UGladys Hlongwa uvuka umzimba uqaqamba izinhlungu. “Ekuseni ebusika lesifo samathambo singibamba ngizwe ngathi amathambo ajojwa izinaliti,” abazukulu bakhe ujwayele ukubatshela lokhu. Umbhula ikhethini azuhudule kancane aphume embhedeni. Umzimba ubuhlungu kodwa kumele avuke. Namhlanje usuku lokuhola impesheni, nalapha endlini kuphelile ukudla.

Erenki yamatekisi ubingelelana nozakwabo nabo abayohola impesheni. Umngani wakhe uIris uvezela uGladys ifulaski. “Nakhu okuzokufudumeza, mngani wami, ngiyabona ukuthi usezinhlungwini,” kusho u-Iris emthelela inkomishi yekhofi. Bama isikhashana bephuza ikhofi, ifike itekisi bangene bampintshane phakathi.

“Banjani abazukulu bakho, Gladys?” kubuza u-Iris, sebesetekisini ehuba ngesivinini iqonde edolobheni laseKokstad.

“Uthini?” kumemeza u-Gladys “Awungiphindele. Phela umuntu akezwa lutho indaba yalo msindo wesgubhu sale tekisi.”

“Banjani oNoluthando noBathandwa?”

“Bayaphila abazukulu bami. UNoluthando bayahlolwa esikoleni. UBathandwa uzofika ngempelasonto evela eRhodes. Usekhulile lowo, ngiyaziqhenya ngaye ngoba ungowokuqala emndenini ofunde wafika enyuvesi. Uzoba ngumuntu ebantwini emhlabeni.”

“Usekunyaka wesingaki manje?”

“Unyaka wesibili lo. Sekusele unyaka owodwa vo aqede,” kusho uGladys.

Ulayini mude endaweni yokuhola impesheni, ugoqana sanyoka uphumele ngaphandle ugcine usemgwaqeni. Lokhu akumkhathazi uGladys ngoba usuku lokuhola ilona kuphela usuku aphuma ngalo enyangeni, akwazi nokuncokola no-Iris nabanye ahola nabo impesheni.

“Kodwa, mngani, uzwile ukuthi intengo yokudla izonyuka futhi?” kusho uGladys.

“Upetroli uyanyuka, intengo yokudla inyuke. Upetroli wehle, kodwa intengo yokudla iqhubeke inyuke. Hey, Gladys, uzwile ngento eyehlakalele uElizabeth ngenyanga edlule?” kusho u-Iris.

“Kwenzekeni ku-Elizabeth?”

“Wathola ikhulu elilodwa kuphela ngosuku lokuhola impesheni,” kusho uIris.

“Nkosi Msindisi! Kodwa ungathengani ngekhuli elilodwa njengoba izinto sezabiza kangaka kulezi nsuku? Kwakuyini inkinga?”

“Izikweletu, mngani wami. Ubenezikweletu eziningi kakhulu. Waqala ngokuboleka imali e-EasyLoans waboleka enye ukuze akhokhele leyo yase-EasyLoans. Mina angisoze ngalithatha leli khadi lase-EasyLoans. Ngeke ungibone! Zonke izinkinga ziqala ngokuthatha leli khadi lakhona.”

“Phela wena Iris awunankinga ngoba izingane zakho ziyasebenza ziyakupha imali. Kuthina esizihluphekelayo liyasiza leli khadi labo. Singalamba sife indlala ngaphandle kwalo ngoba imali yempesheni incane kakhulu,” kusho uGladys. “Ayizifezi izidingo zasendlini.”

Ithuba labo lokuhola selisondele.

“Ngizokubona ngaphandle,” kusho u-Iris etotoba eyolanda imali yakhe. “Kufanele sidlule eKFC siyidle kamnandi imali yethu.”

***

Sitshele ukuthi ubona kanjani: Ngabe kuyini obona ilukhuni ngokuhola impesheni?