KungoLwesithathu emva kweeklasi umhlobo wam uNomkhitha ufota ii-selfie zethu ngeejini zethu ezodophoriweyo namaza ebetha emva kwethu. Unxibe mhlophe namaqhosha egolide nebhanti egolide. Ndinxibe ezimnyama zam zesiqhelo.
Sothuswa liliza elikhulu. U-Nomkhitha uyakhala aze atsibele elwandle. Iimpahla zakhe zimanzi tixi. Ndikwazile ukutsiba ndiphephe ngenxa yoko ndimanzi ukuya kutsho emadolweni kuphela. Ngethamsanqa, lusuku olutshisayo lwasebusika lwaseKapa. Umama wam undilumkisile phambi kokuba ndize, ‘Kunetha okokoko. Kodwa nguJuni kwaye wonke umntu uthandazela imvula. Ndosula i-Nokia kaNomkhita kwihempe yam, zama ubone ukuba isasebenza na.
Ndadibana noNomkhita kusuku lwam lokuqala ekholejini kwaye sivana njengosapho. Ufundela izifundo zokuba iindwendwe, ndifunda i-akhawuntingi. Sabelana ngegumbi elincinci engentla kwevenkile elungisa iibhodi sokutyibilika emanzini kufutshane no-Pick n Pay. Ndithule ndithi cwaka, ndisukile endleleni ndoyame ngodonga, ngeli xesha egqiba yonke indawo ethetha edwekesha engayeki. Uyimvula. Ndiyimbalela. Ndigqibelele.
“Ilungile ifowuni yakho?” Inkwenkwana entle emhlophe ima phezu kwam, iphefumlela endlebeni yam. Uneenwele eziphotheneyo nesifuba nje esingenanto, isuti yakhe emanzi itsalwe yafikelela esinqeni sakhe. Umzimba wakhe ufana nomntu ophakamisa iintsimbi, usisigantsontso. Ulusu lwakhe lutshiswe lilanga ngokungathi ngumbala wekharameli. Ndishenxa endleleni, ndibuyisela ifowuni kuNomkhita. Ndibona amehlo akhe amhlophe ebetha ilaphu elaphu elimhlophe elibambelele kulusu lwakhe.
“Ingaba mhlawumbi uyasifuna isifundo sokutyibiliza ngeplanga phezu kwamaza? Ndingu-Adrian.”
Uyancuma uNomkhita. “Andikwazi kudada.”
“Akukho mfuneko yako. Akunzulwanga.”
“Andinanto yokuqubha.” Kubonakala ingathi uyaxhathisa, kodwa ukumsinekela kwakhe kunomtsalane ngokwenene.
“Sowumanzi.” Uguquka ajonge kum. Amehlo akhe aqhwanyaza ngephanyazo emabeleni am. “Wena?”
Ndinyikinya intloko. “Ookrebe”
“Abasondeli enxwemeni.”
Ndifuna ahambe kodwa uNomkhita unyonyobela kufutshane, ejonge kwibhodi yakhe yokutyibiliza ngeplanga phezu kwamaza engqengqe esantini, enemicwe eblowu engacacanga.
“Awuzondiyeka nditshone?”
Ilanga limenyezelisa imimangaliso ngaphakathi kwala mehlo akhe aluhlaza njengoko encuma. Uyagoba aze abophelele intambo yebhodi kwiqatha lakhe. U-Nomkhita uyandisinekela ngeenwele zakhe eziphotheneyo.
“Usala kakuhle Yonela, ndiyathemba ukuba ndiza kubona kwakhona.”
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Khawusichazele: Ingaba ikhona into ekurhanisayo ngale nkwenkwe, njengoYonela, okanye ubona into engekhoyo?