser and told her I missed my flight. Instead of pm, picking me up around 7pm, she had to pick me up around 11. She seemed fine with it. Which was great, cos If she weren't able to for some reason, I would've felt worse. I opened up my laptop and chatted away on Facebook and with some guys online.

I had a date lined up with Paul, an older man who lived alone 5/6 years after his divorce. He was from Salt Lake City, Utah. He offered to pick me up from the airport. I politely declined. Time flew and before I knew it, it was time to board. I set next to a lady and a gentleman. Dude seemed like an intelligent type guy, the lady was either flirting with the guy or she has a very flirtatious vibe about her. I had to listen to them talk the entire flight. She was sitting right next to me, and him against the wall. I don't know if they knew each other or what but she was asking him all kinds of questions about himself, work, kids, divorce et al. I couldn't deal. I just wanted to get there already.

Well, get there, we did! As scheduled. Cindy left the house as soon as I called. African time? Don't know? Normally your ride will be there waiting for you when your flight lands. Anyway, she was doing me a favour, not her fault I got delayed. I had never met her. I only know her sister, who is my sister's friend of more than ten year. She brought her 3 year old daughter with her.

The car was spick and span! There was even shoe shine on the floor. I don't know if it was for the tires or somebody's shoe. When I commented on the cleanliness of the car, Cindy told me it was actually dirty and due for a wash. I thought to myself, Gosh, I hope I hope she is not a neat freak.

The house was even cleaner than the car. First, she took off the shoes she had on in the car and left them just  outside the entrance, she put on house shoes, I was about to take off my sweaty, smelly boots that I had warn hiking earlier on but she told me I was fine. Awkward. How are my shoes fine and yours not? But I went with it. It's a beautiful house! black and red living room, which looks very similar to ZS's. Remember her? My friend I crashed with in Fourways before moving to the US? Upstairs, there's another living room, beige couches, a very clean dining room, with a huge, spotless glass table and the kitchen, then up another floor is the bathroom and the three doors. I got my own bedroom (yippee!), she and her husband have their own and the lil one has her own too. Well, she owns the entire house. She did kick me out of "my" bedroom more often that not, there's no lock on my door, so the kid would just budge in whenever she felt like it to do whatever. Fun Times!

The husband works as a long distance truck driver, so he was away a few days a week. Nice guy, very friendly, likes to joke around, just wants everybody happy and to get along. He cooks too, He's from West Africa, so if you have any Nigerian friends, and have seen their cooking, it's similar. He, however isn't Nigerian. he wasn't home the night of my arrival, but he did call and extended his welcome to their home. Cindy was off my first two days there, which was great. I was so hungry when I arrived, she offered me a delicious stew and rice. It reminded me so much of my aunt's chicken. She's a good cook, my aunt, she will actually do an episode of my sister, Pumla Brook-Thomae's show,  Spekko Family Table on Bay TV in the greater Nelson Mandela Metropole. Check it out and if you're into food and all that, you can add her on Facebook, she's a cook and an actress. Her exclassmates are Colin Moss, Winnie, the lady who plays Khethiwe on Generations and the lady who played mamfundisi on Generations way back when, Vathiswa Ndara, she was also on Society and Home Affairs (I wish they had given the role of Winnie Mandela to her instead of my girl, Jennifer Hudson). Pumla did a few commercials, Shoprite, Spar to name a couple and a documentary on M-Net. Nuff about that, we had a mini conversation while I was having dinner, then was showed to my bedroom which had everything brand spanking new in it! From the bedding to the curtains, the whole nine yards! The lil one made sure to tell me too, that they went to Khol's to buy all that for me that afternoon.

I took a shower in the spotless bathroom, spring cleaned it after (and then felt like I needed another shower) and wend to bed. Soon it was morning. Cindy was up early, cleaning. I heard the sound of a bucket of water being dragged on the floor. She was using a washcloth too! Not a mop and definitely not any of these modern day cleaning utensils, which I personally prefer, because they make my life easy. I was like gosh, which means that's what I will have to do too. Because when in Rome...! She did the entire house. The house has hardwood floors, then the lounge on the ground floor (first) partly has carpeting. I'm talking about washing the floors, polish, dusting, cleaning the glass tables, everything! The house was clean to begin with! I was like, wow! Anyway, that was an everyday thing, sometimes she would spring clean morning and night. She won't sit down to eat before she has washed all the dishes she used to dish up (or out, American English:)). Even though we are going to do the dishes after eating.

I unpacked, lil one was right there, talking up a storm. She is definitely not a shy kid! Plus, she just lets herself into my room, there's nothing you can do about it. It doesn't matter if you're decent or not, she's coming in. Cindy took me for a tour of the city, at least just to show me the important things like bus stops, train stations, stores and that. Salt Lake is so much bigger than I had anticipated! It's beautiful and clean! There's a Mormon church every corner you turn. It definitely is the Mormon capital of the world.

We spent the rest of the afternoon chilling at home, watching the ID channel (Investigation Docu, I think). It's mainly about people killing their spouses. It's thrilling! At least to Cindy and to myself :)

Husband came home the following day. When he's home, you know! You can hear him! Not a bad thing, just a thing. I enjoyed his vibe! He's friendly. He came to my room and officially welcomed me to their home and told me to feel at home. Well, at home we don't spring clean the house three times a day, but I see what you're saying!

Cindy went to work the following day, of course, I got up and spring cleaned. I wasn't going to be that person who lives in people's homes and doesn't respect them. You just have to go with the flow!

She left the kid home that day instead of grandma (husband's mom). Husband was home. He took me to a flee market. We had a nice time with the kid. He was telling me, well, about his entire life really. how much he loves his wife, how he bought the house, the cars, he has a huge Toyota Truck and Cindy drives a Chrysler van. He told me almost anything whenever we were alone, up to his plans for himself should the wife leave him. I would be like, dude, seriously, you really don't have to tell me all things! First and foremost, I'm Cindy's friend and my loyalty is with her. You can't tell me stuff like this. It puts me in a very weird position. He insisted that if I am friends with his wife, I am his friend too. Well, friends or not, you need to respect my wishes, if I don't want to hear something, you can't rape my attention and force it down my throat! Pun intend.