ULungile nabazali bakhe bahlezi emabhentshini balinde ukungena ehhovisi likadokotela.
“Lungile Sibiya,” kumemeza i-receptionist kadokotela.
Udokotela oyi-psychiatrist uvula isicabha.Uyangqikaza uLungile. Uphenduka abheke emuva abuke abazali bakhe, aphinde aphenduke abuke i-psychiatrist. “Bangangena nami abazali bami?”
“Yebo bangangena,” kusho i-psychiatrist.
Bangena bonke bahlale etafuleni, babuke i-psychiatrist.
“Inkinga ikuphi?” kubuza i-psychiatrist.
“Kuvele kuthi angikhale kungenzekanga lutho. Ngizwa inhliziyo ibuhlungu kuhle komuntu ophulwe inhliziyo noma oshonelwe. Ngifikelwa imicabango yokuzibulala,” kusho uLungile.
“Usuzame kangaki ukuzibulala?”
“Ngizame kabili.”
“Ubufuna ukuzibulala ngani?”
“Okokuqala kwaba amaphilisi. Owesibili ngangifuna ukuzisika imithambo yezandla nge-razor.”
Njengoba ephendula nje uLungile i-psychiatrist ibhala ebhukwini layo.
“Zonke lezi izimpawu zayo i-depression. Ngizokunika ama anti–depressant iwona azokusiza. Uma kuqhubeka uzohamba i-therapy.”
Uvuma ngekhanda uLungile. Balalele bobabili abazali bakhe.
“Nginombuzo,” kusho uMaKhumalo.
“Ayikho inkinga, Mrs Sibiya, ungabuza.”
“Manje idalwa yini i-depression?”
“Ingadalwa isimo esibi esake sehlakalela umuntu ngaphambilini. Ingaphinde futhi idalwe ukushoda kwamakhemikhali engqondweni. Amakhemikhali aletha injabulo kumuntu.”
Aqhubeke abachazele kabanzi udokotela. Baphuma kadokotela impela bagculisekile ngolwazi.
“Siyaxolisa, Lungile,” kusho uSibiya ngaphambi kokuba adumise imoto. “Besingazi ukuthi umphefumulo wakho usezinhlungwini ezingaka. Sehlulekile ukuba abazal–”
“Ungakhathazeki, Baba. Nani beningazi. Kwamina kwangithatha isikhathi eside ukuze ngazi ukuthi yini lena engiphethe,” kusho uLungile.
Ngakusasa uLungile uhlangana noMenzi. Bahamba ngemoto yakubo kaMenzi, bagudla ulwandle. ULungile uchazela uMenzi konke okumayelana ne-depression.
“Ngiyaxolisa, Lungile. Bengingazi ukuthi udlula ebunzimeni obunjena empilweni yakho,” kuxolisa uMenzi ngenkathi evula iwindi lemoto, kungena umoya opholile.
“Akulona iphutha lakho, Menzi.”
“Bekumele ngibe khona ngikweseke kodwa mina ngavele ngahamba ngakushiya kanjalo.”
“Ubungazi Menzi. Ngiyakuxolela. Ngicela sibheke ikusasa ukuthi lisiphatheleni.”
“Ngiyabonga ngokungixolela sthandwa. Ngiyathembisa ngizokweseka ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ngizokuthanda lapho wena uhluleka ukuzithanda. Ngizolulwela uthando lwethu. Ngiyakuthembisa ukuthi ngelinye ilanga ngizokushada sibe nezingane eziningi ezinhle njengo mama wazo,” kusho uMenzi emamatheka.
“Angeke usangishiya futhi?” kubuza uLungile ngezwi lokuzitshela.
“Angeke ngiphinde sthandwa sami.”
Baqhubeke bancokole ngekusasa labo. Lapho bavulele izingoma zikaCeline Dion. Uthando luyaphuphuma emehlweni ezithandani ezimbili.
Emuva kwamasonto amabili amaphilisi aqala ukusebenza egazini kuLungile. Uyaqala manje abe nomdlandla uma evuka ekuseni. Injabulo ibhalwe ebusweni kuyena. Ubuyela ekubeni nguyena futhi. Kuphela nya ukuhleze ekhala.
Labuya ithemba lempilo. Ithemba lokuthi uzophila. Aphile lempilo abekade eyiphila. Nakhu ngoba useqale iqembu lakhe lokusiza abantu abane-depression elibizwa ngokuthi i-Silence Killers. Leli qembu liphinde lifundise abantu abasemphakathini aphila kuwo uLungile mayelana ne-depression.
***
Sitshele umbono wakho: Ngabe lendaba ikusizile ekutheni wazi kangcono ngalesi sifo esingabonakali, i-depression? Chaza kabanzi ngempendulo yakho?