“Ungakwenta wena lokwa, Make?” Afrika wabuta make wakhe.

“Kwenta ini?” kwabuta Mme wa Afrika.

“Kwetfwala tintfo enhloko yakho kanjeya,” kwasho Afrika.

“Yebo ngingakhona. Kulula,” kwasho make wakhe.

Afrika wambuka lomake wahamba wate wanyamalala eticukwini tebantfu lababeme emkhatsi wetitolo tasemakethe.

“Ngicinisekile nami ngingatitfwala tintfo enhloko yami!” Afrika washo atitjela. Wabona lapha phasi libhodlela lanamnedi leplastiki lelite lutfo. Walitsatsa waliphakamisa walibeka enhloko yakhe, kodvwa kwadzingeka kutsi alibambe ngoba beliphike kuwa.

“Eshi!” kwasho intfombatana lebeyikhona lapho eceleni kwakhe. “Ngitakukhombisa kutsi ukwenta njani loku!” Yatsatsa libhodlela lanamnedi, yalibeka enhloko yayo, iphakamise imphumulo yayo, yahamba yatungeleta Afrika njengenkhosatana letigcabhako.

“Yo!” kwasho Afrika, achazeke kakhulu. “Ngubani ligama lakho?”

“Ngingu-Asanda,” kwasho yona.

“Ngingu-Afrika. Wakufundza kanjani kwenta loku?” kwabuta Afrika.

“Ngacale ngatama kuhamba ngetfwele tincwadzi enhloko,” kwasho yona. “Kufanele kutsi ungayinyakatisi inhloko yakho uma uhamba.” Yabuyisela lelibhodlela lanamnedi emuva enhloko ya-Afrika. “Hamba kancane manje, uphakamise imphumulo yakho njengenkhosana.”

Afrika wahamba watungeleta Asanda kancane kakhulu, inhloko yakhe angayinyakatisi kantsi futsi nemphumulo yakhe ayiphakamisile. Lelibhodlela lachubeka lahlala!

“Buka Make! Buka mine …” kwasho Afrika, kodvwa akatange ambone make wakhe! Lomunye washayisa Afrika lase liyawa lelibhodlela lanamnedi enhloko yakhe. Kodvwa bese akhohliwe ngelibhodlela – bese afuna kwati kutsi make wakhe abekuphi!

“Ukuphi, Make?” wamemeta. Kwabete imphendvulo. “Make!” wamemeta kakhudlwana. Solo kute imphendvulo.

“Make wami ulahlekile!” kwasho Afrika ku-Asanda. “Besisendleleni yetfu sicondze esitolo setincwadzi lesisekhoneni, kodvwa manje akasekho!”

“Nami ngiya esitolo setincwadzi! Ngiyotsenga incwadzi yetindzaba ngemali lengiyongile. Mhlawumbe make wakho ulena esitolo setincwadzi. Asambe siyomfuna!” Asanda wabeka umbono.

Bakanyekanye bo-Asanda na-Afrika bahamba bendlula eticukwini tebantfu. Kusenjalo Afrika weva kumenyetwa ligama lakhe! “Afrika! Afrika! Ukuphi?”