“Hawu Hawu!” wakhonkotha uThoko. UMakhulu wacimela wenza ngathi ulele. Yaba lilishwa elo kuba waphoswa kukubona zonke iindawo ezintle adlula kuzo uloliwe lo gama atyhutyha kuloo ndlela isuka eKapa isiya eRhawutini. Badlula ezintlanjeni nasezintabeni. Badlula kwiKaroo ethe tyaba nezonduli zayo. Bawela imilambo banqumla kumasimi asezifama. Ekugqibeleni, bafika kwisixeko esikhulu saseRhawutini.
“Khuu-tshu! Tshuu-tshu!” wakhwaza watsho uJake xa befika esikhululweni.
“Hawu Hawu!” wakhonkotha uThoko.
Oko kwavusa uMakhulu owathi, “Owu! Sesifikile na? Sifike kanye ngexesha lokuphunga!”
UJake noThoko bathatha izitulo bazibuyisela etafileni waze uMakhulu wenza iti, wakhupha neebhiskiti, wapha umqhubi kaloliwe onxaniweyo kunye nenjana elambileyo.
“Emva kokutya le bhiskiti,” watsho uThoko, “Ndifuna ukwakha isiphekepheke.”
“Wawu, yantle loo nto!” watsho uJake. “Ndifuna ukuba ngumqhubi wesiphekepheke!” uThoko wakhangeleka edanile.
“Kutheni ningabi ngoosomajukujuku xa ninobabini nje,” wacebisa njalo uMakhulu.
“Kulungile ,” watsho uJake. Kodwa wayengakhangeleki imonwabisile le ngcebiso.
Isiphekepheke kwakufuneka senziwe ngezitulo ezine. Izitulo ezibini ezimisiweyo yayizezokuhlala oosomajukujuku. Ezinye ezibini zabekwa ngasemva zingqengqisiwe njengeenjini zesiphekepheke.
“Zintlanu … zine … zintathu … zimbini … inye … ntinga!” wabhengeza njalo uMakhulu, njengokuba wayewangawangisa esithi ndlela ntle. Isiphekepheke santinga saya phezulu, sangena kwindawo ekujikeleza kuyo ihlabathi.
“Jonga!” watsho uThoko. “Nantsiya inyanga!”
“Masichophe phaya kuyo,” watsho uJake. Ngokucothayo isiphekepheke sachopha enyangeni baze oosomajukujuku ababini baphuma.
“Akukho nto apha,” watsho uJake.
“Ewe,” wavuma uThoko, “masigoduke.”
UMakhulu wonwatyiswa kakhulu kukubabona bebuyela eMhlabeni. Bobabini babekhangeleka bedinwe kakhulu luhambo lwabo lwasenyangeni. “Ndiyazi ukuba ningadlala ntoni na enye,” watsho uMakhulu. “Ngumdlalo esasiwudlala noBossy Boots sisengabantwana abangangani aba.” UMakhulu wababonisa indlela yokwenza indlu ngokugquma izitulo ngengubo.
“Ndifuna ukuba ngumzingeli,” watsho uJake.
“Ndifuna ukuba ngumhlobo osenyongweni womzingeli,” watsho uThoko. “Wena ke unganguMam’ uNdlovu,” watsho ebhekisa kuMakhulu.
“Kungcono ndibe nguMam’ uNgonyama,” watsho uMakhulu.
Thoko’s best friend
UJake wayethe cwaka njengokuba echwechwela uMam’ uNgonyama. UThoko yena wayethule nangaphezulu kukaJake. Kodwa phambi kokuba bafike apho uMam’ uNgonyama wayehleli khona etafileni ephunga ikomityi yakhe yesibini yeti, waguquka watsho ngomgqumo omkhulu nowoyikekayo – GRRRRRRUUU! Umzingeli kunye nomhlobo wakhe osenyongweni boyika kakhulu babaleka bathi dyulukudu ukungena endlwini yabo, batsala uphahla bezogquma, bezimela ngalo. UMakhulu wakrukrutheka yintsini, kwaye kwakukho nokugigitheka okuvela phantsi kwengubo. Emva kwexesha kwathi cwaka.
“Kwalunga ke oku,” wacinga njalo uMakhulu. Wayekufuna ngokwenene naye ukuphumla.
“Uyazi yintoni?” watsho uThoko engaphantsi kwengubo.
“Yintoni?” wabuza uJake.
“Nangona uthanda ukuzenza inkunzi kwaye usoloko ufuna ukuba ngumqhubi weteksi, umqhubi kaloliwe, umlawuli wesiphekepheke kunye nomzingeli, usengoyena mhlobo wam ndimthanda kakhulu.” watsho uThoko.
“Ndiyazi,” watsho uJake. “Nawe uya kuhlala ngonaphakade ungoyena mhlobo wam usenyongweni!”
UMakhulu wancuma. Babevakala kanye ngathi nguye kunye nowakhe umhlobo, uBossy Boots.
