Speedkop lay in the hospital bed unconscious and breathing through tubes attached to a machine. He couldn’t even eat on his own. He was also now alone in life but didn’t know it yet. His wife had left him after a fight broke out between her and the girls from Springs Hotel. Speedkop was already unconscious by the time this had happened.
As Speedkop lay in the hospital bed he heard a noise. It was a very distinct sound, the sound of drums and that alone signalled that he wasn’t home. Waking up to this sound unsettled him and he opened his eyes. He felt a warm hand caress him. Speedkop couldn’t recognise the face that was staring at him, so he tried to speak. Then the face got closer and from it came the most beautiful, soothing voice – a voice all too familiar to him.
“Mkhulu, ingabe wuwe lo? (Grandfather is that you?)” asked Speedkop.
“Iyebo yimina mzukulu wam’, (Yes, it is I, my grandson,)” responded the voice.
Speedkop went through a roller coaster of emotions but managed to utter a few words. “Mkhulu ngoba umama wang’tshela ukuthi wena uy’ezulwini sizobonana kwelizayo. (But gran’dad, mom told me you went to heaven and we will see each other in the afterlife.)”
“(Unyoko bekaqinisile mzukulu wami kodwa ungathandi ukumamela umama wakho ngoba uwukhanda shisa. (My grandson, your mother was correct, but don’t make a habit of listening to her because you know she is hard-headed.)”
“Mkhulu ufike kanjani lana? Kunjani ezulwini? Ingabe no malume uzoza kuwe uma eshona? (Gran’dad, how did you get here? What’s heaven like? Will uncle be joining you in heaven after he dies – you know he is sick?)” asked Speedkop.
“Ngize nge bhanoyi, ezulwini ziyakhipha no Mdali ne ndodana yakhe, umalume wakho ngamtshela ng’saphila ukuthi angeke alibone izulu namanje ngisamfikela emaphusheni ngimkhumbuze. Unamathuba angcono kabi wokuthi ulibone izulukuno malume wakho, kahle kahle yiyo into engilethe lana, (I flew here. In heaven we have so many fun times with the Creator and his son! I told your uncle while I was still alive that he will never see the heavens. Every now and then I still pop up in his dreams to remind him. You have a better chance at seeing the heavens than your uncle actually, that’s what brings me here,)” the spirit replied with a stern serious face.
He continued, “UMdali akajabulanga ngendlela owenza ngayo, kumele uqondise izigwegwe zakho ngoba uma ungaziqondisi uzozithola usungena lutho ukwedlula lokhu, umkakho nezingane basakuthanda noma bakudubile, bazo bohla babuye ekhaya wena qondisa izigwegwe zakho ubanike nes’khathi, ungazihluphi nangemali, qondisa izigwegwe imali izozizela omunye womthetho wemvelo lowo, (The Creator is not happy regarding your actions. You have to make things right and get back on the right track because if you don’t you will find yourself without anyone, far worse than now. Your wife and kids still love you even though they have abandoned you. They will calm down and come to their senses then come back home. Just go back on the right track and give them time, don’t worry about money just go back on the right track and money will be attracted to you. That’s one ultimate law of the universe,)” he said.
Speedkop thanked his grandfather. Then, as his grandfather was about to leave, he asked, “Mkhulu uJesu unjani? (Gran’dad, what’s Jesus like?)”
His grandfather turned and replied with a smile on his face, “Uyakhanya kancane futhi uzithandela ipapa nomsobho. (He is a bit light skinned and likes pap and gravy.) Ungikhumbuza wena usakhula. (He reminds me of you when you were still growing up.)”
Then the spirit of his grandfather disappeared behind Speedkop’s bed just as he drifted back into a deep sleep.
***
Tell us: Where do you think the spirit of Speedkop’s grandfather came from?