“Yebo, Chief! Uyabona ke ngoku, uyathetha” watsho uXolani evuya. “Ndiphathele igwinya, Chief.”

Ndafaka isandla epokothweni yam ndikhangela imali, ndakhupha i-R50 eliphepha. Le mali ifanele ukuba ibe yeyeentsuku ezimbini.

“Ungasilibali isiselo, ibe yijusi Chief. Yhoo, ndiziva ndinxaniwe kakhulu.” Watsho uXolani ejonge kuloo mali endandiyifumbathe esandleni.

“Ndahamba ndaya e-tuckshop ndafika ndafola etyhwini ndimi emva kukaSima. Wathenga i-apile nejusi.

“Uxolo Sisi, ingaba awunayo i-R10 eyohlukeneyo?” Wabuza uSima kumnini venkile.

“Hayi, ukuba ndikunika i-R10-00 eyohlukeneyo ndiza kuyifumana phi itshintshi ukuze nditshintshele abanye abathengi?” Wabuza umnini venkile.

USima wajonga ngemva wabuza kum esithi, “Uxolo torho. Awunayo itshintshi?”

UAnathi wayemi kumgama ongangemitha, encokola namanye amantombazana ngeli lixa elinde uSima.

“Yhoo, uxolo ndine-R50 edibeneyo, ndiza kubona kwitshintshi ukuba ndinganayo na, ndaphendula ndatsho. Ndajika ndajonga kwakhona ekhawuntarini ndikhangela izimuncu-muncu neziselo.

“Thenga, bhuti,” watsho umnini venkile.

“Eeee, ndicela laa jusi ye-orenji nalabhegi yama-apile.” Ndaphendula ndatsho. Ndaqonda ukuba, uyakundixolela Xolani andicingi ndithenge ukutya okungenasondlo phambi kwalo nobuhle.

“Zingakunceda noko izihlanu ezibini zeerandi?” Ndambuza uSima emva kokuba ndifumene itshintshi yam.

“Ewe zingandinceda, enkosi, kakhulu.” Watsho uSima. Sahamba kunye kuba sasisiya kwicala elinye.

“Uyafika apha esikolweni, andithi?” Wabuza uSima.

“Ewe, ndiyafika, wena?” Ndambuza. Ndaziva ndimuncu ukuba ndibuze kwaloo mbuzo mnye kuba kwakucace gca ukuba wayengafiki.

“Mna? Hayi okoko ndafunda apha ukususela kwiBakala lesi-8,” watsho ehleka.

Wavela wajonga lee, waqalisa incoko nomnye umfundi. UAnathi yena wandincumela waqhubekeka nencoko awayenayo kunye namanye amantombazana. Kwakucacile ukuba wayesinika ithuba lokuba sikhe sibe sobabini.

“Intle loo nto, ndiqinisekile ukuba ukuthetha nawe kundenza ukuba ndizive ndikhuselekile.” Ndatsho.

“Uziva ukhuseleke entwenini?” Wabuza uSima esonyusa amagxa.

Kwaba … abaxhaphazi? Aninabo apha abaxhaphazi babafundi abafikayo esikolweni abaxhaphaza iinqunqu (abafundi abafikayo)? Ndatsho ndibuqhula.

“Hayi, kwaye andicingi ukuba ndingabona umntu omde kangaka exhatshazwa nangubani na.”

Ndandicinga ukuba ndicele iinombolo zakhe zefowuni kodwa ndaphinda ndacinga ukuba ndandiza konakalisa izinto ndiphelise obo bumnandi sasikubo. Ndacinga ukuba kwakusekutsha kakhulu. Okwakubalulekile kukuba ndimenze ukuba onwabe ahleke. Kwakwenele oko ngolu suku lokuqala lokudibana kwethu.

“Uyazi yintoni, awukazazisi nokuzazisa kaloku, ndiza kuthi ungubani?” Watsho uSima.

“Owu, uxolo wethu, ndinguAyanda mna ndilapha kwa 12b, Ndaphendula ngelitshoyo.

“UAyanda wakwa 12b? Owu! Ungulaa mfundi uTitshalakazi uLinge ebethetha ngaye esithi ubhala   ezona zincoko ezodlula zonke ezethu kweli Bakala le-12.” Ndabona amehlo akhe eqaqamba enento nje ekhazimlayo.

Ndavela nje ndancuma. “Kodwa ke, awukandixeleli nawe elakho igama kaloku.”

“Mna ndinguSima. Uyazi yintoni? Ndiyazibetha ke mna izifundo zam zesayensi kodwa ndiyasokola ke kwizifundo zeelwimi. Mhlawumbi ungakwazi ukundinceda,” waphendula watsho.

“Hayi wethu, kulungile ke ,… ayinakundihlupha tu into yokuba ndikuncede.” Ndaphendula ndincumile.

“Enkosi wethu, kudala ndafuna ukuba nomhlobo onokundinceda ekubhaleni izincoko.” Watsho uSima.

Yadana noko intliziyo yam xa ndisiva eli gama lithi ‘umhlobo’.

“Hayibo! Sima, ndilinde wena kaloku, ntombazana,” watsho uAnathi. Wayekhalaza kaloku kuba uSima nam sichithe ixesha elininzi lethuba lelantshi sincokola.

Sathabatha elo thuba lokuba sivalelisane, uSima waya kuAnathi, mna ndaya kuXolani owayesele edikiwe kukulindana nam.

“Ngowungaxokanga, Chief. Ngowuske watsho ukuba uya kuSima. Ngendingakhange ndikuvalele kwindlela yakho, watsho uXolani emfixekile.

“Ndiyaxolisa, maan Chief. Nantsi ijusi yakho nemali yegwinya. Andikwazanga tu Chief ukuthenga igwinya phambi kwakhe,” ndatsho.

“Tyhini, ngokuba kutheni? Naye ngumntu mos. Naye uyawatya amagwinya. Khawutsho maan mfondini, uye wathini xa uzityand’igila xa umxelela ukuba uziva njani na ngaye?” Wabuza uXolani.

“Andimxelelanga ukuba ndiziva njani na ngaye.” Ndatsho.

“Intoni? Lilonke uye nje kuye ukuya kumrhabulisa ukuba abukele umboniso wabaqhulayo bemi ngeenyawo behlekisa? Ndimbonile ehleka,” watsho uXolani.

“Sisengabahlobo nje okwangoku,” ndaphendula ndatsho.

“Intoni? Abahlobo?” Watsho uXolani ehleka.

Ndamjonga uXolani ehleka. Endaweni yokuba ndibone umntu omsulwa encitha umhlobo wakhe, ndabona umntu endandiqonda ukuba uvuyela iziphumo zencoko yam noSima, ezi zokungamxeleli ukuba ndiziva njani na ngaye.

Kwiintsuku neenyanga ezalandelayo, uSima wayemana endicela ukuba ndimana ndihlela izincoko zakhe phambi kokuba azingenise ukuba zimakishwe kwaye nam ndandimnceda. UXolani wayemana endenza intlekisa endincitha ngale nto. Wayesithi uSima uyandisebenzisa nje akanamdla kum.

Kwathabatha malunga nonyaka ukuba mna noSima sibe kwitheko esiza kubakho kulo thina sobabini. Eli theko laphezolo.

Wathi uXolani akuba endixelel ukuba uSima uyaya naye kwitheko likaAnathi andizange ndimkholelwe tu. Kodwa ke ndazibonela ngawam amehlo, wayekhona. Ndandiza kusela nje isiqingatha setoti yebhiya ze ndimonekele imbilini yam, ndimxelele ukuba ndiziva njani na ngaye. Yayilicebo lam elo njengoko ndandimthe ntsho ndincumile. Ukuba wayengazi kundamkela intliziyo yayingazi kuba buhlungu njengaxa ndingekho mqheleni, ndingaselanga.

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Khawusixelele: Ucinga ukuba uSima uyamsebenzisa nje uAyanda? Ngoba kutheni?