UBaba uSmuts wayengumdobi. Kodwa, izinhlanzi zazingeziningi ngendlela ezaziba ziningi ngayo, futhi ngezinye izinsuku wayebuya engabambanga lutho. UBaba uSmuts wabantu wayezizwa ekhathazeke kakhulu.

Kwakuba ngalezi zikhathi lapho uMama uSmuts wayemuwola khona bese ethi, “Sizobona ukuthi sihlanganisa ini nani.” Bese oSannie noFrikkie bengeza ngokuthi, “Sihlale sikwenza lokho, Baba.” Kanti babehlale bekwenzeka ngempela ngoba …

… wayengekho umuntu owayetshala otamatisi ababomvu, ophepha abaluhlaza okotshani, nezaqathi eziklamuzelayo kanye neklabishi eliklamuzelayo, ukudlula uBaba uSmuts esizwa uSannie noFrikkie.

Kanti-ke kwakungekho muntu, kwakungekho muntu nhlobo, awayengaphendula otamatisi ababomvu, ophepha abaluhlaza okotshani, izaqathi eziklamuzelayo kanye neklabishi eliklamuzela ngokwedlulele, akwenze kube yisidlo esiconsisa amathe ukudlula esikaMama uSmuts, esizwa uSannie noFrikkie!

Ngolunye usuku, uBaba uSmuts waba nenhlanhla yokubamba izinhlanzi ezinhlanu. Wathengisa ezine wase egcina eyodwa aya nayo ekhaya ukuze ibe yisidlo sakusihlwa.

Ngesikhathi uBaba uSmuts edlula isitodlwana sasepulazini sikaMaria, uMaria wamemeza wathi, “Ibiza malini inhlanzi?”

“Uxolo, Maria,” kusho uBaba uSmuts, “phela le eyesidlo sethu sakusihlwa.”

“Kungaba njani-ke,” kubuza uMaria, “uma ungaya ekhaya nento eyehlukile, into enjengamasosishi? Uthi lokhu ngeke kube isidlo esiphambili ngempela?”

UBaba uSmuts wacabanga isikhashana, kodwa kwaba yisikhashana ngempela ngoba amasosishi ayebukeka emnandi! Ngakho uMaria noBaba uSmuts bashintshana, uBaba uSmuts wase ephuthuma ekhaya.

Kwaba nokujabula okukhulu lapho uBaba uSmuts efika ekhaya exoxela uMama uSmuts, uSannie noFrikkie ngosuku lwakhe lwenhlanhla. Kwakungathi wayeze nomcebo ekhaya kanti, ngenye indlela, vele kwakunjalo.

UMama uSmuts wendlala amasosishi amakhulu, aphinki epuletini lakhe elihle ukuwedlula wonke wase ewafaka ekhabetheni. Wayazi kahle ukuthi uzokwenzani ngawo. Kwakuzoba i-Chakalaka yakhe emnandi ukudlula wonke ayeke wawenza, okwakuzothi ekugcineni aqobe amasoseshi bese ewafaka phakathi. Ngaleyo ndlela ayezokwandisa ukudla.

UMama uSmuts waqoba, wasika imidweshu, wenza amaqashana, wafaka nezinongo, esizwa uSannie noFrikkie.

Ngesikhathi uMama uSmuts ede efaka okunye kuba kuncane okunye kuba kuningana, uSannie noFrikkie babesiza uBaba uSmuts ukuba adeke itafula, kukhiwe nezimbali zasendle ezizoba setafuleni.

Ekugcineni, safika isikhathi sesidlo sakusihlwa. Sase simnandi yini pho isidlo sakusihlwa!

“Mmm!” kusho uSannie.

“Mmm, mmm!” kusho uFrikkie.

Wawuzwa nje, “Awu, cha … awu!” kusho uBaba uSmuts. “Bengingacabangi ukuthi kungenzeka lokhu, kodwa le Chakalaka idlula wonke owake wawenza. Lawo masosishi enze umehluko omkhulu!”

UMama uSmuts akazange athi vu. Kodwa ukuba uBaba uSmuts, uSannie kanye noFrikkie babengematasatasa bezitika ngokuphinda ukudla, ngabe bamuzwa edonsa umoya.

UMama uSmuts waya ekhabetheni lasekhishini ngokuthula. Wamboza amasosishi acebile, aphinki, kanti wayezibuza ukuthi konje uwakhohlwe kanjani.

Kodwa wabe esezicabangela, “Ngamasosishi esidlo sasekuseni. Sizozitika ngawo!”