URhino ungena kwiNissan Navara ephethe izipho zikaMary, ayidumise. Ukhipha iselula afonele uLondi Zungu ongumngani kaMary. Alubambe ngokushesha ucingo uLondi.

“Hi, Londi”

“Yebo konje ngikhuluma nobani?”

“Umalume kaRachel.”

“Pho kungani ufona nge private number?”

“Bengingazi, ngicela uxolo kuleyo ndawo.”

“OK. Ngingakusiza ngani, malume?”

“Ungakwazi ukunginika inombolo kaMary Buthelezi?”

“UMary akayiphathi ifoni esikoleni.”

“Kwakubi lokho. Ngingaxhumana kanjani naye? Ngidinga ukuxoxa naye.”

“Okwamanje sise klasini. Ungakwazi ukubuye ufone?”

“Akunankinga. Konje niphuma ngobani isikhathi?”

“Sizophuma ngo-4.”

“Akunankinga. Bengingajabula kodwa uma ningangivumela nginigodukise ntambama. Kungaba yinkinga lokho?”

“Tjo!” kusho uLondi, “Ngeke avume uMary, unless…”

“Please zama, Londi, I’m desperate here!”

“Ngizoqamba amanga ngithi ungumalume wami. Wena fika uzosilanda. Ngizomcela agibele ngoba nami uhleze engigibelisa emotweni kababa wakhe.”

Lihleke lodwa iqili elinguRhino.

“Angazi ukuthi ngibonge ngithini Londi. Thanx so much.”

“Unqayiqambi ingane igama ingakazalwa. Uzobonga uma usuphumelele, kwazisholo inyanga.” Ulondi efa insini.

“OK. Ngizobe sengilapho ngo-4. Ngihamba nge-Nissan Navara emnyama. Bye, Angel.”

“Sharp!”

Ahleke yedwa uRhino. Uphuma esangweni ngesinono, abone kuqhamuka uRachel ngejubane esibukweni sangaphakathi emotweni.

“Uncle Rhino, Uncle Rhino!” kumemeza uRachel emumisa nangesandla. “Malume! Umtholile uMary?” uRachel uyahefuzela.

“Cha ngithole uLondi, kwenze njani?”

“Malume nginovalo, ubaba wami nobaba kaMary basebenza ndawonye. Ngizongena enkingeni uma sekutholakala ukuthi yimi ungqondongqondo wayo yonke lento”

“Bazozwa ngobani?”

“Angazi. Ngizwa nginovalo. Umama angangibulala uma ezwa lento.”

“Hawu, awusho, umama kaMary yena usebenza kuphi?”

“UMary uhlala nobaba wakhe kuphela. Akanaye umama, washona uMary esayingane.”

“Isisebenzi sikhona kubo?”

“Angazi kahle, Malume. Nami sekumele ngihambe.”

“Ima kancane, mshana. Uphuma ngasikhathi sini ubaba kaMary espani?”

“Ngo-5 ntambama.”

“Ngizokubona sengibuya, mshana.”

“Bye, Uncle R. Please ungaflopi, hahaha!”

Ahleke noRhino. Akhale amaphepha. Sidumo usedlula eMeerensee. Wehlisa ijubane esefika ngase maflethini. Ehle esangweni. Angqongqoze endlini kanogada.

Asukume unogada. Asondele.

“Sibonene nsizwa,” kubingelela unogada.

“Unjani, mfwethu? Ngiyaphuthuma la, ngidinga usizo lwakho”

“Khuluma, skhulu sami, ngilalele.”

“Ngiphethe isipho salo mntwana ohlala kulendlu.” Ekhomba indlu yakwaButhelezi.

“UMary?”

“Yebo. Ungakwazi ukunginikela yena uma esefikile?”

“Ngizothi siphuma kubani?”

“Likhona i-card elizomchazela konke phakathi. Umnike kungaboni muntu. Siyezwana?” Asho esekhiphe izimbumbulu zamehlo uRhino.

“Ye-yebo skhulu sami,” unogada uphendula ngokusaba.

“Uma nje kube nephutha…” Wazinquma intamo ngomunywe. Ukhombisa ukuthi uzomyisa kwagoqanyawo.

Wazikhipha izipho ezinika unogada. Amehlo kanogada anamathele kuRhino. Uyamfanisa. Inkinga nje ukuthi akasakhumbuli ukuthi wake wambona kuphi.

Wasuka wahamba uRhino. UMaMgobhozi uyibone yonke lento eyenzakalayo. Wabe eseyishutha imoto evele ngewindi. Nasekuseni uyishuthile. Kuthe angasuka uRhino, kwala kuMaMgobhozi, wanikela kunogada. Wafika kunogada eseyinkanyamba, isishingishane soqobo.

“Qwabe!” uMamgobhozi, ehefuzela.

“Unjani, mama?” kuphendula unogada.

“Nginjengoba ungibona! Awusho, uphezu kwani?”

“Angiqondi mama!”

“Ngibuza ukuthi wena nale ndoda enguswenka nenzani?”

Aphume aqhashe unogada. Aqalaze esangweni. Abuye ngokushesha.

“Ucingani weQwabe?” sekushwaqe isiphongo kuMamgobhozi.

“Shiii! Shii!” unogada uthulisa uMamgobhozi. “Kanti nawe umbonile lomlisa?”

“Uma ngingambonanga ngaze kanjani ukuthi kade elana?”

“Uyamazi?”

“Ngimazela kuphi? Wena tshela mina ukuthi ungubani lo mlisa futhi niphezu kwani.”

“Mama, lobhuti angimazi nami, kodwa ubuso bakhe sengathi angibuqali. Inkinga nje ukuthi angazi ngizothi ngimazela kuphi.”

“Ungangenzi ingane wena mfana! Uma ningazani yini le akunike yona?”

Kusobala ukuthi uMamgobhozi ubone yonke into. Ashalaze unogada.

“Khuluma! Kungenjalo uzowukhomba umuzi onotshwala kuShenge.”

“U-uShenge? Ungena phi manje uShenge kule nto?”

“Lomlisa uke wafika ekuseni, bheka la…”

Akhiphe i-cellphone, amkhombise isithombe semoto kaRhino imi eduze kwesango ngaphandle, uMary emi eduze kwayo.

“Hawu! Ubani lentokazi?” kubuza unogada.

“Ubuza ngoba ungaboni ukuthi uMary lo?”

Luphinde lumuthi heqe uvalo unogada.

“Ay khona mama, lemoto angikaze ngiyibone.”

“Bheka la. Uthini-ke ngalesi?” Emkhombisa esinye isithombe lapho uRhino esehamba ngeNissan Navara emi esangweni, unogada emukela okuthile kuye.

Ankwankwaze unogada, abanjwe ngamalimi.

“Khuluma! Uthini ngalesi sithombe? Anazani namanje?”

“Shiii! Musa phela ukumemeza. Lomlisa uyingozi kabi,” unogada aphinde alunguze esangweni.

Unogada ulubeka njengoba lunjalo udaba. Ukwesaba kubhalwe emehlweni. Ahlahle amehlo nomaMgobhozi. Bagcine bevumelene ngokuthula.

“Uma ebuya lomlisa, Qwabe, kuzomele uthathe i-number plate,” kusho uMamgobhozi sakuhleba.

***

Uthini umbono wakho: Ngabe uRhino uyi-Blesser?