Izinto zazindihambela kakuhle, okokuqala ebomini ndandiselulawulweni. Ndandiba ndiphila entsomini. Ndandingasaboni ngamehlo, hlobo olu ndandiphandlwe ngalo luthando. Ndabuya ndatshintsha iingqondo, andabi safuna kuva ngeKapa.
Phantsi kwenduli kaZepe kulapho sasihlala sincumelane. Sasikhululekile. Kuba siqonda ukuba singakwenkulu ingxaki ukuba ingaqatshelwa into yokuthandana kwethu, sazifihlakumqolombana osezantsi kwenduli. Apho sasingenakubhaqwa nayimpukane. Wawusitheke kamnandi kukho imithana yejwabasi phambi kwawo, ujonge entshona-langa kwaye ungaziwa ngabantu.
Lalithi xa liya kutshona ilanga ndichwechwele endulini kaZepe, ndiwashiye amakhwenkwe endandisolusa nawo. Ethubeni uLizo wayelandela ezenza okhangela itakane elilahlekileyo, asondele apho endulini naye engabonwanga mntu. Wayefika sendimlindele kade, ndibuka ukuqala kongcwalazi. Wayendiwola ngasemva, ngezandla endingeva mkhinkqi kuzo, ancome ubuhle belizwe abufanise nobuhle bothando lwakhe kum.
“Uyabona, Thobani,” watsho endikhomba esibhakabhaka esibomvu. “Ngumfanekiso omhle lo. Ukuba nje bendinalanto ifotayo, ngendikufota ufulathele, ujonge phesheya kwentaba.”
Ndakumbuza ukuba wakha wasiphatha sona isithathamfanekiso, waqhayisa ngokuthi uneliso elibukhali nesiphiwo sendalo. Ngenene ndandimva ukuthetha kwakhe egxibha imifanekiso kumaphepha-ndaba nakwincwadi yemifanekiso ngokungathi wayenokwenza ngcono. Eneneni wayenesiphiwo sendala ekuthabatheni imifanekiso.
“Ndakugqiba ukuthatha lo mfanekiso ndizakunika uwuxhome eludongeni lwendlu yakho, uzikhumbuze ngexesha elimyoli olichithe nam,” utshilo endifumbathe ezingalweni zakhe. Ndandiyithandazela le mizuzu ukuba ingatshala ibe yiminyaka.
“Unemibono, Lizo.”Nditsho ndimqhula.
“Kanti Thobani uzakundibona ndingumfoti ndinezixhobo zam,” utshilo endiqinisekisa.”Ndizakukufundela ukufota.”
Ndafuna ukuhleka kodwa ndazibamba kuba ndisazi ukuba uyise uVezuhlanga, wayengenakuyivuma loo nto.
“Uzakuthetha uthini nenkosi?” ndibuzile ndixhalabile. “Abantu balapha abakholelwa kwimisebenzi abangayaziyo. Kwaziwa iititshala, oonesi, noogqirha namagqwetha.”
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Wayezimisele uLizo ukuba ngumthabathi-mifanekiso, loo nto uyithethe noyise emva kwemviwo zebanga leshumi. Wabeka unyawo phantsi uVezuhlanga, walikhupha latsola elithi akayi kuba nanyana owenza imisebenzi yokupuca.
Konke oku ndakuva ngoLizo ngobusuku endifikele endlwini yam. Wakhangeleka ekhathazekile.
“Thobani, ubunyanisile.” Utsho ehlala ecaleni kwam. “Utata akandiva, Thobani.” Ndazola ndamamela ndingathethi. “Isuke yandihleka la ndoda ndakuyixelela ukuba ndifuna ukuya kufundela ukufota.”
Kum yayingento eyandothusayo leyo. UVezuhlanga wayelindele into ebhetele kuLizo. Wayelindele ukuba uLizo abonakalise umdla wokulandela ekhondweni lakhe njengoko naye walandela ikhondo likayise. Yayiluxanduva lwakhe olo.
“Usuke wandibuza ukuba ndizakuba yinkosi enjani elibele kukufota. Uyibona nje ngento engabalulekanga nengenasidima. Ayinasidima kuwe, Thobani?” Ubuzile ndaxakwa ukuba ndingaphendula ndithini kuba nam ndandingayiboni ingumsebenzi into yokufota.
“Yinto elungileyo,” nditshilo kodwa ndimkhohlisa. “Ilunge kakhulu.”
Kwathi cwaka endlwini uLizo engqunga okungathi wayephambene ingqondo.
“Andifuni kuba yinkosi. Ucinga ukuba ndizakungena endaweni yakhe kwiminyaka elandelayo. Andisoze.”
“Awunakubaleka ubukhosi, Lizo. Ungunyana okukuphela kwakhe kutata wakho.” Ndizame kangangoko ndinako ukuwathetha ngobuchule la mazwi ndingafuni kumbona ekhathazeka ngakumbi.
Uthethe izinto endingazange ndizive kakuhle. Waphuma, endishiya ndisabela. Ndikhumbula nje amazwi akhe okugqibela, wona ndaweva ngokucacileyo, athi, “Nokuba kwenzekani, uze ungandilibali.”
Wandishiya ndizibuza imibuzo eliqela nencwadi eyayinemizobo. Loo ncwadi wayengafuni ndiyiphathe. Ngabo obo busuku ndandiqala ukuyiphatha ngezandla zam. Ukuyivula kwam ndibone izinto ezandishiya ndibambe ongaphambili. Kwathi kanti ukwangumzobi. Wayendizobendigone itakane legusha phezu phantsi komthi. Kodwa umzobo owayishiya intliziyo isemafutheni, ngulo wabantu ababini, abahleli endulini enje ngale yakwaZepe, bebuka ukutshona kwelanga begonene.
Kusuku olulandelayo ndandisitsha ziintambo ukuya kwintaba yakwaZepe, kusathe tha la mizobo engqondweni yam. Ndandizakuxolisa kuLizo ngokudelela isiphiwo sakhe.
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Ndalibukela ilanga litshona ndinomdla omkhulu. Latshona uLizo engabonakali. Ndancama xa iinkwenkhwezi zikhanyisa indlela yam. Ndaziqhuba ndagoduka ndidanile. Ndandicinga izinto ezininzi – mhlawumbi ubalekile, okanye usazizimelisile okomzuzwana. Kodwa yapela loo mini nobusuku bayo ndingavanga zwi kuLizo.
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Sixele ukuba ucinga ntoni: Ingaba uLizo akasmthandi uThobani? Kutheni enyamalele nje?