The Chosen One (gone too soon)

A young man who refused to believe in coincidence, you’re the Chosen one, with all the answers – now you’re on to the next chapter.

First day I met you, kicking you out of the room I had picked out the day before you arrived. I looked at the cover of your book and saw too much of the self which I was trying to get away from… So I thought it only normal to stay away from you.

This is my tribute to my late friend Sbonga Hlope. I do not intend to impose on your family’s privacy, but may this just be a way for us to continue the conversations which we’re now deprived of.

What I’m crying for now is a third chance. Because I already got the second after we lived in the same house for five months without saying more than our breakfast greetings.

Until you moved out, and a few months later I did too – Only to end up where you had landed before, at this point we both knew this friendship was meant to be.

At twenty one, you left this world too soon. We asked for the meaning of life, what was the value of a living that didn’t satisfy our dreams? After all, you were muti-talented and destined to create.

But now you’ve got drvine answers and that’s the best part. Enjoy the Angels and all their wonder. Here on Earth, I’ll keep your story – for the life you lived, there’s no need to say sorry.

Some people die too early, without anything to their name. But you lived the life of a true hustler, nothing was ever given your way – so you definitely did achieve.

A man true to his origins is what I’ll always remember. Conflicted by being the only one to make it out of the hood and into varsity, if your brothers didn’t eat, you wouldn’t neither.

One of the first lessons I learnt when I started blogging was not to expect much support from friends and family. But you stayed true to your word and it makes me proud to have made you feel. I’ve got nothing to offer aside from my words, you let me share them and now I hope they shed some light to the story you wrote.

I believe in you bro. At least every memory of you comes with a smile. You took our troubles to the chin, accepted a bruised ego – so to me you’ll always be a hero.

As I end this post, I leave with a promise that your story will never run dry, you were not the type of man to cry, your energy will never die, and in a roll call for warriors, you were always quick to say I.

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