Akabuzi nokuthi umsebenzi muni lona okhona uZelwande. Usukuma ngokushesha asondele esicabheni sangaphambili, azame ukusivula.
“No, sit at the back!” kusho umama womundiya.
UZelwande ungena ngemuva ngokushesha. Lo mama ubheka uZelwande esibukweni esingaphakathi emotweni, amthole ngokushesha. “I am Mrs Govender. What is your name?”
“Zelwande, madam.”
“I’m looking for a good worker. No funny business.”
“No funny business, madam. I’m a good worker.”
UMrs Govender uyishaya izule imoto, iphume eChatsworth. Bangena ngokushesha edolobheni iMerebank, baqhubekele endaweni enemizi eyizithabathaba. Umoto ima ngokushesha njengoba uZelwande esamangazwe ubukhulu bemizi egcwele kulendawo. Bamile esangweni lesinye isithabathaba. UMrs Govender uciphiza i-remote control, livuleke isango.
Yebo wona lomuzi uyisithabathaba kodwa kuyacaca ukuthi awunakiwe. Upende osezindongeni ugqwalile, amanzi e-swimming pool aluhlaza okotshani futhi agcwele amahlamvu. UMrs Govender uvula isicabha. UZelwande akakaze angene emzini omukhulu kangaka.
Ngaphakathi kunuka utshwala nosikilidi. Indoda ekhuluphele, eqimbile, enomkhaba omkhulu ithushuka kwelinye lamagumbi. Ibhema ugwayi lendoda, iphinde iphuze utshwala engilazini eyiphethe ngesandla.
Uzwa sengathi liyamshiya igazi uZelwande njengoba lendoda imbuka imamatheka.
“Darling, who’s this?” kubuza lendoda ngezwi eliyisihosha. Iyadiyazela ibambelele odongeni. Imbuka sakufifiyela uZelwande.
“This is our new maid, honey. Her name is … What’s your name again?”
“Zelwande, madam,” kusho uZelwande ngokushesha.
“Nice to meet you, Zewalne,” kusho lendoda.
“Zelwande, sir.”
“No worries. I’ll just call you Rose. Isn’t that lovely?” kusho lendoda.
“Rose, this is the man of the house. My dear husband, Mr Govender.”
Kumuphatha kabuhlungu uZelwande ukuthi uMr no Mrs Govender bamuqamba igama elisha. Futhi ngaphezu kwakho konke igama abamuqamba lona liyigama lesingisi. Abazali bakhe bamuqamba igama lesiZulu ngoba babefuna aziqhenye ngobuZulu bakhe. Kodwa ukugwinya ngokushesha ukuphoxeka uma esekhumbula ukuthi yini ayizele la: ukusebenza, athole imali, ondle izingane zakubo.
UMrs Govender uyamamatheka, ubukeka engumuntu onomusa njengoba enzela uZelwande itiye nesinkwa esinojamu. Kodwa lomusa anawo ufana nokuthula okuba khona ngaphambi kokuba izulu lidedele uzamcolo. Kuba ukugwinya isinkwa sokugcina aphuze ithamo lokugcina letiye, usho uzamcolo. UMrs Govender uhamba phambili emkhombisa amagumbi okufanele awakhuculule.Empeleni ingcole yonke lendlu – amakhona anolwembu futhi yonke into imbhozwe izintuli.
“Top to bottom, Rose. Top to bottom, quickly,” kusho uMrs Govender, elandela uZelwande indlu yonke.
Ufika endlini ekhathele eyimvithi. Uthengela izingane zakubo ama-fries, amayababa Russians kanye nesinkwa ngemali ayiholile namhlanje.
Izingane zakubo zimbuka emehlweni agcwele ukukhathala kuzicacele ukuthi akanaso isikhathi sokukhuluma namhlanje. Zikhulumela phansi nangesikhathi zisizana ngomsebenzi wesikole.
UZelwande uzumeka efisa ukube unomuntu ahlekisana naye ngoba ngabe umupotopotoza zona lezi zinyawo eziqaqambayo.
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Sitshele umbono wakho: Uthini umbono wakho mayelana nalento eyenziwa uMr Govender yokuqamba uZelwande igama elithi ‘Rose’? Futhi ngabe kufanele yini umuntu osebenza endlini abize umqashi ngo ‘sir’ no ‘madam’?