Chapter 01Sima the nurse
Simamkele loves dolls. Mama buys him lots of them, and they keep his loneliness away. But his favourite, the one he loves most in the world, is Siza.
Sima loves to wind Mama's white skirt around his neck and twirl. Like magic, he becomes Sima the nurse. He lays his dolls in a row, holds tiny meetings with them, and makes sickly Siza better again - hospital-hospital, the best game there is.
When Sima grows up, he says, he will be a real nurse. He says it the way other children say astronaut: certain.
Chapter 02Wherever Sima is
Wherever Sima is, Siza is there too - including school. The other children point and whisper when Sima unwraps Siza at break.
One day it goes further. His friends snatch Siza away and dunk the doll's head in the toilet. Sima watches, frozen, horror rising in his throat like hot water.
Nobody laughs with him that day. He carries damp Siza home and dries her carefully, the way a nurse would.
Chapter 03Soccer with Papa
When Papa comes home that evening, Sima is nursing Siza on the step. What are you doing, Papa asks. I'm being a nurse, says Sima. Will you play with me?
Yes, says Papa - but at the park, playing soccer. So they go, and his friends see Sima and Papa playing and join in. Soon Sima and Papa play soccer often.
It is fun. It is also true that nobody has played with the dolls since. Sima notices, the way nurses notice everything.
Chapter 04The shout at the park
One afternoon Sima is deep in hospital-hospital when Mama shouts: run, Papa is waiting at the park! Sima grabs his things and races over - still wearing his nurse's outfit.
Papa's voice goes hard. Why on earth are you wearing a dress? And at that exact second, a tennis ball flies out of nowhere and strikes Papa's head.
Papa crumples to the ground. Blood. Everyone freezes and panics - shouting, running in circles, nobody knowing what to do.
Chapter 05Nurse Sima
Everyone panics except Sima. Hospital-hospital has trained him for this. He kneels beside Papa, pulls off his blanket, and ties it firmly around the bleeding head. Call an ambulance, he shouts - clear as a bell.
The ambulance comes. A male nurse loads Papa in and looks Sima in the eye. He needs stitches. You did just the right thing, he says. Sima stands a little taller.
You're a hero, says the nurse. You'll make a great doctor one day. Sima shakes his head, grinning. I want to be a nurse - just like you. They high-five, nurse to future nurse.
Chapter 06Two games now
Thank you, Nurse Sima, says Papa from his chair, bandage neat around his head. And that weekend, something new happens: Papa sits down at the tea party. Siza gets the place of honour.
Now Sima and Papa play hospital-hospital AND soccer. And here is the best part - his friends watched everything, and they play both games too.
Sima still twirls in the white skirt. Siza still goes everywhere. Some things about you are not phases to outgrow; they are skills the world is waiting for.
