UZip usula itafula. Ubona intombazane enhle ehlezi etafuleni eliseceleni kwaleli alisulayo. Le ntombazane ayibonayo igqamile nje, igqoke kahle ngokuhlonipheka, igaxe isikhwama esibomvu ehlombe. UZip uyaqala ukubona le ntombazane ilapha ePhumza’s Tarvern. Ayiphuzi notshwala, iphuza i-juice. Ihlezi etafuleni no-Spokes, isigelekeqe sendawo, ilalele konke akushoyo.
Suka eduze kwaleso sigelekeqe esingu Spokes. Awufanelwe ukuba lapha, dadewethu, ayikufanele le ndawo, kucabanga uZip. UZip ufisa ukuhlebela le ntombazane lokhu akucabangayo njengoba esula itafula. Uzwa isandla simuthinta ezinqeni njengoba egobile esula itafula. Uphenduka abone umlisa othize emcifela iso.
“Piss off wena!” kusho uZip.
“Wenziwa yini ube njena, Azipho? Ngeke uyithole indoda uma uhleze uthukuthele kanjena. Bengikuqhweba ngoba ngifuna ukubiza ezinye iziphuzo zetafula lethu. Ngizokuceba kuPhumza uma ulokhu ungithuka.”
Le ntombazane uZip aqalayo ukuyibona lapha ibheka phansi etafuleni, inamahloni ngesenzo salo mlisa ehlezi naye etafuleni.
“Manje ungiqhweba ngokungithinta izinqa? Udinga ziphi iziphuzo?” kubuza uZip.
“Ngenzele obhiya abawu-four ne-shot ye-vodka.”
UZip uqonda e-bar alande iziphuzo. Uyazi ukuthi i-shot ye-vodka eyakhe lo mlisa olokhu emuthinta izinqa. Kade emkhuza ubusuku bonke, emcela ayeke ukumthinta izinqa. UZip unesipho asibekela abantu abazitshela ukuthi bahlakaniphile njengaye lo mlisa: amaphilisi enyongo awagandaya abe impuphu. UZip uthela le mpuphu kanye namathe kwi-vodka shot.
Sekubizwa iziphuzo zokugcina phambi kokuba kuvalwe ePhumza’s Tarvern. UZip ushanela izinqamu zogwayi ezigcwele phansi endaweni yokubhema. Uphakamisa amehlo abuke izinkanyezi nenyanga. Imicabango iyagijima. Wasuka esihogweni wabalekela kwesinye isihogo kodwa lesi singconywana. Uneminyaka engu-16 futhi uhlala yedwa kodwa lokhu kungcono kakhulu. Lapho esuka khona e-Eastern Cape kwase kusele kancane alahle ithemba. Wakhathala ukuhlukunyezwa wadudula umhlukumezi wakhe wamfaka ngaphansi kwetekisi eligijimayo wabaleka weza lapha eKhayelitsha.
“Azipho! Azipho! Suka endleleni!!” Kusho loya mlisa okade emthinta izinqa, lo obize i-vodka shot.
Amaphilisi enyongo ayasebenza manje. Ugijimela e-toilet afike kukhona ulayini omude wabantu abalinde ukungena.
“Hawu kodwa Nkulunkulu!” Kumemeza lo mlisa.
Uphuma eyinhlamvu ePhumza’s Tarvern. Abantu bayamhleka ngoba ehluleka ukuzibamba, adedele khona egijima ebheka indawo yokuzikhulula.
UZip uhleka aze aphelelwe umoya, ebambe umshanelo. Uzwa isandla simuthinta izinqa. Kodwa ngempela kweziwa yini abantu besilisa bacabange ukuthi sifuna basithinte? Lo mlisa omthintayo manje uSpokes, isigelekeqe sokugcina.
“Uzophuma nini emsebenzini, Azipho?” uSpokes uhleba endlebeni kaZip.
UZip udedela umshanelo, abambe isitho sangasese saSpokes ngesandla asisonte.
“Awe! Awe! Awe!” kunswininiza uSpokes.
“Shhh shhh. Thula!” uZip ucwila ku-bra abuye nommese owuhlobo lweZip awubeka emabeleni. “Uma uphinda ungithinta futhi, Spokes, ngizokusika amasende.”
UZip umdedela adalakaxeke phansi uSpokes.
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Sitshele: Manje ucabangani ngoZip? Ngabe abantu besilisa bathola abakulungele okuqhamuka kuye?