Kusebusuku ngoLwesihlanu kwaye uBontie nam sinxibe kakuhle sihombile. Sinxibele impumelelo! Ndiyakonwabela ukunxiba izihlangu zam ezichophileyo. E-Oak Ridge, konke okwakuhamba nokuma ngeenyawo ndisoloko ndinxiba eziphantsi.
“Ngoku, aba bafana babini banomtsalane?” Ndibuza uBontie ngeli xesha siphumayo. “Ingaba babaluleke kangako side senze ezi nzame silungise ne-make-up?”
“Ndithembe!” watsho. “Ndakhe ndakuphoxa ngaphambili?”
Nabaya aba bafana, sele behleli phantsi ebhuthini kwindawo ekutyiwa kuyo. Kwaye uBontie uthetha inyani, ngokuqinisekileyo bomelele banomtsalane. Ngokuqinisekileyo bomelele. Bobabini!
“NguJT lo yena lo nguSpokes,” wabazisa uBontie, njengoko singena sihlala ebhutini ecaleni kwabo. Ndiziva ndimncinci kwaye ndonwabile. Ndijonge phambili kungokuhlwa omnandi. Mhlawumbi emva kwesidlo sethu, siza kuya eCyril the Squieerl’s Shack sijuxuze. Kusoloko kudlokovwa phaya ngoLwezihlanu ebusuku.
Ndiqobela uBontie ilihlo ndimazise ukuba ukhethe isibi sabaphumeleli.
Ingxaki ekuphela kwayo ngu: JT noSpokes bachitha ixesha elininzi bethetha ngesoka. Malunga ngoosompempe izitrayikha neeheda nokudlala kakubi nomdlalo wangoMgqibelo odlulileyo, ukuphindwa komdlalo. Bakwiqela lendawo abahlala kuyo kunye, bobabini bajonge izinto ezinkulu neeklabhu ezinkulu.
Ndithi, ndiyaluhlonipha uthando. Ndiyathanda ukubona abantu bezimisele ngokwenene kwaye bethetha ngamehlo abo abengezelayo. Kodwa oku kuza kuqhuba ixesha elingakanani? UBontie nam sidlala ngamehlo ethu phezu kwee-Coke zethu. Emva koko phezu kwe-steak ne-chips.
Ekugqibeleni sendilibele, uJT uyayileka iphupha lesoka lakhe, “Ngoku Leah, wenza ntoni? Ingaba uyasebenza?”
Ekugqibeleni – nokuba ukutya sele kuza kuphela.
UBontie uyandiphendulela. “Ungumkhathaleli kwela khaya labantu abadala. Uyayazi i-Oak Ridge?”
Kwaye ndilungela ukuqalisa ukuthetha ngomsebenzi wam ngothando, ngamehlo abengezelayo.
Kodwa uJT unyikinya intloko yakhe ejonge kum. “Kubi oko! Andikholelwa ukuba intombi efana nawe efuna ukuchitha iintsuku zayo nabantu abadala abanukayo, abangafuni kubhubha.”
Abantu abangafuni kubhubha? Yintoni ukusebenzisa igama elibi kangaka!
Ndicaphukile. Ndingamncutsa ngemela yam ye-steak ngovuyo. Uzithetha njani izinto ezinje ngoMnu. July onentlonelo, ngoNksz. Kuswane onobubele? Kunye noNksk. Harding othuleyo?
Kodwa phambi kokuba ndiphendule, iweyitala iza nethebhu.
Kulungile,” watsho uSpokes. “Masibale ukuba umntu ngamnye utyala malini na. Bontie, utye i-rump ene-mushroom sauce, akunjalo?”
Amagogotya! Basicela ukuba siphume siyokutya, ze bakhethe esi steak house sibiza kakhulu. Ngoku bafuna sahlulelane ukubhatala ityala! UBontie nam sibala imali yethu, sibajongile bobabini.
Ingathi ababoni. “Ngoku zintombi yeyiphi enye indawo elandelayo eningathanda ukuya kuyo? Kukho i-night club ekumnandi kuyo pha phezulu xa udlula i-Second Avenue.”
Kodwa uBontie sele enditsala ukuba ndiphume ebhuthini.
“Uxolo, sinezinye izicwangciso,” watsho. Evakala engaxolisi kwaphela. Sahamba – saya e-Cyril the Squirrel’s Shack. Thina sobabini kuphela. Singenabantu basikhuphayo.
“Uxolo ngalo nto, Leah,” watsho uBontie, ecela uxolo ngokwenene ngoku. “Kwixesha elizayo ndiza kujonga abafana abafuna ooshoti bokuqhuba ibhayisekile. Okanye mhlawumbi abafuna iiglavu zokuphakamisa iintsimbi.”
NgoMvulo ndifikela kwiindaba ezimbi e-Oak Ridge: UMnu. July usweleke kwakusasa kakhulu ngeCawe.
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Khawusichazele ukuba ucinga ntoni: Ukuba abafana bacela ukukhupha intombi , kufanele abhatale ityala – okanye kufanele babelane ngeendleko?