Emasontweni alandelayo impilo inzima kuSiphokazi. Akasaphumi ukuyofuna umsebenzi. Ukuhlala kwakhe eduze kukaGogo yinto okungaxoxiswana ngayo. Ubona kuwumsebenzi wakhe ukunakekela uGogo, umsebenzi angafuni ukuwudlulisela komunye umuntu. Nokho uselufakile olunye lwezinhlelo zakhe. Esebenzisa imali akade eyonga yonke leminyaka, uSiphokazi usethenge izinto ze-catering.
“Ngikhathazekile, mzukulu wami engimuthandayo,” kusho uGogo.
“Kwenzenjani, Gogo?” Kusho uSiphokazi.
“Ngikhathazeke ngokuthi impilo yakho isimile ngoba uhlale ulapha ekhaya ungibhekile,” kusho uGogo.
“Uyazi ukuthi ngikuthanda kangakanani, Gogo?”
“Ngiyazi ukuthi ungithanda kakhulu kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi impilo yakho akumele iye ndawo. Ngifuna uqine ube ngowesifazane ozimele.”
“Ngiyazi Gogo. Nami ngiyazifunela lokho. Kodwa okwamanje udinga ukuthi ngibe lapha nawe ngaso sonke isikhathi.”
“Ngiyakuzonda ukuba ngumthwalo kuwe. Ontanga bakho baphumile bajabulela izimpilo zabo. Basemanyuvesi bathola iziqu. Wena ukuphi? Ulana kulomuzi ugadene nesalukazi esesibheke ukufa kuphela.”
“Gogo wangizalela umama. Wanginakekela ngesikhathi abazali bami bedlula emhlabeni. Awusoze waba umthwalo kimi.”
“Kwakungumsebenzi wami ukuku-”
“Ngicela uyiyeke nje lento, Gogo. Ungakhathazeki ngami, ngiyazi ukuthi akhona amathuba engizowathola maduze.”
“Ngabe kunjalo mzukulu wami?”
“Yebo, Gogo. Linda nje ubone. Thandaza nje ukuthi uNkulunkulu akuphe impilo ende ukuze ubone izifiso zami zifezeka.”
“Ngiyaziqhenya uma ngikuzwa ukhuluma ngokuzethemba.”
“Ngenza izinhlelo, Gogo. Ukuthi angizalwanga nginemali akusho ukuthi ngizofa ngimpofu.”
“Kuhle. Yini lena oyihlelayo?”
“Sengithenge izinto ze-catering ngemali yami ebengiyigcina. Ngizoqala ibhizinisi elizoqashisa ngazo lezo zinto.”
“Hhayi bo! Kuhle lokho! Ngiyaziqhenya ngawe.” UGogo uyamamatheka.
“Ngiyabonga, Gogo. Igama lebhizinisi lami yi-SK Dishes. U-SK umele igama nesibongo sami.”
“Ohho! Lihle igama lebhizinisi lakho. Abazali bakho bayaziqhenya ngawe lapho bekhona!”
“Kodwa okungijabulisayo ngaphezu kwakho konke okunye ukuthi wena uyalulama, Gogo. Lezi zikhathi ezikanjena lapho sizihlalele nje sixoxa ziyikho konke kimina.”
“Ngokufanayo nakimi. Buka manje sengiyazi ngebhizinisi lakho futhi lokho kungenza ngizizwe ngiphila.”
“Lesi kuseyisiqalo nje, Gogo. Nginezinhlelo ezinkulu.”
“UNkulunkulu akubusise mzukulu wami. Ufanelwe okungcono kakhulu empilweni.”
Amamatheke uSiphokazi. Bahlale nje bathule isikhashana.
“Ngidlile kodwa namuhla?” Kubuza uGogo.
“Udlile ehoreni eledlule, Gogo. Ake ngikuphekele okunye ukudla ngoba usulambile.”
“Cha, bengibuza nje,” kusho uGogo.
“Ungakhathazeki, Gogo. Ngizophaka okuncane. Sizohlala sidle ndawonye. Nami ngilambile.”
Sitshele umbono wakho: Ucabanga ukuthi kuzokwenzekani manje?