"Women of all shapes and sizes and different drinking capabilities come here and drink from the men, but that social courtesy is never returned. At least not in the buying of another drink. We want to taste the drink of a woman!"
Walkie looks at Ausi Maggie, who in all her majesty as the chief executive hostess stands framing the entrance to the kitchen, from whence all the sundry beverages of the intoxicating kind are served. Ausi Maggie will deliberately not enter this particular battle. All she is interested in is the payment of the last round.
Walkie finally sums up the courage to say; "I refuse to be made the biblical scapegoat for all the sins of women. I don't remember any one of you guys having to buy me a drink all at the same time. If I owe any of you drinks as individuals then remind me. To be accused of all those things that I can't account for is very unfair. And besides, I really don't understand your gripe. La reng bo rra?"
"Ra re you must demonstrate to us that you are different from all the other women who come here and demand, just by their physical presence and their silence that is so loud with meaning, that they be bought a drink. Re jelwe gontse!"
"But you guys put yourselves in that position. You are willing players in that social cat and mouse game. I don't remember anyone forcing you to get any women a drink. If you don't want to buy, then don't!" says Walkie very clearly.
"Hee wena Walkie, you are bad for my business! Wa bo o reng jaanong?" asks Ausi Maggie sounding rather concerned.
Then another fellow says; "But we have to do it. We have to offer ladies a drink because we are gentlemen. Of hou majitas? Ga ke bue?"
"Ja, ja is waar. You telling the truth my bra. We are true gentlemen and we are proud of it, but we are also worried that some of these ladies are not ladies at all, but are really female dogs in sheepskins. They are just out to take advantage of our gentlemanly ways and exploit us."
"Hei, ene wa baitse mchana! You really know them well," adds the next fellow, shaking his head and recalling more than a few experiences where he had spent all his money on some women who could not even share their taxi fare with him when the bars closed!
"That's not true, and you know it! You don't do it because you are gentlemen, nor do you do it out of the kindness of your hearts. You guys buy women drinks because it gives you that sense of power and control. You do it to make them feel dependent on you, and that makes you in turn feel superior and powerful," argues Walkie vehemently.
"Like all relationships between men and women in this country it is a power trip. And you guys have been playing this game for so long that you have even forgotten that it's a game. But the women are on to you now. They are also playing along with you and have developed a new strategy within your game of power. They make you think you are in control and give you the illusion of power so that the drinks keep flowing, and when you run out of money and therefore out of your source of power, they take over the reins of control and either dump you and go to other buying gentlemen, or go home and sleep alone! Actually, some of them call their permanent boyfriends to come and pick them up!"
At that point Ausi Maggie excuses herself and pulls Walkie into the kitchen rather roughly. When they have closed the door leading into the lounge where the fellows are still digesting what Walkie has just said, Ausi Maggie holds her by the shoulders and whispers;
"Hei wena Walkie, are you crazy? You think these guys are that stupid?
They will soon figure out why we have ladies night every Wednesday and Friday! Nnyaa mma, o tloga o ntshenyetsa business. If you want to empower the men of Botswana open your own shebeen, don't come and spoil things for me here. These are paying customers, proper gentlemen, do you hear? Now, enough of your nonsonso! Just go out there and pretend to pay for the last round and I will refund you later!"
As they go back into the lounge, Walkie smiles and whispers; "Men - - - can't do much with them, won't do anything without them..."
And Ausi Maggie adds under her breath;
"...and their easy money!"
