Kwaqala lapho uMama uMoeng enza ujamu ogcwele ibhodlela wosuku lokuzalwa lukaGogo uMoeng. UMntwana uBheka wase ethola ibhelunde lakhe eliphambili eliluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. Wayefuna ukulinika uGogo ngosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa.
UMama wabeletha uMntwana uBheka ngengubo ethambile. Wase ethwala ibhodlela likajamu ehamba eqonde endlini kaGogo Moeng.
Ibhelunde loMntwana uBheka lathi bham-bham-bham kanti ophaqa bakaMama bona bathi phaqa-phaqa, phaqa-phaqa ngenkathi ehla ngendlela ewubhuqu waze wahlangana noSipho ephuma esitolo i-Tip-Top. “Uyaphi, Mama uMoeng?” kubuza uSipho.
“Mina noMntwana uBheka siya endlini kaGogo uMoeng. Usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa namhlanje,” kuphendula uMama.
“Nginamashibusi amazambane aklamuzela kamnandi kaGogo uMoeng. Ngingeza nami?” kubuza uSipho.
“Impela,” uMama wamamatheka, baqhubeka nendlela yabo.
Iphakethe lamashibusi amazambane aklamuzelayo lathi klamu-klamu, ibhelunde loMntwana uBheka lalithi bham-bham-bham ngesikhathi ophaqa bakaMama bethi phaqa-phaqa, phaqa-phaqa, behla ngendlela ewubhuqu baze bafika kuMnumzane uShabalala, owayepha izinkukhu zakhe ukudla.
“Niyaphi?” kubuza yena.
“Siya endlini kaGogo Moeng. Usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa,” kuphendula uMama.
“Nginenkukhu ekhuluphele kaGogo uMoeng. Ngabe ningamnika yona?” kubuza uMnumzane uShabalala.
“Ungabe usabuza,” kusho uMama efaka inkukhu ekhuluphele ngaphansi kwekhwapha, beqhubeka nohambo oMama, uMntwana uBheka noSipho.
Inkukhu ekhuluphele yathi kuku-kuku-kuku, iphakethe lamashibusi lathi klamu-klamu, ibhelunde likaMntwana uBheka lathi bham-bham-bham ngesikhathi ophaqa bakaMama bethi phaqa-phaqa, phaqa-phaqa, behla ngendlela ewubhuqu baze bafika esitolo sombhako wasekhaya sikaNkosikazi uMakabelo.
“Kumele sitholele uGogo ikhekhe losuku lokuzalwa,” kusho uMama. Bangena phakathi. Khence-khence, kukhala insimbi emnyango. “Sawubona, Nkosikazi uMakabelo. Ngabe bewazi ukuthi namhlanje usuku lokuzalwa lukaGogo uMoeng?”
“O, yebo,” kusho uNkosikazi uMakabelo. “Ngimbhakele ikhekhe lekhethelo, kodwa angikwazi ukushiya la esitolo. Ningangihambisela lona?”
“Ubala lolo,” kuzinikela uMama, kodwa kwakunenkinga − uMama wayedinga izandla ezimbili ukuze aphathe ikhekhe. Ngakho, waqhamuka nesu. Wabeka inkukhu ekhuluphele phezu kwebhodlela likaJamu ayelithwele. Manje wayesenezandla ezimbili ayezophatha ngazo ikhekhe lekhethelo. Baqhubeka nohambo oMama, uMntwana uBheka noSipho bephuma ngomnyango okhala insimbi ethi khence-khence.
Lapho uMntwana uBheka ezwa iphunga lekhekhe wanambitha wathi ncam, ncam, ncam.
Inkukhu ekhuluphele yathi kuku-kuku-kuku, iphakethe lamashibusi lathi klamu-klamu, ibhelunde likaMntwana uBheka lithi bham-bham-bham ngesikhathi ophaqa bakaMama bethi phaqa-phaqa, phaqa-phaqa behla ngendlela yobhuqu baze bahlangana noValecia.
“Ngabe nilibangisephi?” kubuza uValecia.
“Siya endlini kaGogo Moeng. Usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa,” kuchaza uSipho.
“Nginezimbali zikaGogo uMoeng. Ngingeza nami?” kubuza uValecia.
“Ungabe usabuza,” kusho uMama, babeqhubeka njalo nendlela.
Izimbali zenza ukuthi uValecia athimule, “Athi! A-A-Athiiii!”
Inkukhu ekhuluphele yathi kuku-kuku-kuku, iphakethe lamashibusi lathi klamu-klamu, ibhelunde likaMntwana uBheka lithi bham-bham-bham ngesikhathi ophaqa bakaMama bethi phaqa-phaqa, phaqa-phaqa behla ngendlela yobhuqu baze babona noMnumzane Sithole elima esivandeni sakhe.
“Nilibangise kuphi nonke, Mama uMoeng?” kubuza uMnumzane uSithole.
“Siya endlini kaGogo Moeng. Usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa,” kuphendula uMama.
“Nginenqola egcwele imifino yakhe,” kusho uMnumzane Sithole. “Ngingacela nimnike yona?”
mm“Ush’ entshweni,” kuphendula uMama.
Kodwa manje uMama wayesenenkinga ENKULU – wayesethwele izinto eziningi! Kwakumele aqhamuke neqhinga.
Waqala, wehlisa uMntwana uBheka emhlane wase ebophela inkukhu ekhuluphele ngengubo ethambile. UMntwana uBheka WAKHALA KAKHU-U-U-LU!
