As they walk along the paved sidewalk through the tree-lined neighborhood streets side by side, Dave's hands are neatly tucked in his pockets, and his strides unhurried, but his head keeps turning here and there, his expressionless face slowly taking in the different types of houses enclosed in with different types of fences in precise observation.
Chriss knew and understand that all this around them, is something his friend was not used seeing. He understood he's curiousity.
"Hey?" Dave begin.
"Bruh?" Chriss respond, tilting his head to him.
"Explain something to me. This place, Chelstone, I can see it's the residential area. But I can also see it ain't entirely... Suburb. It's too lively." He says.
Chriss's face is surprised, and for a moment he's just silent, staring at Dave whose expressionless face is focusly ahead.
"I see... You could tell? Because I'm surprised, the only time you've ever stepped outside the house was yesterday late evening when you insisted on coming along at the store, and its only like four hundrend meters from the house. Have you been in LSK (Lusaka) by any choice" He asks.
"No, men. But one has to drive through a city to get to the next. Isn't that right? And well, as you already known... I've always being an absence brother and grandson."
"I know. Always out there. From one place to another. And you're correct. Chelstone is a suburb of LSK, making it neither rural nor urban but a transition area. It's classified as a suburb because it's a residential area located outside the city center. It's got some special gens of the lively capital city, you know what I mean? A mix of urban amenities and proximity to natural landscapes. Used to be a separet town before it was incorperated into LSK. So yeah, Neighborhood, your tiny friend next door." Chriss explains.
"Right. And... Special gens..." Dave remark as they both share a laugh. "Right, right, so what street is this?"
"This street? Our street is called Musuki." He replies.
"Musuki?"
"Yup, Musuki street" He replies, before reach into his pocket and pull out his phone. He swip across the screen and look at the time before placing it back. "9:08, I guess we got to pick up pace. Today you're only meeting the family, men. The hunt for a retail tomorrow. Sound good, homie?" Chriss asks.
"That is the plan." Dave replies.
"Jeff is gonna get it, I haven't forgot about that bastard!" He blasts.
As they walk, two passerby women can't help but to look Dave over.
"My, ain't you something precious. You're beautiful, honey." One compliment.
"We know when to compliment and appreciate something done so right. You're fine, love." Another adds.
"Uhm, thank you ladies. You look presently beautiful as well." Dave appreciate the two with a warm smile followed by a low bow, the turn and continue on.
Chriss, on the other hand, just stands there and stare at the two ladies as they turn at a corner and disapear, his expression slightly surprised before turning to Dave who's now meters ahead. He hurries on and catch up to him.
"Explain, homie. How did that happen?" He asks.
"What, how should I know. Compired to you I've got nothing lit on me." Dave says.
Chriss look at his friend's appearance for a moment as they walk, but compired to Dave, his sense of dressing was dior-lit, but this guy with mess curly hair in only a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and white and black sneakers seems to have just attracted two beautiful ladies.
"Damn... First time out the house and you're already every chic's dream men. Now I'm anxious of what's ahead. I got to prepare myself"
"What are you talking about? Come on, let's start this day already. Your friends await." Dave says.
Chriss laugh. "Right. Twenty minutes until Metal Mentendant, if we pick up the pace, and I mean really kick the dust, homie."
"Cool." Dave says, as the two pick up their pace.
The walk to their destination was accompanied by Dave's curiousity and continious questions about the area, the people, the jobs, and businesses that contributes to the local economy.
Twenty minutes later, before Dave even realize, the two are standing in front of a tall black steeled gate, the place is enclosed with the wall twice as large, and on top, electric security fance. Beside the main gate, is a small metal door in a wall.
Chriss reach into his pocket and pull out his phone, tap a few times at the screen, he place it to his ear.
After a few rings, the phone is answered.
"Chriss, sup kid! I can't believe you missed me!" Jeff says through the other end.
Dave, with his hands tucked away in his pockets, just stands there listening to the conversation, his expression unbothered.
"Just get out here, I'm at the front gate." Chriss says.
"Right. Be right there in a sec, kid." Jeff assures, then hang up.
"He's coming. Let's stand over there." Chriss says, gesturing to the small metal door in the wall.
A few minutes later, the heavy thuds of footsteps approaching from the inside is heard, followed by the cranking and unlocking sound of the metal door. Then, Jeff.
As his eyes meet Dave's, they both stare at each other for a moment, then slowly look the new face up and down, taking in his somewhat intimidating yet friendly posture.
Dave quickly pulls out his hands from his pockets and stretch his right to Jeff. He could tell that this guy with dreadlocks, in a boilersuit and safety-boots, is the one. The supervisor, Jeff.
"I'm so sorry, how rude of me. Dave. His friend." Dave introduces himself gesturing to Chriss, his voice light yet steady.
Jeff reach out, takes his hand and shake it, a wide grin on his face.
"Long lost friend, eh?" Jeff asks.
"Yeah." Dave replies.
"You're famous, Dave. On his tongue, of course." He says.
"Wha- shit! Do you even realize what you're spitting, ni- ha! Damn it Jeff!" Chriss exclaim.
Jeff releases Dave's hand and cross his arms.
"I do realize what I'm saying, but if you're thinking of anything else, you're messed up pretty bad in the head, Chriss." Jeff says.
"Just let us in, you got enough time to talk once inside, you can talk about whatever, or even about those days when you used to pamper me." Chriss suggests.
"Great idea!" Jeff chimed, turning around and disapear through the door. "Come on in, Dave."
"I'm kidding!" Chriss blasts as they follow him behind.
"Of course you are."
"I'm serious, Jeff." He says, a worried expression on his face now.
"I'm serious too, homie." Jeff repeats.
As they step inside, Dave's eyes instantly lands on the enormous heaps of metals to his right. To his left on the far end of the wall, a low average house stands with two BMW packed beside it. Straight ahead in the corner on the wall, is what seemed to be a well build up kitchen. And on the right, heavy liftng machines packed in an orderly single line.
Dave, at the unexpected site, raise his brow in confusion and disappointment.
"This way, my men. Jeff says, as he turns and start leading the way. "We've heard a lot about you, Dave."
"Really? I'm surprised." Dave says
"Your friend here is like an mp3 player, and you're the song on the favorite list. And believe me, you're like on repeat." Jeff grins as he says that.
"Really." Dave chuckles.
"How about I kill you an other day, Jeff. Cool?" Chriss says, his voice smooth, yet his expression irritated.
"Cool, kid. But my wallet go free, deal?" He laughs.
"So... Company, huh?" Dave asks.
"I can see why you're confused, Dave. Metal Mentendant, the Metal Trading Company, but yet, when you look around you is a joke, correct?" Jeff asks.
"Well, maybe I just don't know what its all about, yet." Dave says.
"It has juice stories- Apple juice, orange, and lemon. What do you want to know about first." Jeff says.
Hearing that, Chriss's expression shift from light to dark.
"The guy is here to meet you and the guys, no to hear your 'when I was' nonsense, men. It's only 9:40 something."
"Cool, cool. Then how about we turn here, there's a nice shade." He says, gesturing through the well cleaned and taken care of windmill palm-trees where the employees mostly love to hang out and chill during lunchbreak.
Dave, looking at the two boys, he could definitely sense the tension between the two.
"Cool. It's alright. The shade is nice." Dave says.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." He replies.
"Chriss, how about some monobloc chair?" Jeff says.
"Sure men." Chriss replies, before turning and leave the two.
Just turn his head and look at Dave, his expression even.
"So, childhood friend, eh?" He asks.
"Yeah. We haven't seen each other in a long time though." Dave replies.
"I know..." Jeff says.