Isikhathi Esizayo: Ngesinye isikhathi ngonyaka ka-2035
EZIHAMBA PHAMBILI
Kunethuba lokuthi kube khona Impi Yezwe eyedlula Impi Yezwe Yesibili, ngenxa yokungasebenzi kwamasistimu wokuphepha wase-US okuhilele ekutheni kuqaliswe izikhali zenuzi ezitshuzayo futhi zonakalise izingxenye ezinkulu kakhulu zamadolobha wase-Yurophu. UMongameli wase-US uxwayise abezempi ukuthi basengcupheni yokuthi kugadle impi yenuzi. UMongameli uye wabeka icala igciwane le-Dweebo. “Isikhohlakali esidale leli gciwane sizogwetshwa enkantolo yamazwe wonke. Izinsizakalo zezokuhlakanipha ziphansi phezulu zifuna lesi sigelekeqe segciwane.”
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Isikhathi samanje uJanuwari 2013
NgoMgqibelo ekuseni, u-Dwight ulibangisa e-ATM. Ukhathele.
Leyo sistimu yokuphepha kwiwebhusayithi yasebhange kade inzima. Empeleni kade iyisilingo! Namanje, akaqiniseki ukuthi uhlelo lwakhe luzifake kahle yini.
“Isikhathi sokubhekana namaqiniso,” esho ethukile. Ufaka iphini yakhe kwiphedi ye-ATM.
Eceleni kwakhe, kukhona indoda ethethayo kucingo lwamakhasimende. “Kuzomele ungisize! Ngiyakutshela, benginemali eyanele kwi-akhawunti yami. Yebo. Bekunemali yokukhokhela isikweletu setekisi lami. Cha, angazi ukuthi ishonephi imali! Angizange ngiyithinte. Futhi uma ngingayikhokhi, bazothatha itekisi lami!”
U-Dwight umshaya indiva umshayeli wamatekisi omemezayo. Ngenxa yokuthi kwenzeka into enhle kakhulu. Kuphuma isitatimende esincane sika-Dwight ku-ATM – yebo! Yebo! Kwakuyimali yakhe. Empeleni kwakungamarandi ayizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa namashumi amahlanu nantathu namasenti angamashumi amabili nanye.
Imali yakhe, hhayi akayikolotayo!
Imali esele kwi-akhawunti, hhayi imali akayikolota i-akhawunti!
Uphawu lokuhlanganisa, hhayi uphawu lokususa!
Futhi ekhoneni elingezansi ngakwesokunxele kwesitatimende sakhe esincane kukhona igama elilodwa elibhalwe ngomalukeke ongamaphoyinti angu-8 we-Century Gothic:Dweebo!
U-Dwight udonsa imali eyinkulungwane yokukhokhela u-Glenda. Kodwa manje imali esele kwi-akhawunti iyakhuphuka: ngamarandi ayizinkulungwane eziyisishiyagalombili namashumi amahlanu nantathu namasenti angamashumi amabili nanye.
“Ngophawu olulodwa nje ukuphila kwami konke kuyashintsha!” Udonsa inkulungwane yesibili. Kungenzeka ukuthi u-Glenda uzobe ekhululekile futhi ngeSonto ebusuku?
Izinkulungwane eziyisishiyagalolunye, imali esele kwi-akhawunti yakhe.
Manje umshayeli wamatekisi uhlezi endaweni egandayiwe emgaqweni, inyawo zakhe zisemseleni wamanzi. Encenga njengoba ekhuluma ngomakhalekhukhwini wakhe. “Awuzwa ukuthi ngithini? Uma ngingayikhokheli itekisi yami, ngeke ngikwazi ukusebenza. Ngizozondla ngani izingane zami? Ngizozifundisa kanjani? Ngicela ungisize bantu. Kumele uhlole ukuthi yini engahambanga kahle kwi-akhawunti yami.” Esho ekhala.
Isitatimende sakhe se-ATM siseceleni kwakhe ngasemseleni wamanzi. Naso sibhalwe “Dweebo” ekhoneni elingezansi. Kodwa akakuboni lokho ngoba uyakhala.
U-Dwight udlula lapho emomotheka. U-Dwight akaqondi ukuthi igciwane lakhe le-Dweebo elibangele le ndoda usizi olungaka. U-Dwight ungungqondongqondo uma kuziwa kwzinhlelo zekhompuyutha. Kodwa akakwazi ukubona izinto ngeso lengqondo. Akakwazi nhlobo.
Ngisho noma eqaphele, esikhathini esizayo, ukuthi udale usizi olungakanani, usabela kanjani?
Ubani onendaba ngalokho? Abantu kade bengiphatha kabi ukuphila kwami konke. Bengigcona, behlekisa ngami. Manje kungani kumele ngibe nendaba ngalokho okwenzeka kubo? Bayalunga!” Usabela kanjalo.
Futhi ngeke aze ashintshe umqondo wakhe. Phela, ziningi kabi izinto angabe ucabanga ngazo. Njengo-Glenda, othandekayo, okhangayo, nomuhle kakhulu. Ezibona echitha ubusuku bonke enaye endlini yakhe! Bebodwa ekugcineni.
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Sicela umbono wakho: Ingabe u-Dwight uzojeziswa ngalokho akwenzile? Ingabe likhona ithemba lobulungisa?