Sekuyithuba likaGladys. Usukuma asondele kumabhalane amnike ikhadi lokuhola. Inhliziyo ishaya ngamandla ngoba akakuthandisisi ukukhuluma nomabhalani. Bakhuluma basheshe futhi abanasikhathi, bayamtatazelisa uGladys agcine engasazi ukuthi uzokwenzenjani.
“Ayikho imali ekhadini lakho,” kusho umabhalane ebuyisa ikhadi likaGladys kuzwakala ezwini ukuthi lomlisa akanaso isikhathi.
“Ayikho imali? Kungenzeka kanjani lokho? Awuzame futhi– kungenzeka kube umshini wakho onenkinga,” kusho uGladys.
“Umshini usebenza kahle. Ikhadi lakho elingenayo imali.” uGladys uyabona ukuthi lensizwa engumabhalane ibuka umuntu olandelayo kulayini.
“Ngiyakucela mntanami. Awuzame futhi.”
“Ayikho imali ngoba ayikho. Awunayo imali ekhadini lakho,” kusho umabhalane eshwaqa ebusweni. “Inkinga yenu ukuthi nifike nixhaphaze imali bese nizokhalela thina,” kusho umabhalane.
“Ngiyakucela, mntanami. Awulizame futhi,” kusho uGladys ezincengela.
Umabhalane uyalizama futhi ikhadi lika Gladys. “Angazi yini ongakwazi ukuyizwa lento engikutshela yona. Awunayo imali ekhadini lakho. Unazo izikweletu e-EasyLoans?”
“Yebo nginazo izikweletu kodwa ngiyazikhokhela njalo ngenyanga. Sengaqeda ukusikhokhela leso sikweletu. Kufanele kube khona imali ekhona ekhadini. Ubani ongangisiza ngalolu daba?” Izinyembezi zigcwala emehlweni kuGladys.
“Uyazi ungichithela isikhathi. Uyabona kodwa ukuthi ulayini mude kangakanani? Akasondele olandelayo!”
“Ngiyakucela. Ngicela ungitshele ukuthi ngingasizakala kuphi? Kumele ngenzeni?” izinyembezi ziyaziqathakela ezihlathini zikaGladys.
“Zama emahhovisi we-EasyLoans. Ngicela udlulele phambili. Olandelayo akeze,” kusho umabhalane.
U-Iris uthenga izithelo ebantwini abadayisayo ngaphandle. Ubona uGladys ephuma ehholo lokuhola ehamba ediyazela, ebuswenu kungathi ulahlwe umhlaba.
“Hhayi bo Gladys, uvukwa ushukela yini? Kubuza uIris esondela kuGladys, okubonakala ngathi uzoshayeka phansi.
“Umabhalane ungitshela ukuthi anginayo imali ngoba yonke imali yami iyokhokhela isikweletu sase EasyLoans. Angisele nalutho.”
“Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, Gladys! Ungangitsheli ukuthi nalento seyehlakele wena.” Ubamba uGladys ngesandla acele isihlalo kumuntu odayisa izithelo. Imilenze kaGladys iyavevezela. Uhlala esihlalweni, athwale izandla ekhanda.
“Uwaphethe amaphilisi, Gladys?”
“Akupulasitiki omhlophe lapho esikhwameni sami. Ngicela ufonele uBathandwa. Uyena ozokwazi ukungixazululela le nkinga,” kusho uGladys egwinya amaphilisi ehlisa ngamanzi.
U-Iris uzama ukuthinta uBathandwa kodwa uthola ivoyisimeli.
“Kumele ngigoduke,” kusho uGladys etatazela, ezama ukusukuma. “Ngiyacela. Ngidinga ukuya ekhaya.”
“Kulungile,” kusho u-Iris. “Ngizokuphelezela ngikukhokhele etekisini.”
“Ngizokubuyisela imali yakho. Ngiyakuthembisa.”
“Ngiyazi, Gladys,” kusho u-Iris. “Ngiyazi uzongikhokhela, mngani wami.”
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Sitshele ukuthi ubona kanjani: Ngabe abantu abasebenza emahhovisi babaphatha kanjena abantu abagugile?