Uvele azizwe ephelelwa umdlandla uBhekani uma ebona unina efona. Uyazi ukuthi nakanjani unina ufuna enye imali. Kubo kuhlezi kunento eshodayo noma ebanika imali engakanani.
“Sawubona, Mama,” kubingelela uBhekani ngezwi eligcwele ukukhathazeka.
“Mfana kamama, kuhamba kahle kodwa emsebenzini?”
“Yebo kuhamba kahle, Mama. Ngabe yonke into ihamba kahle lapho ekhaya?”
Uzisola esebuzile uBhekani. Uzithela phezu kwenkiyankiya yenkinga evele enganamali.
“Kwagcono wabuza. Sinenkinga enkulu la, mfana wami. Siqhunyelwe amapayipi amanzi emuva kwendlu. Asinawo amanzi kusukela izolo ntambama. Asikwazanga ukupheka izolo. Nezingane zihambe zaya esikoleni zingadlile, asikwazanga nokupheka iphalishi.”
“Mama, sebenzisa ingxenye yemali engikunike yona izolo. Izokwanela ize isale,” kusho uBhekani.
“Usho kalula kodwa ngiyabona wenziwa yini. Nina bantu besilisa anazi ukuthi kubiza kangakanani ukudla kulezi zinsuku. Imali iphelele ekudleni. U R7 000 awuyilutho uma uthenga ukudla komndeni omkhulu njengowethu, mntanami. Ngithenge nogesi ngenye imali.”
“Ngiyezwa, Mama. Nizodinga malini?” kubuza uBhekani ngosizi.
“U R3000 uzokwanela, ngane yami.”
“Kulungile, Mama. Kukhona engizokuzama. Ngizoyifaka kusasa imali.”
“Ngiyabonga. Ungazise uma usuyifakile imali.”
Uhlengezela izinyembezi njengoba evala ucingo uBhekani. “Baba osezulwini kanti mina ngonani kangaka emhlabeni? Ngenzeni kangaka? Usizi lulokhu lungilandela njalo.”
“Ngiyasebenza, ngiyahola, ngifunani kumashonisa?” kuzibuza uBhekani.
Usula izinyembezi, ashaye imoto alibangise komunye unuzi okhona la KwaNdengezi. Upaka eceleni komuzi obiyelwe ngezindonga ezinde. Kuhlala umashonisa onguBra Shakes kulomuzi. Kunamahebezi okuthi uBra Shakes unemali eningi ngoba udayisa izidakamizwa. Kuyaziwa ukuthi Bra Shakes uyilanda ngendlovuyangena imali yakhe uma uyibolekile.
Kupholile namhlanje kodwa uBhekani uyajuluka njengoba ehlezi emotweni yakhe. Uyazibuka esibukweni esingaphakathi emotweni. Ukuphoxeka okusemehlweni akhe nakho kuyambuka esibukweni.
“Ngisebenza kahle, ngihola kahle, akufanele ngabe ngikulesi simo engikuso. Akufanele ngabe ngizoboleka imali kumashonisa,” kusho uBhekani.
Useqala ukungawuthandisisi umndeni wakhe waseNanda ngoba ukube abamfuni imali njalo ngabe akekho kulesi simo akuso. Lumuthi heqe uvalo, siyaqhaqhazela isandla sakhe njengoba engqongqoza esicabheni somuzi kaBra Shakes. Indoda ende, eyisidlakela futhi enobuso obuhlinile ivula isicabha.
“Ngingakusiza,” kusho indoda ehlinile.
“Sawubona,” kusho uBhekani etatazela. “Ngize kuBra Shakes.”
“Ngena!”
E-lounge kulendlu kuhlezi amantombazane amane afake ezincane iziketi lezi, abhema usikilidi. UBra Shakes yena ugone enye intombazane, babukana emehlweni. Umculo usho phezulu kulendlu.
UBra Shakes wehlisa umsindo.
“Hlala phansi,” uBra Shakes ukhomba omunye u-sofa.
“Sanibona mina ngingu-”
“Ngiyakwazi ukuthi ungubani, Bhekani” kusho uBra Shakes.
“Ungazi kanjani?”
“Akekho umuntu engingamazi ekasi lami. Awusho ke ndoda, uze ngani kuBra Shakes wodumo?” kusho uBra Shakes emamatheka kuvela uxhaxha lwamazinyo egolide.
“Ngifuna ukuboleka imali. Ngizoyikhokha maduzane,” kusho uBhekani.
“Maduzane nini, Bhekani?”
“Ngizoyikhokha ngesonto elizayo,” kusho uBhekani.
“Ngaluphi usuku?”
“NgoLwesihlanu,” kusho uBhekani.
Uyamamatheka uBra Shakes, avume ngekhanda. “Ufuna malini?”
“R15 000, Bra Shakes.”
“Imali engaka ndoda? Kusho ukuthi usenkingeni,” kusho uBra Shakes maqede ahleke.
“Uzokwazi noma angeke ukwazi ukungiboleka lemali?” kusho uBhekani.
Ukuhleka kuphela ngokushesha ebusweni kuBra Shakes. Uvele ahline, abuke uBhekani ngqo emehlweni. “Angithi uyazi ukuthi imali yami ibuya nenzalo ewu 30%?”
“30%!?” kubabaza uBhekani.
“Kunjalo. Futhi uma ungayibuyisi imali yami ngosuku esivumelene ngalo ngizofika kwakho ngikhiphe zonke izimpahla, ngizigcine uze ungikhokhele yonke imali yami,” kusho uBra Shakes.
“Ngiyezwa, Bra Shakes.”
“Uma uqhubeka ungayikhokhi ngibe sengilimaza wena uqobo . . . mhlawumbe futhi ngidlulele phambili.”
Uvuma ngekhanda uBhekani. UBra Shakes ukhipha imali ekupulastiki wasebhange. Uyibala ngokushesha, ayinike uBhekani.
“Ngibonga kakhulu, Bra Shakes. Ngizoyibuyisa ngoLwesihlanu,” kusho uBhekani.
Sitshele umbono wakho: Uthini ngalokhu okwenzekayo manje?