Chapter 4

Shamwari—Friends

Chamunorwa Tengani made his way in the elevator up to the sixth floor of the twelve-story building. Once there, the eager receptionist led him personally to the programming department. Everybody knew him at Computer Management Solutions (CMS). He and the modernization of the companies he owned was one of the reasons CMS was so profitable. He was CMS’s biggest client. As he entered the software department, his eyes spotted the reason he’d chosen to do business with CMS and he felt his heart rate quicken.

* * *

Priscilla sat by a computer in her office with her back to Chamu. He tapped gently on the open door and she turned to him with a smile.

“Good morning, Mr. Tengani.”

“Call me Chamu. Remember, we went to school together.”

Priscilla had been in charge of his payroll program for some weeks, and now he looked forward to hearing her progress as much as a child anticipated going to Greenwood Park to jump on the trampoline. He’d known her in high school, but though they talked he’d never had the courage to ask her out. He saw how other young men were burned when they tried to get to know her, and he laughed at them while at the same time being relieved she had let them down. He shook his head at the memory of how unsophisticated he had been in high school. Now he was sure he had the confidence to get closer to her.

“Okay, Chamu. I just finished checking your program. Do you want to take a look?” she asked, pulling a chair up for him.

He cleared his throat as he sat next to her. She looked beautiful in her dark blue striped skirt and soft white blouse. Priscilla reminded him of a fresh morning after a gentle rain. She was perfect and unspoiled. Her smile astounded him. She worked fast on the computer, and soon her program appeared on the screen.

“This is for your car rental company. I included all the features you requested and added extra modules that I thought would be helpful,” she explained, her eyes on the screen and her long, elegant fingers working on the keyboard. “As you can see here, you may also use the same program for sales management and even for your payroll.”

Chamu watched her, enjoying her voice, her face, and her busy hands. Yes, she was like that wild plum turning red on the tree to attract attention. He had noticed her and wanted to reach out and taste her. Her milk chocolate skin was smooth, and he knew it would be soft and satiny to his fingers. She was respectful and intelligent, and he would do anything to get her.

Chamu didn’t believe in luck or superstition. If he wanted something, he went out and got it. The Shona people were generally known for being passive, in history having endured other tribes stealing their women and raiding their livestock without fighting back even when they had more people. He didn’t like his people’s reputation, and in his own life did some of his own raiding but avoided stealing. If there was something to be taken, a company or woman, then by all his ancestors he wanted to be the one taking, not losing. He knew he had the advantage over most of the young people who worked with Priscilla. Most of them didn’t have much to offer a woman like her. But now he had the wealth, the confidence and the smarts to win her.

He glanced at her, then back at the screen, trying to focus on her words. She explained all the different programs and demonstrated some examples of the new software included in the package. After almost an hour, she had gone through the whole program. His questions and desire to understand everything stretched what should have been a 30-minute demonstration. But she didn’t mind. Her bosses would be very happy if Chamu Tengani was happy.

“What do you think?” she asked finally, looking at him with steady eyes. He could tell she wanted to please him, and that made him feel good. What amazed him was that she seemed not to be aware of the effect she had on him.

“I thought it was splendid. What I wanted and more,” he said, and almost laughed when he saw how happy she looked. She seemed relieved and the smile that brightened her face fascinated him. If only she knew. “I think you deserve a special lunch from our company, and I will be delighted to take you somewhere nice.”

“Lunch? I still have plenty of work to do,” Priscilla said, looking at her watch.

“Go for lunch, Priscilla. You deserve it.” Priscilla turned, surprised to see her boss, Ryan Cronsby, standing behind her. His red hair was cut close to his scalp, and there was a smile of welcome on his red, sun-burned-face.

Chamu shook Ryan’s hand, annoyed by the interruption.

“How are you, sir,” Ryan said with respect. Priscilla enjoyed seeing the man grovel for a change. He was not a nice person to work for. He didn’t believe in breaks, and that included lunch.

“It’s lunch time. After such a great job your boss knows you deserve to take a break,” Chamu said.

“To be perfectly honest I rarely have the chance to eat lunch, but since I’ve finished your program I can spare a few minutes before I plan the next step of installing all your information. We have hired data captures to do that for you,” Priscilla said, looking at Ryan, who nodded with approval.

“Take your time, Priscilla. You did a great job on this account. I’ll give you a call later, Mr. Tengani. Enjoy your lunch.”

“Thank you.”

Chamu could barely contain his excitement as he watched Priscilla pick up her jacket and purse.

As they drove to lunch in his silver Mercedes Benz, Chamu explained how he had become so successful at such a young age.

His father, Jonathan Obert Tengani, had given him his businesses to manage when he fell ill. Chamu had moved from owning one shop to owning a bottle store, and had then decided to leave the retail business. Now he was in many different business ventures ranging from car rentals, taxis and a chain of furniture stores. Priscilla knew about some of his businesses because she’d worked on developing computer software programs for most of them. She also knew his businesses were flourishing. She listened intently, wondering if he could offer Unashe a job. Unashe was interested in finance, but she decided she would ask him about it later.

At the charming restaurant away from the busy downtown, the waiter dressed formally in black and white led them to their table.

“Well I hope you’ll like this restaurant,” Chamu said as they reached their seats. He pulled her chair for her and they sat down facing each other. Chamu watched Priscilla closely, noting how much she enjoyed being treated like a lady and suspecting that she never gave many men the opportunity to do so. He was lucky because he had known her in high school. She felt quite comfortable with him. and of course, that clown Ryan Cronsby may have helped him get this lunch date, too. She asked about his other sister who had been a year ahead of her at Goromonzi High School.

“Chido is now married.”

“Is that so? It’s hard to think that people I went to school with are already married.”

“You could be married, too.”

Priscilla laughed, taking a sip of her orange juice. “What about you?”

“Not yet found the right woman,” Chamu said, keeping his gaze on the menu. “So what made you decide to get into computers? You are really good at it.”

“I heard that computers were becoming important and I could get a good job. I think it was my science teacher who told me.”

“Mr. Madziro?”

“Yes. Did he teach you, too?”

Chamu nodded. “Oh, yes. A very angry man.”

“And Mrs. Madziro taught me math. She didn’t like me.”

“What? Somebody didn’t like you?”

Priscilla laughed. “Actually Mrs. Madziro didn’t like anybody. She told all the girls they wouldn’t amount to anything because they gossiped too much and danced with boys at the disco.”

“I never saw you at the disco.”

“I had to study. I wasn’t that smart. It wasn’t easy for me to stay in Goromonzi. I think I only got in because we had family connections.”

“Really. The year I got in, they were choosing people according to height. They lined us up and the headmaster walked down the line looking at us.”

Priscilla laughed and Chamu continued laughing, too.

“The guys on either side of me were sent away. One was too tall and the other was too old. He just said to them ‘too tall, too old, no, you won’t do’ and he sent them out the door.”

“So you were the right height and didn’t look too old.”

“That’s right,” Chamu said.

“How about dessert?” Chamu asked at the end of the meal. Priscilla declined, putting the white napkin on the table.

“I must get back to work. Today I can’t work as late as I’d like to. I’m looking for a flat.”

“Oh. I can take you if you like,” Chamu offered graciously, uncertain how he felt about her living in a flat. He would have to think about it. It could be a good thing if he played his cards right. He could tell Priscilla was quite surprised at his offer, but after a while shook her head.

“No, it’s all right. I must do this on my own.”

“I don’t mind. Do you have a car to drive around at night?” Chamu asked.

“No…I-I’ll manage. Actually, my aunt will be quite happy to take me around.”

“Are you sure?” Chamu persisted, trying to hide his disappointment.

“Absolutely. We better go.”

Chamu stood up reluctantly. Spending time with Priscilla was the highlight of his whole year, no, make that his whole life, and she wanted to end it too quickly. But her laughter and her smile as he told her his stories would keep him going until he saw her again.