“Igama lam ndinguPhumeza Nana Sitha, okanye Nana qha. Kwaye, ndinemibuzo emininzi,” ndixelele lendoda inde ime phambi kwam. Ubuso bayo abubonakali kakuhle. Ndiqwalasele izihlangu zayo ezinkulu.
“Buza Nana.”
“Ndifuna ukwazi ukuba kutheni ndingaziva ngendlela amanye amantombazana aziva ngayo.”
“Andikwazi ukuwuphendula lowombuzo.”
“Ingaba yinto egqitywa phambi kokuba sizalwe? Ukuba ubomi bethu buyakubanjalo?”
“Into endingakuxelela yona yeyokuba ukonwaba kwakho kuza kuqala.”
“Kodwa njani? Ndimncinci ndimelene nelizwe elikhulu kangaka?” ndilinde impendulo. Kodwa lendoda yanyamalala.
Ndiyabhabha.
Ndiyawa.
Ndizama ukubuyela endlwini.
“Kuruku … kugu … u … u …!” umqhagi wasekhaya undothusile ndisamamele eliphupha.
“Nana!” ndiva umakhulu endikhwaza. “Vuka! Khumbula ukuba ngenye imini uzakutshata. Ayikho indoda eza kukhupha ilobola yokuba ulale uvuke emini.” Nanko, njengesiqhelo, uyandikhumbuza ukuba yintoni kanyekanye endiyiphilelayo.
“Makhulu, ndiza kuvuka ngoku,” ndimxelele ngelixesha ndizama ukuphuma ezingubeni.
Emva kwegoqo ndihlambe amazinyo. Xhaphaxhapha ukubila kwesidudu embizeni. Isiciko siyaxhuma-xhuma.
“Khawuleza, kufuneka ufumane ibhasi,” umakhulu undikhumbuzile.
Namhlanje ndiyayishiya lendawo. Apho umqhagi undivusayo; apho ndihamba ngeenyawo ukuyokukha amanzi emlanjeni; apho intombazana izalwa nje ikhuliselwa ukwenda. Apho ndingowakhona, kodwa, mhlawumbi omnye angathi andingowalapha.
“Uyandawoni eKapa?” usisi ohleli ngasemnyangweni webhasi ubuzile.
“1783 Sisulu Road, Masiphumelele,” ndiphendule ndatsho.
“Owu, eMasi? Ayikhose-Fish Hoek loondawo?
“Ndicinga njalo.”
Qhuzu qhuzu intsini: “ungandiphathela intlantsi xa ubuya?”
Ndinqwale intloko ndatsho ndingena ebhasini. Xa kanye ndihlala phantsi oobhuti ababini bangenile. Nanko omnye ekhubeka esiwa ebetheka ngobuso.
“Owu jonga, Marvelous. Usisiyatha, uyozo-yozo maan,” ukhalazile umhlobo wakhe. Umtsalile emncedisa ukuphakama.
“Yizokuhlala nathi,” utshilo uMarvelous ebambe ibhotile evaliweyo. Utywala bunuka phu-u-u. Uyahexa uzama ukuma ecaleni kwam. Elivumba ndilazela kutata.
“Hayi enkosi, andifuni,” ndiphendule ndatsho.
“Hayi, uyafuna. Ucinga ukuba ungcono wena …” undikhombe ngomnwe ethetha loomagama akhe okunxila angavakaliyo. Wahexa-hexa ukuyakuhlala esitulweni sakhe.
Utata naye usebenzisa eliyeza labo linombhalo othi: forty per cent.
Wayelithatha ngolwezihlanu ukuyakuma ngeCawa. Umlinganiselo engenawo. Eqhubeka ade aphelelwe yimali. Yekake ukujayiva ngathi sisibhanxa, azichamele nokuzichamela. Rhoqo ke uvuka azibike ukuba nguye onxiba ibhulukhwe endlwini, kwaye makahlonitshwe.
Ukuvala kwam amehlo ndive ilizwi likadadethu: “Niphi ngoku?”
“SiseDikeni, seyizokuhamba ngoku,” ndiphendule ndatsho, nangona ndisazi ukuba akandiva.
“Khawuleza! IKapa likulindile,” undixelele watsho.