The elderly man hobbles the short distance. His hairline has traveled well past receding, and his belt barely contains his girth.

Elise Radipodi had been seeing her daughter Karabo everywhere since she went silent, even while she was on night shift at Helen Joseph public hospital.

Nanda’s padava was one of the first to be swept away, and while his wife chased after it, he had hung back, standing under an upturned umbrella. 

A half hour later, she tip toed past the chowkidar’s chair as he stood in the garden, cigarette in hand, flirting with the cook.

Portrait of late Black actor of TV and film, Beah Richards by self-taught artist, Miss Lillie B. West courtesy of author Nikky Finney.