UBathandwa uthenga isikhathi somoya sika-R90, ahlale e-KFC, adle afonele isikhungo samakhasimende. Uhlala imizuzu engamashumi amathathu elindile agcine elutholile usizo. Ekugcineni useyazi ukuthi uGogo ukweleta malini. Useyazi ukuthi imali ayikhokhela izikweletu idlula imali ayiholayo. Uyabona nokuthi uzohlukana nemali eningi ukuze alungise izikweletu zikaGogo.
Imicabango yakhe uyayibuyisa ngoba esebuka phambili kakhulu- ubona lokhu okwenzakalele uGogo sekumphinda futhi, engena kwezinye izikweletu. Ukuphila kuya ngokubiza usuku nosuku. Uyazi ukuthi indlela yokugwema izikweletu ukuthi afunde aqede athole umsebenzi.
Impelasonto yokuphela kwenyanga, eKokstad kuyaphithizela. UBathandwa ugibela etekisini eqonde ekhaya ahlale empintshekile phakathi komama abondlekile abaphethe amagilosa. Uthinta isaka lempuphu ngomlenze esehlika.
Ufonelwa uChe ethintitha impuphu ebhulukweni elimnyama. Uhamba obhuqwini oluya ekhaya ekhuluma nesithandwa sakhe.
“Kuhambe kanjani?”
“Akuhambanga kahle, Che. UGogo usezikweletini. Ubengenayo imali emakhadini ngoba imali ikhokhela izikweletu.”
“Hawu bantu isono. Ngiyaxolisa ukuzwa lokho.”
“Sinenhlanhla ngoba nginemadlana, besizophela indlala.”
“Lalela, ngicela ungithumele imininingwane ye-akhawunti yakho yasebhange. Ngizokuthumelela imali. Ayiningi kodwa izosiza.”
“Ungakhathazeki, sthandwa. Kulungile. Ngizokwazisa uma ngidinga usizo.”
“Kuhle. Ukuphi? Owani lomsindo okhalisa okwekhwela?”
“Ngihamba obhuqwini oluya ekhaya. Lo msindo owuzwayo umoya oqhamuka ezintabeni. Sizophela amakhaza namhlanje.”
“Uzigcine ufudumele, simomondiya sami. Ungasabi ukucela usizo uma uludinga. Ngizohlala njalo ngikusiza.”
“Ngiyabona, Che. Bengidinga ukuzwa lokho.”
Namanje ubuye angakholwa ukuthi uthole umuntu oneqiniso nothando njengoChe. Kwamuthatha isikhathi ukuthi amqome ngoba umuntu ayejola naye ngonyaka wokuqala kwakuwudoti wesoka lamanyala, elidlala ngamantombazane, eyamshiya nenhliziyo ephukile.
“Sokhuluma ngemva kwesikhathi.”
UBathandwa uyeshesha ngoba umoya uyanyuka isivinini ushaye ikhwela kakhulu. Sekukhanyisiwe endlini. UBathandwa ungena egcekeni umoya usho ukuhluntula izingubo ezinekiwe. Uyazithula angene nazo ziyingqumba ezandleni.
Uthola ukufudumala komoya nokomzimba engena endlini. Iphunga elimnandi lesinkwa esibhakiwe nesobho likaGogo ligcwele indlu yonke. Leli phunga limbuyisela ezinsukwini zakudala eseyingane, impilo ingenazo izinkinga.
“Usubuyile Bathandwa? Besengicabanga ukuthumela uNoluthando isikhathi somoya sikufonele.”
“Sengibuyile, Gogo.”
“Kufanele ukuthi akubulele amakhaza; nasi isinkwa nesobho.”
“Kwapheka wena, Gogo? Usungcono? Uphi uNoluthando? Uyena okufanele ngabe uyapheka,” kusho uBathandwa.
“Usacambalele. Uvuke wawasha wabe eseyakhathala. Nami sengingcono, amaphilisi onginike wona aziqede zonke izinhlungu.”
UNoluthando uqhamuka ekamelweni amehlo egcwele ubuthongo.
“Usubuyile, Sisi? Uhambe kanjani? Bazoyikhokha nini imali kaGogo?”
“Kahle nemibuzo wena. Mdedele adle kuqala afudumale,” kusho u Gogo.
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Sitshele ukuthi ubona kanjani: Ngabe uBathandwa ulindele ‘okukhulu kakhulu kudadewabo omncane?