Isikhathi Esizayo: Ngesinye isikhathi ngonyaka ka-2035
EZIHAMBA PHAMBILI
UMnz Moganana uzibulele namhlanje ekuseni. Ugxumele ngaphandle kwefasitela lasehhovisi lakhe esitezi samashumi amabili se-Moganana HQ. Kukholelwa ukuthi igciwane le-Dweebo, manje elase lingene kuwo amasistimu ezezimali emhlabeni wonke, yilo imbangela yokuzibulala kwakhe. Kamuva nje kade esethola imilayezo ethusayo, futhi ubekwa icala ngenxa yokonakala kwamamakethe.
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Isikhathi samanje: Januwari 2013
Kukhona okungahambi kahle esuphamakethe. U-Dwight ukuzwa ngokushesha lokho. Amakhasimende aphuma eminyango yengilazi, egegetheka sengathi amasela angabanjiwe. Kuyilapho izisebenzi zasethilini zibukeka ziekhexile futhi zididekile.
U-Dwight ukhetha isiqedaphunga akazosifaka ebusuku ngoMgqibelo. Ukhipha imali engamarandi angamashumi amabili. Isisebenzi sasethilini – sona leso esasiluhlaza ngendaba yoshokholethi abasagolide – simbuyisela ushintshi ocishe ube amarandi angamashumi amane. Sigqolozela u-Dwight sengathi simangele.
Yilapho umphathi wesuphamakethe ehla egijima ezitezi esuka ehhovisi lakhe, ekhubeka, ewa, ebambelela kwinsimbi yezitezi. Ememeza, “Valani amathili. Ningasawasizi amakhasimende! Kukhona okungahambi kahle. Valani amathili!”
U-Dwight uphuma esitolo ephethe isiqedaphunga sakhe ephethe nemali eningi kunaleyo angene ngayo. Ephethe ngisho nesiliphu sakhe sethili. Yeka indlela isiliphi sethili esiyingcweti ngayo!
“Ubufakazi bokuhlakanipha kwami!” kusho u-Dwight. Yebo, izimpawu sezishintshekile. Njengoba uhlelo lwakhe luziqondise kanjalo. Uphawu lokususa lube olokuhlanganisa; olokuhlanganisa laba olokususa. Futhi ekhoneni elingezansi ngakwesokunxele, kubhalwe ngomalukeke bamaphoyinti angu-8 we-Century Gothic, isiginesha yakhe: Dweebo.
“Kodwa kusekhona okusamele akulungise. Kumele ngikulungise kuqala ngaphambi kokuthi ngihlasele inethiwekhi yasebhange.” UMnz. Richards wayevamise njalo ukungixwayisa ngokulungisa izinto kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zincane kangakanani. “Kusasele izinsuku ezine ngaphambi koMgqibelo. Isikhathi esiningi leso.”
Ngakho u-Dwight ufika ekhaya, ubuyela kwilephuthophu yakhe. Manje ukhetha Isibhedlela sase-St Mary. Lokho kuzofundisa Umhlengikazi u-Nomsa, omubi nononya isifundo. Ake sibone ukuthi uzobe esagegetheka yini lapho ethola ishekhe lomholo wakhe onophawu lokususa!
Kumele angene ngomzila wesistimu emaphakathi Yomnyango Wezempilo. Kodwa izihlungi zabo zokuphepha ezokudlala nje! Ukuxhuma kuhlelo lwabo amanzi amancane.
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U-Dwight uvula umabonakude ukuze abheke izindaba zasebusuku. “Uma lokhu kuphumelela, ngizobe sengikulungele ukuhlasela ibhange,” kusho u-Dwight.
Kunombhikisho oqhubekayo ngaphandle kwase-St Mary. Abahlengikazi nezisebenzi zokuhlanza babhekise phezulu emoyeni izinduku. Amabhodi abo okuteleka athi: SIKHOKHELENI MANJE. ASIFUNI IZABA. U-Dwight ubona u-Nomsa esixukwini, emubi nakakhulu kunanini, ngendlela amemeza ngayo.
Iziguli zibhekise phezulu izincwadi zazo zodokotela.
Ikhamera igxila kowesifazane ophethe ingane encane. Osula izinyembezi ngesikhafu sakhe. Othi, “Angikwazi ukuthola umuthi wengane yami wesifuba. Umsebenzi wasekhemisi uthi sengithathe yonke imithi yezinyanga eziyisithupha. Kodwa akulona iqiniso lokho. Ngizokwenzenjani uma igula namhlanje ebusuku?”
Owesifazane ubhekisa incwadi kodokotela kwikhamera yabezindaba. Ngu-Dwight kuphela oqaphela lokho okubhalwe ekhoneni elingezansi ngakwesokunxele. Ngomalukeke bamaphoyinti angu-8 we-Century Gothic kubhalwe igama elithi: Dweebo.
U-Dwight uyamomotheka. Uvula ilephuthophu yakhe bese ethayipha ikheli lewebhu yebhange lakhe.
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Sicela umbono wakho: Ingabe u-Dwight uyaqaphela ukuthi igciwane lakhe lekhompuyutha lizodala umonakalo ongakanani? Ingabe unendaba nje?