“Pakisha izimpahla zakho ngokushesha, Sandile!” kumemeza uNancy.
USandile ebekade ezipakishile izimpahla zakhe esikhwameni ngoba ezitshela ukuthi useyabaleka. Uhamba aye egumbini labo lokulala enze sengathi uyapakisha. Uyabezwa uNaidoo noNancy bekhuluma e-lounge. Ufisa ngabe leli gumbi alinawo ama-burglar guards khona ezophuma ngewindi abaleke.
Bamdudula bamfake emotweni kaNancy. UNaidoo uhlala esihlalweni esingemuva, uNancy ashayele, uSandile yena ahlale kulesi esiphambili eceleni komshayeli.
“Ungazami ukwenza into engingayiqondi. Wazama ukubaleka uzobona,” kusho uNaidoo evezela uSandile isibhamu.
USandile uyasaba, uvalo lumshaya indlela yonke njengoba behamba beqonde ePietermaritzburg. Uyabona ukuthi uNaidoo noNancy bangenza noma yini. Usaba nokuthi bangashintsa umqondo babulale yena bazithathe kwakuyena lezi zicubu zabantu abazifunela ukwenza umuthi. Uhlala anganyakazi wonke lamahora ayisihlanu endlela eqonde ePietermaritzburg.
Bafika kubo kaSandile sekuhlwile.
UNaidoo unika uSandile u-R2000. “Phela kumele umndeni wakho ucabange ukuthi ubusebenza eGoli. Enye yale mali uzoyisebenzisa ukuze usithinte ngocingo,” kusho uNaidoo. “Ungakhohlwa ukuthi sengiyazi lapho uhlala khona, Sandile. Wazama nje ukwenza into engahambisani nalokhu engikufuna kuwena ngizofika la ngibulale wonke umndeni wakho.”
UNancy unika uSandile inkemba elolwe nxazombili, isigqoko sokufihla ubuso kanye nama-gloves ukuze afihle izandla. Konke lokhu kufakwe kubhakha. UNaidoo ungena noSandile endlini ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi ikubo kwaSandile ngempela kulo muzi abamshiya kuwo. Umama kaSandile noXolile bajabula baze bakhale ngoba bengamlindele uSandile.
“Ngiyaxolisa ngokuthi ngimbambe isikhathi eside kangaka ngomsebenzi uSandile. Ubumningi kakhulu umsebenzi kulezi zinyanga ezidlule, Mama,” kusho uNaidoo. “Usanciphile umsebenzi okwamanje. Ngizobuye ngimlande uSandile uma usukhona omunye umsebenzi.”
UNaidoo ukhipha ibhola lemali, acwenge u-R1000 awunike umama kaSandile. “Ngenza lokhu ngoba indodana yakho iziphatha kahle, futhi iyazimisela. Bengicela ukuthi ubambe nakhu engikubonga ngakho ngoba ukhulise indoda eqotho.”
“Ngiyazibongela, mntanami,” kusho umama kaSandile exhawula uNaidoo.
UNaidoo noNancy baphindela eGoli. Bahamba bayolala uSandile nentombi yakhe. Udinwe ufile uSandile. Akakhulumi, selokhu efikile akaze athi vu. Umama wakhe noXolile bayabona ukuthi akeneme neze uSandile kodwa bazitshele ukuthi ukhathazwe uhambo olusuka eGoli.
UXolile uqubula ingane yabo esanda kuzalwa ayinike uSandile.
“Uyabona kodwa ukuthi amehlo omntwana nawakho afana ncamashi?” kusho uXolile.
USandile uvuma ngekhanda, amehlo agcwale izinyembezi. UXolile uzitshela ukuthi uSandile ukhaliswa injabulo yokubona ingane yakhe. Uthatha ingane ayilalise nomama kaSandile. Ubuya afice uSandile esengenile ezingubeni. Angene naye uXolile ezingubeni.
“Ngiyaxolisa Sandile ngokukulwisa, sthandwa sami. Bengithi usuthole enye into-”
“Ngikhathele, Xolile. Ngicela ukulala ngiphumuze ingqondo!” kusho uSandile ngokuthetha.
Akahleki nakancane uSandile. Axakeke uXolile ngoba akaze amubone ekulesi simo uSandile.
“Sithole indodana, Sandile. Ngubani igama layo?”
“Ubungakaze uyiqambe selokhu yazalwa?” uSandile ubhoka ngolaka. Izwi lakhe ligcwele ukucikeka.
“Cha,” kuphendula uXolile ngokuphoxeka. “Phela wena njengoyise kumele uyethe indlalifa yakho igama.”
Ukhuluma ngokujabha uXolile. Akamazi uSandile onjena.
“Ufuna igama lengane, Xolile? Hhi?”
“Yebo, Sandile. Qamba ingane igama”
“Kulungile ke. Igama lalengane nguMfan’uzodlani!” kumemeza uSandile.
Uvele abambe ongezansi uXolile. Impela akusiye uSandile amaziyo lona.
***
Sitshele: Wena yiliphi igama obungaliqamba le ngane?