A Ghost's Writing / Spokeskrif

A Ghost's writing

9 October 1941. The newspaper frontpages on the screen is dark and dull. The headlines on all the frontpages tell only one story: Nazis drive deep into Leningrad Lines reads New York’s Daily Messenger. Another reads: 1,000,000 Russians said Trapped – The Hayward Review. I turn back to the Dickens book open at my elbow. The pages are the colour of weak tea and smells of dust. The ink on the page is still a bright black, but the handwriting leaves much to be desired. In the upper right corner, below the pencil marks of the scribbled price of R30,00 is the date: 9 October 1941. Below it, on the left is the name – it looks to be ‘Abie’. I read the message again; “To Abie, on the day of his Bar-Mitzvah”.

The Computer bleeps as it loads the page an I look back at the screen. A new frontpage has loaded – Big German armies pound closer to Moscow.And I wonder who left this book at the secondhand shop.

Spokeskrif

9 Oktober 1941. Die koerantvoorblaaie op die skerm is donker en dof. Die opskrifte van al die voorblaaie vertel net een storie: Nazis drive deep into Leningrad Lines lees die Daily Messenger van New York. ’n Ander: 1,000,000 Russians said Trapped – The Hayward Review. Ek kyk weer na die Dickens-boek wat by my elmboog lê. Die bladsye is die kleur van flou tee en ruik na stof. Die ink op die bladsy is nog 'n helder swart, alhoewel die handskrif veel te wense laat. In die regterkantste hoek, onder die potloodmerke van die vinnig geskribbelde prys van R30,00, is die datum: 9 Oktober 1941. Onder, links is die naam–  ‘Abie’, lyk dit vir my. Ek lees weer die boodskap wat daar geskryf is: “To Abie on the day of his Bar Mitzvah”.

 Die rekenaar bliep-bliep soos dit die bladsy laai en ek kyk terug na die skerm. ’n Nuwe voorblad het gelaai –“Big German armies pound closer to Moscow". En ek wonder wie hierdie boek by die tweedehandse winkel gaan aflaai het.