‘Is it Magnificent?’ the Desk Sergeant asked as Spokes signed his full name for the first time on the necessary forms.

‘Not even close,’ Spokes said, shaking the sergeant’s hand.

It was as Spokes was opening the station door that the Desk Sergeant exclaimed: ‘Mercy! It is Mercy!’

Spokes smiled as he put on his fedora and shut the door of the Western Commonage Police Station firmly behind him.

Apparently a man can put on an entire tuxedo suit in less than ten minutes, Spokes learned as he left the changing rooms and went to join the other ballroom contestants eagerly or anxiously waiting for the competition to begin. A dazzling Loveness joined him a few minutes later, and Spokes was yet again truly amazed that such exquisite beauty was his to behold. As the contestants’ numbers were being pinned, the Sigaukes came all the way from their place in the front to settle behind the Molois. Spokes was not even aware of their presence because the lovely Loveness was smiling up at him. The double doors to the hall opened as the Master of Ceremonies said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Thirty-Third Annual City of Kings’ Township Ballroom-Dancing Competition.’ Le Grand Kallé et l’African Jazz’s ‘Independance Cha-Cha’ began to play, and when Loveness placed her beautiful brown hand in his, all Spokes knew in that moment was this …

Man leads with right.

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Aplace changes its character many times within its lifetime, and with each metamorphosis it asks those within it to change along with it. This is a choice, although those who hold power never present or treat it as such. A person can choose to let go and follow the tide of change, and a person can also choose to hold on to herself or himself. Spokes’s grandfather and father had both chosen to hold on to themselves, and, as a result, had both been hanged by the neck until they were dead.

Now the year was 1983 and at sixty, Spokes found the character of his country changing yet again. The euphoria and optimism of independence had settled, and in their place something darker was beginning to take shape. As it had been during the war years, something was feared, but this time it did not go by the name ‘terrorist’, ‘guerrilla’ or ‘freedom fighter’; it went by the name ‘dissident’, and it was deemed to exist in certain parts of the country.