“Igama lami nginguPhumeza Nana Sitha, kodwa ungangibiza ngoNana. Nginemibuzo eminingi,” ngitshela le ndoda ende ephambi kwami. Ubuso bayo bufihlekile esithunzini, ngibona izicathulo zayo ezinkulu kuphela.
“Buza le mibuzo onayo, Nana.”
“Ngicela ungichazele ukuthi kwenziwa yini ngizizwe ngehlukile kwamanye amantombazane?”
“Anginayo impendulo yalo mbuzo wakho, nami angazi.”
“Ngabe lokhu engikuzwayo ngakhethelwa khona ngingakazalwa? Ngabe izimpilo zethu sabelwa zona singakazalwa?”
“Angazi, Nana. Kodwa engizokweluleka ngakho ukuthi ukukhululeka nokujabula komphefumulo wakho yikhona okufanele ukubeke phambili empilweni.”
“Kodwa ngizokwenza kanjani lokho? Ngingakwenza kanjani njengoba ngiyinto encane emhlabeni omkhulu kangaka?” Ngilinda impendulo kodwa le ndoda inyamalala phambi kwamehlo ami.
Ngiyandiza.
Ngizithole sengibhaklazela phansi.
Ngizama ukubuyela ekhaya.
“Kuruku… kugu… u… u…!” Ngivuswa kuleli phupho ukukhala kweqhude lasekhaya.
“Nana!” Ngizwa ugogo engimemeza. “Vuka! Vuka! Khumbula ukuthi kuzofanele ushade ngelinye ilanga. Ayikho indoda ezolobola umuntu wesifazane olala kuze kube yilesi sikhathi.” Nakho-ke futhi, ugogo engikhumbuza ukuthi into engiyiphilelayo ukuthi ngilotsholwe, ngishade kuphela.
“Gogo, sengiyavuka. Bese ngivuka vele,” ngimemeza ngizihudula ngiphuma ezingutsheni zokulala.
Ngiyageza, ngixubhe emuva kweziko. Ibhodwe elinemilenze emithathu liyashunqa emlilweni. Iphalishi seliyabila, isivalo sebhodwe siyagxumagxuma.
“Sheshisa, Nana. Sheshisa bo! Phuthuma lingakushiyi ibhasi,” kusho ugogo.
Namhlanje ngiyayishiya le ndawo lapho ngivuswa khona iqhude; le ndawo engihamba ibanga elide kuyo ngiyokha amanzi emfuleni; le ndawo lapho abantu besifazane bezalelwa ukuthi bashade amadoda. Lapho ngizizwa ngamukelekile kodwa futhi ngiyazi ukuthi angamukelekile.
“Iyiphi indawo oya kuyona eCape Town?” kubuza unkosikazi osemnyango webhasi.
Ngiphendula ngithi, “1783 Sisulu Road, eMasiphumelele.”
“O, usho eMasi. Ayikho eFish Hoek leyo ndawo?”
“Ngempela kunjalo.”
“Usuyongiphathela u-fish uma usubuya. Ungiphathele omningi,” usho lokhu ehleka.
Ngivuma ngekhanda, ngingene ebhasini. Ngihlala phansi ngibone kungena amadoda amabili. Ayadiyazela, sengathi adakiwe. Enye yawo iyakhubeka ishayeke phansi ngobuso.
“Buka-ke ukuthi usuwenzeni, Marvelous. Ayikho le ndaba yakho wena,” kukhononda enye yala madoda, isukumisa umngani wayo.
“Awufuni ukuthi qhabu nawe la?” kusho uMarvelous engikhombisa ibhodlela lotshwala. Unuka phu utshwala. Umile, uyadiyazela eceleni kwami. Leli phunga elithaphuka kuMarvelous ngilazela kubaba wami.
Ngiphendula ngithi, “Cha, ngiyabonga.”
“Ayikho into oyibongayo wena. You think you are kreva you…” Ungikhomba ngomunwe njengoba engihhemela nje. Udiyazela aqhubeke ayohlala emuva ebhasini.
Nobaba uphuza le nhlobo yotshwala obuphethwe yilo mlisa. Uqala ngoLwesihlanu, aphuze impelasonto yonke, abuye ethwelwe ngeSonto ntambama ngenxa yokudakwa. Akazikaleli nokuthi aphuze kangakanani, uphuza kuze kuphele yonke imali esemaphaketheni. Uma esedakiwe udansa sengathi akasile ekhanda, azichamele, kodwa ekuseni uvuka afune simhloniphe.
Ngivala amehlo ngizwe izwi ladadewethu lithi: “Usukuphi njengamanje?”
“Siselapha eDikeni, kodwa ibhasi isizosuka manje. Sesizophuma e-Alice,” ngimphendula kanjalo noma ngazi kahle kamhlophe ukuthi akangizwa.
“Phuthuma, Nana! ICape Town ikulindele,” kusho udadewethu emicabangweni yami.