GAMBLING, LOAN SHARKS AND SUICIDE

As I was busy with my side hassle; picking kids from school, I saw a lady who looked tired, sad, and miserable. I couldn’t help it; I approached her and said “hello, you don’t look so well; you look tired and sad, are you okay?”

She looked at me; we don’t know each other but she was happy that I asked! Tears rolled down her cheeks while looking at me. I got a bit worried; I wondered why I asked her that question, now look what I have caused!

I immediately apologized. She said “Oh no dear, thank you for asking. You are right, I’m very sad and tired too; just drove like crazy all the way from Randfontein to come here and pick up my little girl. I was at Soweto because my father just passed on!”

Oh no, I felt very sad for her; I said sorry to her and wished her father’s soul to rest in peace. I asked again; “was your father sick?”

She said, “No, my father wasn’t sick; he committed suicide.” I really felt sadder; I wanted to give her a comforting hug but damn you Covid-19; I couldn’t do it, I continued to talk to her trying to make her feel a little bit better. I wanted to know more; I asked again!

“Do you know why your father chose to do such a terrible thing to his life?” With more and more tears rolling down her eyes; making her disposable mask wet, she said… “What a selfish man! I can’t believe he did this to us; especially to our mother. My father had no responsibility at all; we provided everything he needed and him and our mother; were getting their pension from the government.

My father was a gambling addict who borrowed money all over the community; it was worse. We found out about it sometime back because loan sharks were calling us and threatening us. We sat him down; we talked to him and he agreed to go for rehabilitation. We contributed some cash and we paid off all the loan sharks and other community members whom he borrowed money from.

Our father did well with his rehabilitation and his counselors were very happy with him; he never missed a day. We only found out that he was gambling again today in the letter he left us! That selfish man said in his suicide note that Loan Sharks were calling him nonstop and he didn’t have money to pay them.

He said that we should claim his insurance policies and pay the Loan Sharks and other people to whom he owes money. He even left a list of those people and how much he owes each. He also told us in his suicide note that we should move on with our lives and advised us never to gamble or borrows from Loan Sharks. That’s our father.”

Oh no; I really felt very sad for her. I continued to console her, I really wanted to talk to her some more but the bell rang and I had to get my bambinos so does she. I wished her well and asked her to be strong; we waved at each other and we proceeded to find our bambinos!

Gambling and Loan Sharks is a recipe for suicide among the elderly. Though there are many causes of suicide, these two caused the death of the lady’s father. As he rests in peace; we should look out and pay attention to our ripe old-aged people. Rest in perfect peace Malume.

©JudySsemugabiBakyayita