BODYGUARDS – Anzil Kulsen (1977 -)

The club was dark with flickering lights shining from the disco ball that lit up the place here
and there. The song that was playing, was one for people in love. A slow romantic song
that was very irritating to single girls like me.
I was enjoying the music though as I was dancing with Doepie. He was a good dancer. His
eyes closed. I thought he must be thinking about all the nice guys he can date, if he didn’t
stay in this godforsaken place. We were dancing like all the other people in love, with our
arms around each other we moved to our table when the music stopped. In this little town
everybody gossips. No, in this town all the normal people gossip about the abnormal
people. About those who are a bit different to them.
“I wonder with who of the three that girl is having a relationship.”
The guy that’s pointing towards me, doesn’t even look worried that I could hear hm talking
about me. Maybe he wants me to hear him. He was staring me already the whole evening
where was sitting amongst his retarded friends.
Then I decided to take Envir for a dance on the dancefloor. He was still staring at me,
because I can dance. If you are friends with Doepie, Envir and Jerome you know every
dance move that’s there. The four of us doesn’t have anything in common, besides the fact
that we keep the people talking (gossiping) about us because of all the nonsense we make
just for fun. And to give everyone something to talk about.
“That guy is eating you up with his eyes. Envir was saying, as we were performing a good
dance move.
“Are you jealous?” I laughed at his expression, Envir is like an elder brother to me, he will do
anything to protect me.
“No, but I will sort out a guy that wants to mess around with you.”
The music stopped and our lambada came to an end. Another song started playing and
everyone started dancing. Not my taste. Between the three friends I had enough of dancing
for one night. I was thirsty and started longing for my bed rather. We went to our table.
Maybe I should ask one of them to take me home. Jerome said that he had an early shift at
the garage the next day.
At the table Jerome held out a glass of clear liquid and handed it to me. I drank the contents
in one gulp. My eyes started watering. My throat was on fire – it was definitely not water.
He laughed at me.
‘Foo;” They know I don’t drink. I am not yet eighteen. Its one thing to get entry into the club
but another to throw wine in my throat.
Before I could shout Jerome, the guy was standing right in front of me. He was taller than
me and Doepie but bigger built than Jerome and darker than Envir.
“Do you want to go outside for a bit?” He spoke to me, but you’ll swear that he was talking
to them.
“No, she doesn’t want to.” Doepie stood closer to me. Jerome took my other hand and
indicated that I must come and sit next to him. Envir came closer.
And me? I stood there speechless.
“I just want to …..” he looked at me as if to ask for help.
“Can I ask her for a dance?” His voice almost pleading.
“No.” Jerome and Doepie answered together.
“Yes.”
I looked surprised at Envir that was pushing me under my elbow in the direction of this guy.
“As long as you remember that we are watching you. So.” Envir was showing with his little
finger and index finger.
Studpid, I thought and wanted to start laughing, but he looked too serious.
“Shal we?” He pulled me away from the table as if scared my friends will change their
minds.
“Shu, you have guts!”
“Who are they? He asked
“My bodyguards!”
Keep bleeding (another song) started playing. We started dancing.
“Oh, but you can dance well” what a stupid thing to say.
“Thank you!” his smile showed his dimples in his cheeks. I looked away.
I’m hanging out with wise guys but I am by no means wise. But I could feel the “chemistry”
between us. Something that I just read about in books. What was I supposed to do?
We both looked in the direction of my friends and we realised that they have a very serious
conversation.
“Do you want to go outside for a while? I nodded. He looks harmless.
“Why do you need bodyguards?” he wanted to know when we got outside.
“I don’t.” I felt silly. It was me that said I need bodyguards.
Behind me I could see Trudy van Wyk walk past. She was in my class last year. She didn’t
come back to school after her baby was born.
“They are my friends. I feel safe with them and they don’t expect anything from me.
He was laughing softly.
“What is so funny?”
“I’m watching you already for weeks. I wanted to come and talk to you but you are always
with them. And the things the people say –“
“Well, the people are talking nonsense. “I got so irritated and stood up to go inside to where
my friends were. That is why I ignore all the people in my age group. I hang out with my
friends. Everyone in small towns suffer from an inferiority syndrome.
“Chantel, wait.”
“How do you know my name?”
“I’ve been watching you for a long time, remember?”
I remember, yes. I nodded.
“Who are you by the way?”
“Lance Ludik.”
I was shocked. “Reverend Ludik ….”
“Yes, the new priest’s son.”
“And you hang out in clubs?”
“Its not that its going to get me in bigger trouble than you.” He went so sit on the side-walk
pulled me there also. ‘I wonder if the station-commander knows where his daughter is
hanging out …. And that while she is under ager.”
“Small towns!”
I sat next to him. The music and noise inside the club was playing in the background.
“So you don’t have an affair with any of those three,” he asked. ”Now then?” “Did your father
asked them to look after you?”
I wanted to get irritated but the way he said it, made me laugh. “My mother knows that
there’s nothing between us. My parents were very happy about it at first. My mother must be
happy because it keeps the other guys away. My father still doesn’t like them, but he agrees
to everything my mother says. He doesn’t know that I come to the club now and then, but
you …”
He didn’t allow me to say anything further, He doesn’t look like a priest son. And before I
could say anything he kissed me.
“Do you think your mother will like me?”
“Maybe.”
“And your father?”
“I won’t put money on that one.”

All the things that I wanted to explain to him was forgotten. He pulled me up and we joined
my friends.
“What do you say can I come and visit you next Saturday?” “Not here at the club.” “At
home.” “So that I can find out for myself if your mother likes me.” “And maybe even your
father.” He smiled and walked away full of self-confidence without waiting for an answer.
I looked at him as he walked away with his friends and I looked at my friends waiting faces.
Next week Saturday this club won’t see me again. I smiled.
Envir, Doepie en Jerome are good friends. But I think its time to fire them as my
Bodyguards …….
VRAE: Bl. 135 (Verneukkind)
1. Wie is die hoofkarakter in die verhaal?
Who is the main character in the story?
2. Wie is die lyfwagte na wie daar in die titel verwys word?
Who are the bodyguards that they refer to in the title?
3. Haal twee agtereenvolgende woorde uit paragraaf 3 tot 5 aan wat verwys na die
klein, afgeleë dorpie waar die verteller woon.
Quote two consequtive word from paragraph 3 to 5 that is referring to the small,
remote town where the narrator stays.
KONTEKSTUELE VRAE
1. “Die vier van ons het niks gemeen nie, behalwe dat ons mense se tonge fiks hou …”
The four of us have nothing in common beside that we keep people’s tongues fit …
1.1 Wat beteken dit om mense se tonge fiks te hou?
Wha does it mean to keep people’s tongues fit?
1.2 Hoe hou die verteller mense se tonge fiks?
How does the narrator keep the people’s tongues fit?
2. “Daai ou vreet jou op met sy oë.”
That guy is eating you up with his eyes.
2.1 Wie is die ou na wie Envir verwys?
Who is the guy that Envir is referring to?
2.2 Wat kan jy aflei uit hierdie besrywing?
What do you understand by this description?
3. By watter karakter(s) pas die beskrywings Gee telkens ‘n rede vir jou antwoord. Jy
mag aanhaal om jou antwoord te motiveer.
Which description fits the following characters. Give a reason for your answer. You
are allowed to quote to motivate your answer.
3.1 homoseksueel (homosexual)
3.2 ek-verteller (first person narrator)
3.3 beskermend (protective)
3.4 onverantwoordelik (irresponsible)
3.5 respekvol (respectable)
4. “Ek vererg my daar en dan en staan op om binnetoe te gaan ….. “
4.1 Waarom raak die verteller kwaad?
Why did the narrator become angry.
4.2 Dink jy haar optrede is regverdgbaar? Gee ‘n rede vir jou antwoord.
Do you think her actions are justifiable?
5. Watter veralgemening maak die verteller oor mense wat in klein dorpies bly?
Which generalisation does the narrator make about people that stays in small towns?
6. Watter bewys is daar dat die verteller se eerste soen ‘n aangename ervaring was?
Which proof is there that the narrator’s first kiss was a pleasant experience?
7. Wat besluit die verteller in die slot van die verhaal?
Which decision does the narrator make in the conclusion of the story?
IDIOME MET liefde as trefwoord.
1. Die liefde is blind – love is blind
2. Liefde met die eerste oogopslag – Love at first sight
3. Halsoorkop verlief – head over heels in love
4. Kalwerliefde – puppy love
5. Om ‘n kop vol muisneste te hê – to have a lot of nonsense in your head
 6. As jy rooi hakskene kry – when you turn on your heels ( run away)
7. Ou liefde roes nie – True love never dies.
GEBRUIK DIE WOORDE HIERONDER OM DIE PARAGRAAF TE VOLTOOI.

Vriende (friends) / skinder (gossip) / Jerome / Lance / Envir / doepie / predikant (priest)
/spookstories (ghost stories) / lyfwagte (bodyguards) / liefdesverhale (love stories) / met haar
dans (to dance with her) spanningsverhale (gripping stories) / haar soen (to kiss her)

Chantel dans eers met (1) … en wonder of hy dink aan al die ouers wat hy kon gehad het as
hy nie op so ‘n klein dorpie gebly het waar mense so (2) … oor enige iemand wat bietjie
anders is as ander mense nie. Wanneer sy met die ander ou dans, voel sy dat daar iets
besig is om tussen hulle te gebeur – die soort ding waarvan sy nog net in (3) …. gelees het.
Hulle gaan staan buite en sy vind uit sy naam is (4) …; hy is die nuwe (5) … se seun.
Wanneer hy (6) ….. wens sy dit moet vir ewig aanhou. Sy dink dit is tyd om Doepie, Envir
en Jerome as haar (7) … af te dank.
Chantel first danced with (1) … and she was wondering whether he was thinking about all
the guys he could have had if he didn’t stay in such a small town where everyone (2) .. about
everyone else that is different to them. When she dances with the other guy she realised
that something was happening between them – something that she only read in (3) … They
went to stand outside and she found out his name was (4) … he is the new (5) … son.
When he (6) …. She wished that it could last forever. The thinks its time that she must fire
Doepie, Envir and Jerome as her (7) ……….
1. Bespreek die vertelperspektief in die verhaal.
Discuss the story from the narrator’s perspective.
2. In watter ruimte speel die verhaal af?
In which setting does this story take place?
3 Pas die beskrywings in kolom A by die karakters in kolom B. Skryf slegs die
vraagnommer en die letter (A – F) neer.

Match column A and B

KOLOM A KOLOM B

3.1 Lance A. homoseksueel

3.2 Chantel B. Predikant se seun
3.3 Doepie C. Soos ‘n ouer broer
3.4 Envir D. ek-verteller
3.5 Trudy E. Derdepersoonsverteller
F. Sy het nog nie weer teruggekom skool toe nadat
haar baba gebore is nie.

Lees op bl. 131

1. Noem twee karaktereienskappe wat die verteller oor Doepie verklap.
Name two characteristics that the narrator tells us about Doepie.
2. Hoekom, dink jy, beskryf die verteller hulle dorp as ‘ “godverlate plek”?
Why do you think the narrator describes their town as a “godforsaken place”?
3. Kies die KORREKTE antwoord om die sin te voltooi.
Choose the CORRECT word to complete the sentence.
“Hy gaap my al heelaand aan” beteken: (he is staring at me the whole night) …
A. Hy is baie vaak. (he is sleepy)
B. Hy fluit vir haar (he is whisteling at her)
C. Hy kyk al heelaand vir haar (he’s looking at her the whole night)
D. Hy slaap heeltyd (he’s sleeping all the time)
4. Gee twee rede waarom die outjie haar aangaap.
Give two reasons why the guy is staring at her all the time.
5. Wat beteken dit om mense se tonge fiks te hou?
What does it mean to keep people’s tongues fit?
6. Hoe hou Chantel mense se tonge fiks?
How does Chantel keep people’s tongues fit?
7. Wie is die ou na wie Envir verwys?
Who is the guy that Envir is referring to?
8. Rangskik die volgende gebeure in die korrekte chronologiese volgorde:
Arrange the following incidents in the correct chronological sequence.
A. Trudy van Wyk stap verby hulle. (Trudy van Wyk walks past them)
B. Lance en Chantel sit buite op die sypaadjie. (Lance and Chantel are sitting
outside on the side walk)
C. Lance soen vir Chantel. (Lance kisses Chantel)
D. Lance en Chantel dans met mekaar. (Lance and Chantel are dancing together)
9. Die volgende stelling is WAAR. Verduidelik waarom dit so is.
The following statement is TRUE. Explain why.
Die verteller se eerste soen was ‘n aangename ervaring. (The narrator’s fist kiss was
a pleasant experience.)
10. Hoe sluit die slot van die verhaal aan by die titel?
How does the conclusion match the title of the story?
11. Watter tipe verhaal is “Bodyguards”?
What type of story is; “Bodyguards”?