Isikhathi Esizayo: Febuwari 2013

EZIHAMBA PHAMBILI

Umnyango Wezempilo uhlaselwe igciwane le-Dweebo: kusuka kwikhompuyutha kaNgqongqoshe kuya kuxhumano lwe-Intanethi lomtholampilo osemaphandleni.

Adokotela nabahlengikazi abakwazi ukuholelwa, okuhilela ekutheni kube khona imibhikisho. Emadolobheni amaningi ugesi namanzi kuvaliwe. Ezinye izisebenzi zezempilo zizama ukuqhubeka nokwenza imisebenzi yazo kungakhathaliseki izinkinga, kodwa iziguli zisebunzimeni, futhi ezinye zishonile.

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Isikhathi samanje: Januwari 2013

U-Dwight uthola ibhokisi elifanelekile loshokholethi. Ngalinye ligoqwe ngephepha legolide, liyacwebezela futhi liyabanika ekukhanyeni kwasesuphamakethe. Angaphakathi kwesiqukathi sepulasitiki ebonakalayo.

“Oshokholethi abasagolide abafanele u-Glenda wami osagolide,” kusho u-Dwight njengoba emomotheka. “Nakanjani lokhu kuzomheha?”

Kodwa lapho esekhokha, uqaphela ukuthi ushodelwa amasenti ayishumi nanhlanu. Amashumi nanhlanu ayize nje!

Umsebenzi wasethilini akanasihe kuye. Uyadelela futhi umhleka usulu. “Kuzomele uthenge okuthize okungabizi njengalokho, nsizwa yakithi.”

“Cha, ngeke ngikwazi. Ngimfunela okungcono kakhulu.”

“Uma kunjalo ke, kuzomele uhambe uyofuna imali, nsizwa yakithi. Akunikelelwa abahluphekile lapha. Isitolo lesi bhuti, uma kade ungazi!”

Ngemva kwakhe emgqeni, amanye amakhasimende ayamhleka. Ikakhulukazi iqembu labahlengikazi. Ngendlela abagqoke ngayo uyabona ukuthi basebenza e-St Mary, isibhedlela esisendaweni. Kunomunye akamaziyo phakathi kwabo. Wayefunda naye ngesikhathi esangena isikole.

Intombazane enyanyisayo, engakhangi. Igama layo, ngu-Nomsa.

Futhi, uyamuzwa etshela abanye abahlengikazi ngengama lakhe akangalithandi. “Dweebo. Dweebo!”

Eqhuma ngenxa yentukuthelo, u-Dwight ulahlela phansi ethilini isiqukathi. Oshokholethi abasagolide bachithekela kuyo yonke indawo. Manje namanye amakhasimende asehlekela phezulu. Ikakhulukazi abahlengikazi.

U-Dwight uphuma endiza esuphakamethe, wehla ngomgwaqo, ebheke efulethini lakhe elimnyama, nelinesizungu.

Kodwa u-Glenda ungaphandle engadini yakhe. Ugobile unuka izimbali zakhe, emuhle nakakhulu kunanini. Intukuthelo ka-Dwight ivese ishabalale nje, njengokunyamalala kwamafu amnyama ngaphambi kokuvela kwelanga. Uthando nokwazisa yikho kodwa okugcwala inhliziyo yakhe.

Ndlela thize uba nesibindi sokukhuluma naye. “Zinhle izimbali zakho,” esho engale kocingo.

U-Glenda uyamomotheka, u-Dwight uzwa inhliziyo yakhe ichichima ngenjabulo.

“Ngiyabonga,” kuphendula u-Glenda ngezwi lakhe elipholile.

Nakanjani uyabona emehlweni ka-Glenda ukuthi umthanda okwedlula isibhakabhaka? Ngendlela enamandla okwedlula isivunguvungu? Manje uba nesibindi nakakhulu.

“Ngingathanda ukukuvakashela ngelinye ilanga, Glenda. Ngingakwazi?”

“Ngingakuthanda lokho, sthandwa. Kunganjani ngoMgqibelo? Ngikhululekile ngoMgqibelo. Ingabe ufuna kube isikhathi esingangehora, noma ubusuku bonke?”

Ubusuku bonke! Ubusuku bonke nentokazi eyisagolide yamaphupho wakhe! Yini engadlula lokho? Ukuthola kunzima manje ukukhuluma u-Dwight.

“Kumele ngikwexwayise: kuzobiza okushisiwe, sthandwa. Intombazane kumele idle phela, angithi uyakwazi lokho?”

“Okushisiwe? Usho ukuthini uma uthi ‘Okushisiwe’?” kubuza u-Dwight, ezizwa enamahloni futhi eyisilima.

“Imali eyizinkulungwane, sthandwa. Akuyona inkinga lokho, angithi?”

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Sicela umbono wakho: Ingabe u-Dwight uzomtshela u-Glenda ukuthi akanayo imali?