Ndibaleka oko ukuya kutsho e-Church Street, ndikhangela ngokuphambeneyo iinombolo zestrato. Ndifumana isine eludongeni ngasemva kwetyholo elidalana. Ngaphaya kukho isibhozo esenzwe ngeethayile zemozeyikhi eziblowu. Elilandelayo kufanele ukuba ibelishumi.
Ndiyayazi ukuba lishumi elisuka kwisikhalo esimfiliba esisuka kwiindonga ezomeleleyo zendlu.
“Nomkhita-a!” Ndakhwaza.
Udonga lwesitiya lufikelela phezulu lujikeleze indawo yonke. Phambi kokuba ndicinge umzimba wam unambuzela emthini onameva osedongeni. Kukho into ekrazula i-jean yam emnyama kodwa andikuhoyi ukuqaqanjelwa ndinyathele ngokukhawuleza kudonga olumxinwa, iingalo zam zatwezeka ngokungathi ndityibilika kungqameko olumxinwa. Ndibona ucango olublowu olumfilliba kodwa andizihluphi ngalo. Isikhalo sesikaNomkhita kwaye siphuma ifestileni.
“Nomkhita!” Ndikhaba ngebhuti yam emnyama eglasini. Iyophuka. Ndiva ukuhlatywa kabukhali kuxhongo wam, ndiyakhwaza kwakhona, “Nomkhita!”
“Yonela! Ndincede!”
Ndityhala isandla sam ngamandla kwiqhagamshela lefestileni. Ndibetha ifestile ivuleke, ndikrazulele ikhethini kwicala elinye. U-Nomkhita usanxibe isketi sakhe esibomvu ebesinxibe kusasa, kodwa ihempe yakhe ayikho kwaye ibhodi yakhe ikrazulwe, ibele elinye phantse alinanto. Ihempe yenkwenkwe ivulekile, amaqhosha akhe aqhawukile. Akukho suti zasemanzini ezibonakalayo.
“Ndinceede!” Wakhala uNomkhita. Uza ngakum kodwa inkwenkwe imrhuqela emva.
“Haayii!” Ndagragrama. “Haayii!” Andikwazi kuyeka ukugragrama – ngokungathi oku kunganqanda umdlwenguli.
Inkwenkwe iyeka uNomkhita ahambe azame ukundityhalela phandle kodwa ndibambelela kwintonga yekhethini ndaze ndakhaba ngomlenze wam waekunene. Intloko yakhe ixhakamfuleka ngasemva. Ndikhaba ngomlenze wam wasekhohlo, weebhalakaxa. Intonga yekhethini iyaqhawuka ngenxa yoko ndiwela phantsi. Ndibambelela ngeli cala lophukileyo lentonga yesinyithi, ndiyihlabe kuye.
“Uphambene?” uyakhala, kodwa ndiyihlaba kuye, ndigqobhoza isifuba sakhe esigcadiweyo. Kathathu ndimphawula ngamanxeba angqukuva, ndishiye iimpawu zokumluma kulusu lwakhe oluze.
“Yima! Ayiyo lento uyicingayo!”
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Khawusichazele: Ukuba inkwenkwe ithi, ‘Ayiyo lento uyicingayo inokuba kwenzeka ntoni? Okanye uyaphosisa nje?