Isikhathi wu half past 4, uBabu Zwane uhlezi esofeni ubuki TV. “Yini yona le edlala la?” ufice kudlali Big brother, ebuya emsebenzini… “wothi ngifake izindaba, iphi nale remothi?” edunuse umnumzane ecinga iremote, acinge aze adele.

“Nxa! Uthenga iTV bese uswele iremothi! We Thabiso!”

Kungabi nomuntu ophendulayo… “Uphi lo mfana madoda! We Thabiso awuzwa ukuthi ngiyak biza” ‘Yebo Baba, ngiyeza’

Ezibuke esibukweni uThabiso ecabange “Eish, engabe sengenzeni” ebe useya khumbula inxoxo abe nayo nobabakhe ngayizolo

“Thabiso ubongi washela amateki mfana, kumele ngiye egroundini nge weekend” ‘yebo baba ngizo washa’ ethwale izandla ekhanda ekhumbula ukuthi uyewa khohlwa ngabangani izolo wahamba wabuya late, namhlanje yi Friday kyashisa.

“Wena mfana yindaba uthathe unyaka wonke uma ngik biza?” ‘ngiya xolisa baba wukuth ngine siyezi.’ “Lesiyezi sakho sivuka uma kmele uze kimi'” esuze kancan uThabiso wuvalo… “Wena mfana ngiyak biza bese uyasuza???” ‘ngiya xolisa baba’ ededela emuva, “Iphi remothi? Yini yona le edlala la? Shesha ne riemothi mfana ngifuna ukubuka ezindaba!” edunuse naye uThabiso ecinga iremote ngapasi kosofa ebese uyakhumbula ‘oh ngiy khohlwe ekamelweni’ egijima eyoyi landa “angazi kmele ngiku tshele okwes’ngakhi ukuth ungabo hamba ne remote uye ekamelweni, awunayo iTV wena Thabiso! Ithengwe yimina le TV!” ehlwimthe iremote esandleni sakhe. “ngiya kholwa, wenze nje ngoba bengikulayelile izolo wawasha amateku ami, ngiwa khonze kakhulu lawo mateki, nga thengelwa wu mawakho nge Valentine edlule” amehlo ka Thabiso acwebe izinyembezi ekhumbula umawakhe…

“Yebo ngenze kanjalo baba woth ngi washe iuniform” egijime futhi uThabiso, afike ekamelweni acabange ‘eyi madoda lizongi bhayizisa itimer konje ngizo kwenze njani?’ aqhamuke nesu, athathe ubhakha wakhe akhiphe zonge izincwadi ashone ekamelweni elikhulu. Aphume emoyizela ku front door ephethe indishi ene uniform yakhe etete nobhakha.