Kwathi ngenye imini kwenzeka nto ithile kum. Yayiyeyona nto imnandi yakha yandenzekela. Ngumhla endadibana ngawo noSihle. Kodwa akukho nto ingapheliyo yaye nobomi buyaqhubeka, ndazixelela njalo, ndiqashela ngento esasinayo mna noSihle: Ndandidlala ngekamva lam.
Ndiva isandi sokukhala konomyayi wam. Sesiya ndasikhethelwa ngamantombazana elalini; babesazi ukuba uSihle uyasithanda eso sandi. Sindikhumbuza ngezo njikalanga xa uSihle nam sasidla ngokuhlala phantsi komthi omde ngaphandle kwasekhaya. Sasidla ngokuncokola ngezicwangciso zekamva lethu, ngomculo, singathethi kakhulu ngesikolo. Sasidla ngokuziphumlela nje de kube semalanga. Utat’uLudwe wayedla ngokugqitha kuthi. “Pawu! Onomokhwe bazimamele apha – ,” wayedla ngokuxelela uSihle, owayengumtshana wakhe. Ekugqibeleni sasohlukana noSihle elowo aye kokwabo.
Isandi sikanomyayi wam yayiyingoma kwa-Westlife:
“Yanga lingangafiki ingomso
Inoba wayesazi ukuba ndimthanda kangakanani?
Yanga lingangafiki ingomso…”
Kweli tyeli, xa kukhala esi sandi sikanomyayi wam, ndandidla ngokumphendula kwangoko.
“Molo Nzwakazi. Unjani?”
“Ngubani lo?” Ndiyabuza.
“Awusandikhumbuli na? NguSandile. Kuza njani iNkosazana yoMzantsi Afrika ingamazi umakhwapheni wayo?”
“Umakhwapheni! Ndiphilile, enkosi. Wena?” Ndiyaphendula.
“Kuhle. Jonga, namhlanje ebusuku ndiyakukhupha.”
“Oh nyhani?” Ndatsho, ndiziqonda ukuba ndinomdla kweli tyendyana. Andikwazi ukuhlala ndilila, ekhaya yonke imihla ebusuku.
Ngecala emva kwentsimbi yesithandathu, u-Antie uyafika endlwini. “Umhle. Uyaphi na?” wabuza, ebona isinxibo sam.
“Ndinedinga.”
“Ahaa. Ndiyamazi lo mntu mna?”
“Hayi! Awukamazi okwangoku,”ndiphendule ndihleka. Kanye ngelo xesha kwamisa imoto ngaphandle. “Kufanele ukuba nguye lowo. Kufanele ndihambe. Usale kakuhle,” ndatsho, ndincamisa u-antie wam esidleleni ndibaleka ndiphuma ukuya kudibana noSandile.
Wandisa eCentury City.
“Wow! Intle le ndawo, kwaye inkulu. Andizange ndayibona indawo yodederhu lweevenkile enkulu njengale. Ungalahleka apha,” ndatsho, ndimangalisiwe.
“Le yenye yee-mall ezinkulu kakhulu apha elizweni.”
“Ndicela khe sibuke impahla ngaphambi kwayo nantoni na?” Ndacela, ndinomdla wokubuka imall.
“Thetha nje ngezwi sisi konke kuya kwenzeka,” wahleka.
Ngexesha sonyuka ngamanqwanqwa ahambayo ndambalisela ukuba, “ekhaya sasidla ngokuya kwidolophu ekufuphi eneevenkile ezimbalwa. Asinayo yonke into, njengalapha eKapa. Iidolophu zethu eMpuma Koloni zifana needolophu ezingasebenziyo.”
“Khawundibalisele ngelali yakho,” watsho, xa sasihlala phantsi kwa-KFC e-mall.
Kodwa andikwazi. Ndingamxelela njani? Ndizama ukulibala. Ngethamsanqa, kanye ngelo xesha, umlungiseleli wokutya usizisela ukutya. Wamchazela ukuba yintoni le yayikwitreyi yethu wandinceda kwanganyanzeleki ukuba ndithethe.
“Ingaba esi sibini sithandekayo siyayifuna into eselwayo?” Ingaba le yindlela abantu abasele besijonga ngayo leyo, ndazicingela. Njengesibini esithandanayo?
“Ndicela i-cream soda.” Umkhonzikazi wabatyayo waphakamisa oobhontsi wanqwala.
“Nam ndicela kwayona,” utsho uSandile.
Ngokukhawuleza, ndacela uSandile ukuba andichazele ngaye, ndenzela ukuba kunganyanzeleki ukuba ndithethe ngam. Wandichazela ukuba usuka kwikhaya elifumileyo. Wathetha wathetha into ende. Ngamanye amaxesha ndandizibona sele ndingamamelanga ndifane ndinqwale nje. Ayivakali iyinyaniso yonke le nto. Iimvakalelo zam zokwenyani zifihlwe kude kakhulu. Nangona kunjalo, inxalenye yam iyakuthakazelela ukuthandwa nguSandile. Ulinene ngokwenene. Ndamncumela. Ndabona naye encuma.
“Kufanele sihambe ngoku,” nditsho kuye. Emva koko “Tjo! Azisentle eza lokhwe, yhoo! Azisentle eza lokhwe,” ndatsho xa sasidlula ngakwivestile yenye ivenkile.
“Ungakanani ngesiqu?” Wandibuza uSandile xa sasiphuma kolu dederhu lweevenkile. Ndandisazi ukuba uza kubuya aze kuthenga ilokhwe.
Ndamkhokelela emva endlwini ka-antie wam. Xa amisa imoto wathi kum, “Ndilahlekile ngoku, kodwa ingaba ndiya kuphinde ndiyazi le ndlela kwiminyaka ezayo?”
“Andiqinisekanga. Khawundixelele,” ndatsho ndihleka, ndamyeka wandiphuza. Ndamnqanda xa ezama ukwenza ngaphezu koku.
“Hayi okwangoku,” ndatsho ndihleka. “Sukungxama kangaka. Ungandifouneli – ndiza kukufounela ngokwam.” USandy wayenyanisile ngabafana abancinane – uyandivumela ndimlawule ngendlela endifuna ngayo.
“Ndiza kuhlala ndilindile.”
Ndathi ndingena u-antie wabe endibizela ekhitshini, apho wayendilinde khona. “Belinjani idinga lakho?” wabuza.
Ndaphendula ndineentlonana ezithile, “Ibimnandi Auntie. Enkosi ngokubuza.”
Emva koko wathi u-Auntie, “Ndiyakuvuyela bona nje, kodwa kukho imigaqo. Akubuywa endlwini emva kwecala lentsimbi yesithoba ebusuku, akuselwa, akuyiwa kwiipati ezinobubundlongondlongo,” waqoba iliso. “Ndikhumbula indlela endadizihamba ngayo iipati ndingangawe,” waqhula ngelo u-antie. “Kodwa, kwakukhuselekile noko ngezo ntsuku,” wongeza ngelo.
“Enkosi ngokukhathala.” U-Antie noMalume sele bendicedisa kakade kwiindleko zase-yunivesithi. Ndamanga.
Emva koko ubuso buka-antie batshintsha. Ndaziva ndinovalo. Ngokukhawuleza imbonakalo yakhe iba yeyomntu ongadlaliyo. “Noni, kukho into ekufanele uyazi…”
Yabetha ngamandla intliziyo yam.
“Sele ubekiwe umhla wokuthethwa kwetyala likabhuti wakho.” Waphinda wandanga u-antie.
“KULUNGILE Auntie,” ndatsho kuye. “Ndiyazama ukumelana nayo lo nto.” Kodwa sasinemvakalelo efanayo. Ndiyazi. Sasixhalabile ngobhuti, uSabelo, emva kwezitshixo. Silinde ukuthethwa kwetyala lakhe. Silindile.
Ikho nenye into endiyilindileyo. Andiyanga exesheni kwiinyanga ezimbini ezidlulileyo…
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Khawusichazele ukuba ucinga ntoni: Ingaba uNoni uyamthanda ngenene uSandile?