Kanye ngelo xesha u-Alex nomama wakhe bagaleleka evenkileni. UMama wathenga umgubo wengqolowa wokwenza ikeyiki kaTata yosuku lokuzalwa. Waza kananjalo wathenga namakhandlela amancinane aza kufakwa ngaphezulu ekeyikini.

Bathi bakufika ekhaya, uMama wabhaka ikeyiki yosuku lokuzalwa kukatata waze u-Alex wakhupha amandongomane ompayini nelitye eligudileyo elimdaka kwakunye nentyatyambo encinane ezuba kwingxowa yokufaka izinto ezithengiweyo.

“Owu, hayini! Jonga,” watsho u-Alex, “intyatyambo encinane ezuba izisongile, kwaye ubuso bayo buvalekile.”

“Ewe kaloku,” watsho uMama. “Iintyatyambo zasendle zithanda ukuveza ubuso bazo elangeni, kwaye ziyakuthanda ukuhlala emhlabeni.”

“Owu,” watsho u-Alex.

“Kutheni ungazobi umfanekiso njengesipho sikaTata sosuku lokuzalwa?” umbuzile ebucebisa uMama.

“Licebo elihle kakhulu elo,” wancuma u-Alex. Walanda iikhrayoni zakhe kwakunye nephepha ukuze azobele uTata umfanekiso. Wazoba indlu enophahla olubomvu. Waza ke emva koko wazoba umthi omkhulu oluhlaza ecaleni kwendlu leyo. Uthe ke wongeza indledlana eya esitiyeni esuka kumnyango wangaphambili wendlu ukuya ekupheleni kwephepha, ze wazoba iintyatyambo ezizuba ecaleni kwale ndledlana. Wazoba isibhakabhaka esizuba phezulu ephepheni kunye nelanga elikhulu elityheli. Emva koko ke wazoba ingca eluhlaza ezantsi ephepheni. Ekugqibeleni wazoba uTata, uMama kunye naye bemi apho engceni.

Uye wade wabuya ke uTata emsebenzini.

“Mini emnandi, Tata,” watsho u-Alex waze wamnika izipho zakhe. Kuqala uthe wamnika amandongomane ompayini uTata. “Ndiyawathanda amandongomane ompayini,” watsho uTata.

Ulandelise ngokumnika uTata ilitye eligudileyo nelimdaka ngombala. “Wawu, ilitye elihle kangaka!” watsho uTata. “Ndiza kuligcina epokothweni yam ukuze lindizisele amathamsanqa!”

Emva koko wanika uTata umzobo wakhe. “Yhu!” watsho uTata. “Le yindlu yethu nomthi wethu, ze ibe sithi aba! Nguwe, nguMama kunye nam. Kwaye ndizithanda ngenene ezi ntyatyambo zizuba zisecaleni kwale ndledlana.”

“Eziya ntyatyambo zizuba zifana nqwa nesibhakabhaka,” watsho u-Alex.

“Enkosi kakhulu ngezipho zam zosuku lokuzalwa, Alex,” watsho uTata, waza wamanga ngothando olukhulu. “Ndicinga ukuba masityale iintyatyambo zasendle ezizuba apha,” watsho uTata. “Siza kuzityala ecaleni kwendledlana eya esitiyeni, kanye njengeentyatyambo ezisemfanekisweni wakho.”

“Yingcinga elunge kakhulu leyo!” watsho u-Alex. “Ndiza kukuncedisa sizityale, Tata!”

Emva kwesidlo sangokuhlwa uMama walayita amakhandlela asekeyikini kaTata. UTata wawavuthela onke ngaxeshanye, wawacima pam! U-Alex noMama bacula ingoma ethi, “Min’ emnandi kuwe” beculela uTata.

“Ndiyakuthanda ukukukhangelela izipho, Tata,” watsho u-Alex ngoncumo olubanzi.