Kudala-dala kwakukho indoda eyayihlupheka kakhulu egama layo yayinguMzi.

“Abantwana balambile, kwaye asinamali yokuthenga ukutya,” walilisela ngelitshoyo umfazi wakhe uPumla. “Siza kwenza njani?”

“Ndiza kuya kuzingela,” utshilo uMzi. “Ukuba ndinokubamba impangele, siza kuba nokutya okumnandi.” Watsho ehamba esiya ethafeni, ephethe isilingi sakhe namatyana amancinane. Kungekudala wahlangana nempangele etyebileyo kwindawo elibala ephakathi kwengca ende. UMzi wajolisa ngobunono kwaye wayesele elungele ukudubula xa …

“Nceda ungandidubuli,” yatsho ikhala impangele. “Ndiyintaka ekhethekileyo. Ndingakwenza ube sisityebi.”

UMzi wasibeka phantsi isilingi sakhe. “Uthetha ukuthini?” wabuza. “Ungandenza ndibe sisityebi ngokwenene?”

“Ndizalela amaqanda egolide,” yatsho impangele. “Ukuba uyathembisa ukuba awusayi kundibulala, ndakukuzalelela iqanda legolide.”

UMzi wayithi hlasi le ntaka waza waxhina ukugoduka.

“Aha, isidlo sangokuhlwa,” watsho ngemincili uPumla ukufika kukaMzi. “Yibulale intaka leyo ukuze ndiyipheke.”

“Owu hayi,” watsho uMzi. “Le asiyontaka nje. Le yimpangele yomlingo ezalela amaqanda egolide.”

“Akufuneki ukuba ukholelwe yiyo yonke nje into oyivayo,” wahleka ngelitshoyo umfazi wakhe. “Khawundigqithisele izembe. Ndiza kuyibulala ngokwam.”

Usizana lwentaka loyika kakhulu. Yakokoza kakhulu kangangokuba yade yazalela iqanda, kanye apho emnyango! UPumla wajonga iqanda waze waqhwanyaqhwanyaza. Watyikitya amehlo akhe waphinda waqwalasela kwakhona. Iqanda eli ngokwenene yayilelegolide!

Ngononophelo uMzi walithatha. “Linzima kakhulu,” utshilo. “Ngokuqinisekileyo yigolide esulungekileyo.”

“Igolide yokwenene!” yakokoza yatsho impangele ngokuzingca.

“Sizizityebi!” wakhwaza ngovuyo uMzi.

“Ndingahamba ke ngoku? yabuza impangele.

“Hayi, ngeke,” watsho ngomsindo uPumla, esithi nqaku loo ntaka eyifaka ehokweni. “Kufuneka uhlale apha uzalele amanye amaqanda.”

Emva koko uPumla noMzi baya kumthengi wegolide. Balithengisa iqanda elo baza bafumana imali eninzi – eyonele ukuba bathenge ukutya konyaka wonke nelokhwe entsha kaPumla. UMzi wonwaba kakhulu. Abantwana bakhe babenokutya, umfazi wakhe enelokhwe entsha kwaye wayenempangele yomlingo ezalela amaqanda egolide.

Emva koko, qho kusasa usapho lwalufumana iqanda legolide ehokweni. Ngethutyana elingephi babanayo yonke into abayinqwenelayo: indlu entsha, umnyobo wemoto emnyama, umabonwakude omkhulu kwakunye neempahla ezininzi nezintle zokunxiba. Rhoqo ngokuhlwa babesiba nesidlo sokona kutya kumnandi, kwaye wonke ubani kwidolophu yabo wayenqwenela obo bomi babo.

Kodwa uPumla wayengonwabanga. “Ndifuna ezinye izinto! Mpangele, ndizalele amaqanda amabini ngosuku,” wayiyalela watsho.

“Ndikwazi ukuzalela iqanda elinye kuphela ngosuku,” ikhale yatsho intaka.

“Mna ndifuna indlu enkulu kunale ndinayo,” watsho uPumla. “Ndifuna imoto engcono kunale – ebomvu kweli tyeli kwaye ndifuna nokukhenketha ihlabathi, kwakunye …”

“Kodwa sele sizizityebi nje,” ungenelele ngomsindo esitsho uMzi. “Kutheni ungoneli kangaka?”

“Ndifuna okungaphezulu koku,” watsho uPumla. “Ndifuna amaqanda amabini ngemini. Ndifuna ukuba sesona sityebi kulo lonke eli lizwe.”

“Hayi ke, andikwazi,” yakokoza isitsho impangele. “Ndizalela iqanda elinye kuphela ngemini.”

“Unyanzelekile,” watsho uPumla, ejiwuzisa izembe. Impangele yoyika kakhulu kangangokuba imilenze yayo yangcangcazela … yatyhala ibulaleka, yakhala itswina kwaze kwaphuma nelinye iqanda! Yonke imihla yakwazi ukuzityhala, izalele amaqanda amabini.

Kudlule iivekana nje ezimbalwa waphinda uPumla akonwaba. “Ndifuna amaqanda amathathu ngosuku,” watsho. “Ndifuna ukuba ngoyena mntu osisityebi kwi-Afrika iphela.”

“Andikwazi ukuzalela amaqanda amathathu ngemini,” ikhefuzele yatsho impangele.

“Zama kangangoko!” watsho ngomsindo uPumla. “Ndinike amaqanda amathathu ngawo lo mzuzu okanye ndiza kukunqumla intloko!”

Impangele eyoyikayo yakhala yaza yatyhala ibulaleka kwade kwaphuma iqanda lalinye. Yaphinda yatyhala ibulaleka yacinezela yakhala kwaze ekugqibeleni kwaphuma iqanda lesibini.

“Elinye kwakhona,” wakhwaza uPumla, “okanye ndiza kukunqunqa ube zizicwili!”

Impangele yatyhala ibulaleka yatyhala, yatyhala ibulaleka kwakhona, yaze ngephanyazo … yathi qikili yafa.

“Jonga ke into oyenzileyo!” kukhwaze uMzi. “Usizana lwempangele lufile.”

“Masiyiqwangqulule,” kukhale uPumla. “Inokuba izele ngamaqanda ngaphakathi.” Wathi hlasi imela wayiqwangqulula impangele. Kodwa kwakungekho maqanda ngaphakathi, kwaye abazange baphinde balifumane iqanda legolide kwakhona.