Singene ngentseni eKapa. Ndinike umqhubi iphepha elinedilesi yalapho ndizakwehlika khona. Ukuphuma kwam ebhasini andizazanga ukuba ndiziva njani. Andizazi ukuba ndizivanjani ngokubalapha. Ndikude kuyo yonke into endiyaziyo.

Ndifike phambi kwalendawo ibhalwe apha ephepheni. Ndiphinde ndaliqwalasela kwakhona ndinqwenela ukuba kuthi kanti akukhosekhaya.

Ityotyombe ligoso. Sidlule ngebhasi izindlu ezininzi ezintle, kodwa mna kulapho ndizakuhlala khona apha. Ndicinge ngotata. Ingaba usabusela ubutywala? Ubomi buzakubanjani ngoku ndihlala naye?

Ukundishiya kwakhe nomakhulu umama wathi uzakubuya emva kweeveki ezintathu. Iminyaka emine idlulile. Ndinemibuzo yabo bobabini. Oyena mntu endingxamele ukumbona ngovuyo ngudadethu.

Kodwa abantu basekhaya ayingabokuqala endithetha nabo apha eMasi.

“Good morning. My name is Chinouyazue,” umfana omde ubulise eme ngaphakathi eyadini esecaleni kwasekhaya.

“NdinguNana, ndiyavuya ukudibana nawe.”

Ungqiyame ngocingo ukuzama ukubamba isandla sam. Enyaweni izihlangu zimhlophe qhwa. Ngesandla ubambe i-spirit level. Linene eli kwaye uyandimangaza. Unembeko. Uthetha nam njengomhlobo.

“Bye shimwara. I will see you much later, if I am lucky today. Ndiyathetha isiXhosa, kodwa ncinci …” utshilo, wandishiya esiya emsebenzini.

“Bye bye, Chinouyazue.”

“Kulungile, ndibize Chino. Ndicinga ukuba kuza kuba lula kuwe.”
Umama uvule umnyango. Sele enxibele ukuya emsebenzini.

“Aah, intomb’zana kamama.” Ukhangeleke evuya ukundibona. “Siza kuncokola ukubuya kwam ntombi.” Uya kwi-char yakhe e-Fish Hoek namhlanje. Undicacisele ukuba uzakubuya emva kwemini.

Utata undiphuze esidleleni. Nyenge esandleni kum imali eliphepha, eliyi-R10. Watsho ebaleka esiya emsebenzini. Andikwazanga ncam ukumjonga kakuhle.

“Uphi u-Asanda?” ndibuze kumama.

“Usebenze i-late shift, angafika naninina ngoku,” uphendulile watsho ethatha ibhegi yakhe ephuma.

Ndishiyeke ndedwa ngoku netyotyombe. Kufuneka ndifunde ukulibiza indlu, ndizixelele ndatsho.
Kuphele iiyure ezimbini umama ehambile, udadethu akakabuyi.

Ndive ingxolo phandle. Ndibaleke ndaphuma. Iimoto zamapolisa ezintlanu zingene esitratweni zilandelelana. UChino ukhweliswe ngemva kwenye yezimoto. Undijonge ngaphaya kweefestile ezinentsimbi. Omnye wamapolisa umnyole ngedonki piri. Kwa elipolisa liguqukile,

“Hello missy. Uyayazi lendoda?”
Ndithandabuzile.