OPINION

SEVEN DAYS EARLIER

When my girlfriend who I'll call Lindiwe was still in high school back in the '90s she met and fell in love with Khutso. He was a well-mannered brother for whom, then innocent Lindiwe was a prized catch. He was a prefect, captain of the school soccer team and president of the debating committee. They were such an item that everybody at the school, including teachers referred to them as Romeo and Juliet.

One afternoon, after their school had won the high school league cup, Khutso and Lindiwe, still in her blue pleated mini netball skirt stole a moment and went to his uncle's place, which was closer to the sports ground. In the soccer hero poster infested bedroom that Khutso shared with his cousin, he seduced and deflowered her. He made her a woman at the age of 17. She loved the moment so much that they re-lived it for a year after that, including on the night of the matric dance where Khutso was honoured with a Best Student Award.

After matric they went their separate ways, only communicating by phone and letter. That was before she met handsome me and fell head over heels in love with yours sincerely. She suddenly stopped responding to Khutso's letters, who she figured must have found another 17 year old virgin to make a woman. Khutso had however continued writing until she slowly disappeared from his radar. He finally, painfully stopped writing. Last time we heard of him was on a national newspaper's People On The Move column as newly appointed Procurement Manager at some blue chip IT company. Otherwise we figured he was doing just fine without my girlfriend. He should have outgrown her.

Until Lindiwe, my girlfriend of ten years received an invitation to a Class of '91 Matric Reunion party. She really missed most of her former classmates and she's dying to see them again. Quite frankly, I really do want to let her go but my other heart tells me that would be letting her go. I know she's going to meet Khutso, who she lost her virginity to. Even if Khutso might be married and monogamous there will still be that celebrated goalscorer chap who has grown to score with women and drives a Mercedes Benz AMG.

Obviously there will be someone she met before Khutso, someone who broke her heart, not once but six times who might see this as an opportunity to apologise and maybe start all over again. Lindiwe is beautiful, believe me. She'll also meet the bitchy ladies she despised, who will jump at the first chance to comment about her cellulite and Donna Claire outfits. Also, there will be life-bachelors like myself, who posses borrowed charm and a chemistry that was never explored because they were young and naïve. That's what I hate and the reason why I might not let her go.

I know that lanky guy who used to be the best pitcher at her school and who now pitches for the Atlanta Braves B-side will be there. Surely, he won't only be signing autographs on souvenir bats and caps but on cleavages as well. Hell, plus those ugly gorillas who sang in the Boy's Choir have grown up to become handsome godzillas with titles like CEO, MD and MPL to flaunt. That is why my beloved Lindiwe is not going to any stupid Class of '91 Matric Reunion because I believe that under the same circumstances she also wouldn't let me go.