Amakhasimende ka-Isaac Modise ayehlale ephakanyelwe imimoya. Wayehlale ekulindele lokhu ngenxa yomsebenzi awenzayo. Ngesikhathi amakhasimende ehlela isikhathi sokubonana no-Isaac izimpilo zawo zazisuke sezonakele, kungekho nje okuhamba kahle.

Amanye amakhasimende ayethukuthela akhale nokukhala; amanye ayedidekile esaba nokwesaba; amanye ayesuke esese ngokwedlulele.

U-Isaac wayejwayele ukulandela akwelulekwe nguyise. Uyise lo wayesesebenze umsebenzi ofanayo iminyaka eminingi. “Ungayingeni ndodana. Yenza umsebenzi wakho. Ungayifaki imizwa yakho phakathi.”

Kodwa angeke kwenzeke lokho namhlanje! Angeke kwenzeke ekhasimendeni lanamhlanje: uNk. Naledi Tangane!

Okokuqala-nje uNk. Naledi Tangane wayemuhle. Okunye ukuthi uNk. Tangane wayekhihla isililo ngesikhathi ekhuluma.

“Kodwa Mnu. Modise, ngingathini nje uma kuwukuthi ngenza iphutha elikhulu?” ekhihla isililo. “Ngizothini uma ngabe sengilimaza impilo yendodakazi yami? Kumele ngenzenjani?” Kwehla izinyembezi ezihlathini zakhe ezinhle ezibusheshelezi.

Uyise ka-Isaac wayehlale emxwayisa ukuthi: “Ungabeluleki abantu. Lokhu akuwona umsebenzi wakho.”

Ngakho u-Isaac wanikeza uNk. Tangane iduku elihlanzekile elimhlophe. Washolo phansi wathi, “Nguwe kuphela onganquma okufanele ukwenze. Nguwe kuphela owaziyo ukuthi udingani wena nendodakazi yakho.” Wayefisa ukumgona bese emtshela ukuthi konke kuzohamba kahle. Kodwa lokho kwakungamele akwenze! Kwakuzomcasula kakhulu uyise!

Kunalokho u-Isaac wazama ukumenza azizwe ekahle. “Uma lokhu kugcina kuyisinqumo esingesihle zihlale zikhona izindlela zokusiguqula. Futhi ngizohlala ngikhona ukuze ngikusize.”

U-Isaac wayeyiqonda ngokuphelele inkinga ayekuyona. UNk. Tangane wayemchazele ukuthi usanda kuthuthela kwenye ingxenye yedolobha. Ubedinga ukuba kude nowayeyisoka lakhe owayemhlukumeza. Wayekade emhlukumeza.

Kodwa ukuthutha kwakuchaza ukuthi ushiye abangani bakhe, umakhelwane wakhe onomusa, wakhipha nendodakazi yakhe encane enkulisa eyayiyithanda futhi iphephile kuyona.

Kwakungamangazi ukuthi kungani engazi noma uthathe isinqumo esifanele yini! Kwaze kwanzima kuNk. Tangane omuhle! Kwaze kwanzima nakuNaledi bandla!

Sase sifikile isikhathi sokuthi ashayise emsebenzini u-Isaac. Wahlala elawunji yakhe, ephuza ikhofi, ezama ukuzenza akhululeke. Kodwa wayengakwazi ukuyeka ukucabanga ngoNk. Tangane.

“Yima manje!” wazikhuza waphumisela lokhu ngesikhathi ehleli elawunji engenalutho. “Lona uyikhasimende, kuphelela lapho! Ungayingeni eyakhe!”

Kodwa angakwenza kanjani lokhu? Akunandaba ukuthi wayetheni uyise. Cha! Wayedinga ukumbona. Wayezomvakashela. Wayelazi ikheli lekhaya lakhe elisha ngakwenye ingxenye yedolobha. Mhlawumbe wayengamhambisela izimbali ukuze ziqhakazise kwakhe. Kungenzeka ukuthi kusagcwele amabhokisi angakathululwa. Mhlawumbe angathengela yena nendodakazi yakhe iNando’s. Kungenzeka ngempela ukuthi ikhishi lakhe alikakulungeli ukupheka.

“Ngiyaxolisa Baba,” kusho u-Isaac, noma uyise wayengekho. “Ngiyaxolisa. Ngiyazi ukuthi lokhu akufanele ngokomsebenzi engiwenzayo, kodwa angikwazi ukuzibamba.”

U-Isaac wathatha okhiye bakhe waqonda emnyango.

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U-Isaac Modise wadumisa imoto. Waya ngasekhaya elisha likaNaledi ngeloli elikhulu likayise elibhalwe eceleni ukuthi: MODISE AND SON, FURNITURE REMOVALS.

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