Isikhathi Esizayo: Ekupheleni konyaka ka-2013

EZIHAMBA PHAMBILI

Igciwane le-Dweebo lase liqala ukunokalalisa amakhompuyutha eNingizimu Afrika. Manje lase lisabalele emhlabeni wonke. Nakuba lingeyona inkimbinkimbi kodwa liyabulala, igciwane le-Dweebo lisabalala kusuka kumalephithophu kuya kuma-Blackberry, kumanethiwekhi ohulumeni kuze kufike kumahadrayivu wezempi.

Izingcweti ze-IT zizama ngakho konke okusemandleni azo ukulenza lingasebenzi.

“Kunento eyodwa esiqiniseka ngayo,” kuchaza omunye usosayensi waseYunivasithi yase-Harvard, e-USA, “Leli gciwane le-Dweebo laqala eNingizimu Afrika, sisola ukuthi laqala edolobheni elincane elisentshonalanga-nyakatho elibizwa ngokuthi i-Disaneng. Laqalwa isigelekeqe sekhompuyutha.”

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Isikhathi samanje: Januwari 2013

E-Disaneng ilapho okuhlala khona u-Dwight Diteko. Futhi u-Dwight ucabanga into eyodwa nje: U-Glenda! U-Glenda Motubudi othandekayo, okhangayo, nomuhle kakhulu.

U-Glenda uhlala esitaladini esingale kwefulethi elincane lika-Dwight, elibi. Unendlu enhle efuyelwe ngotshani nengadi egcwele izimbali. Ngezinye izikhathi uma ngaphandle kwengadi yakhe bese ilanga likhazimula ezindebeni zakhe ezithambile. Noma kwizikibha zakhe ezibanikayo akajwayele ukuzigqoka. Noma ngisho ngakumagcwinci ezindebe zakhe.

U-Dwight ugcina ngokuqalaza kuphela ngamafasitela wakhe angenawo amakhethenisi. Uqalaza ngokuhalela okukhulu kakhulu. Ngezinye izikhathi uma efasiteleni amahora amaningi, efisa nje ukubheka u-Glenda emgaqweni.

“Glenda! Glenda!”esholo phansi igama lakhe, esefulethini lakhe elibheke phezulu. “Yeka indlela engikuthanda ngayo! Udalelwe mina kuphela. Ngingenza noma yini emhlabeni ukuze ngibe isoka lakho. Singafanelana kakhulu.”

Kodwa u-Glenda uthandana namadoda amaningi. Inqwaba yawo. U-Dwight ubhekile njengoba epaka izimoto zawo phambi kwendlu ka-Glenda. Ehamba ngama-BMW, ama-Audi ngisho nama-Mercedez. Ngama-SUV awo asemgangathweni. Amadoda amadala. Amadoda acebile. Afika noma yinini emini nasebusuku.

U-Glenda uwabingelela emnyango wakhe ongaphambili, egqoke igawuni ethambile, yesilika eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. Noma egqoke uleyisi omnyama ompintshayo. Ngezinye izikhathi egqoke ingubo yokulala ebomvu enamalibhoni wesatini. Isikhwele sihlaba inhliziyo ka-Dwight njengommese.

Amadoda angena phakathi endlini isikhathi eside. Ngezinye izikhathi, ubusuku bonke.

“Kodwa sthandwa sami, wenzani nala madoda?” Usholo phansi esefulethini lakhe elimnyama. “Adlala ngawe nje kuphela. Awakuthandi ngendlela engikuthanda ngayo.”

U-Dwight uhlala phansi esofeni wakhe odabukile, ethayipha kulephithophu yakhe. Izincwadi zothando ezinde, nezinkondlo ezimnandi zezothando. Konke ukwenzela u-Glenda. Kodwa uyesaba ukuzithumela.

Empeleni akakaze nakanye akhulume no-Glenda, ubuso nobuso. Wake wamushayela ucingo. Inombolo yakhe yocingo isephephandabeni lendawo lamaviki wonke ngaphansi kwezikhangiso ezithi ‘Okomuntu siqu’.

“Ibhizinisi lika-Glenda Lokudayisa Ngomzimba” esho ephendula ngezwi lakhe elipholile. “Yiziphi izinsizakalo engingakusiza ngazo, sthandwa?”

Kodwa u-Dwight wayeqhaqhazela kakhulu akakwazanga ukusho nezwi elilodwa. Wavala ngokushesha ucingo.

U-Dwight uhlale ekhuluma yedwa. “Angithi kunjalo, Dwight! Isikhathi sokuyeka ukuphupha manje uqale ukucabanga. Manje: empeleni uyini umehluko phakathi kwakho nawo wonke lama doda anenhlanhla ahlale engena emnyango ka-Glenda? Imali, akunjalo? Banayo wena awunayo.”

Kuyiqiniso lokho.

U-Dwight ubheka isitatimende sakhe sasebhange. Siyihlazo. Ukolota imali engaphezu kwezingulungwane eziyisikhombisa. Leyo imali akayikolota ibhange!

Lelo nani libhalwe ngokucacile. Imali ekolotwayo amarandi ayizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa namakhulu amahlanu nantathu namasenti angamashumi amabili nanye.

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Sicela umbono wakho: Uyini umbono wakho ngo-Glenda? Ingabe u-Dwight angakwazi ukuthandana naye?