UDell, umthungi, wayehlala edolobhaneni elincane eliseduze nolwandle. UDell wayethanda ukwenzela abantu basedolobhaneni izingubo ezinhle. Wayehlala ematasatasa esika futhi ethunga nsuku zonke. Wayematasatasa kangangokuthi wayengenaso isikhathi sokuthola abangani. Empeleni wayengenaso nesikhathi sokuphungula ngisho nentshebe yakhe.

Ngolunye usuku ekuseni, insimbi yehholo ledolobhana yakhala kwaze kwavuka noDell. Wazelula wazamula kakhulu.

“Namhlanje usuku lwemakethe,” kusho yena. “Angeke ngisike futhi ngithunge! Angeke ngenze izingubo ezintsha. Angeke ngenze izingubo ezindala zibukeke sengathi zintsha. Namhlanje ngizothenga isinkwa esisha esibhakiwe, ujamu omnandi kanye nezithelo nemifino okusha kakhulu.” Wabubula ngendumalo. “Kazi,” kucabanga yena, “ukhona yini umuntu edolobhaneni ozokhuluma nami namhlanje.”

UDell waphuma embhedeni wageza, waxubha amazinyo akhe … ngendlela ayejwayele ukwenza ngayo njalo ekuseni. Wenza inkomishi yekhofi nesidlo sasekuseni … ngendlela ayejwayele ukwenza ngayo njalo ekuseni. Wagqoka ivesti nebhlukwe … ngendlela ayejwayele ukwenza ngayo njalo ekuseni. Kodwa … wayengagqoki ihembe noma ibhantshi. Wayengazigqoki nanini izingubo ezijwayelekile njengawo wonke umuntu.

Uyabona, uDell umthungi wayenentshebe ende, ende kakhulu. Ngoba wayengenaso isikhathi sokuyiphungula, intshebe yakhe yase ikhule iminyaka engamashumi amane nanhlanu. Yayinde kangangoba uma kukhona lapho eya khona, wayesongela intshebe yakhe emzimbeni wakhe izikhathi; esisodwa, ezimbili, ezintathu. Yingakho wayedinga ivesti nebhulukwe lakhe kuphela. Intshebe yakhe yayimgcina efudumele ebusika futhi epholile ehlobo.

Ngalolo suku lwasekuseni ebusika uDell wayothenga, wonke umuntu wayemgqolozela. Babehlale benza kanjalo. Bese beyaphenduka bahambe basheshe bengazange bathi vu.

“Laba bantu bayizithutha,” ezitshela. “Intshebe nje kuphela!” Wakhohlwa ukuthi kwakuyintshebe ende kunazo zonke emhlabeni. Wakhohlwa ukuthi abantu babengajwayele ukubona umuntu ezisongele ngentshebe.

UDell washesha ukuze aqedele izinto ayezozithenga. Njengenjwayelo akekho umuntu owamkhulumisa, wazizwa enesizungu.

Endleleni yakhe ebuyela ekhaya esuka emakethe, uDell wabona umdlwane eceleni komgwaqo. Wawugodola futhi uqhaqhazela, wambuka ngamehlo adangele.

“O,” kusho uDell, “mdlwane wabantu. Ngabe uyagodola? Ngabe ulahlekile?”

UDell wawudabukela umdlwane waze wawunika ucezu lwesinkwa. Umdlwane wasishaya wasivala isinkwa wase utshikizisa umsila wawo, kodwa wawusaqhaqhazeliswa ukugodola.

Ngaleso sikhathi uDell waba necebo elimangalisayo, elinswempu, elihle kakhulu.

“Kunganjani ngisike isiqeshana sentshebe yami bese ngikusonga ngaso? Ngabe lokhu kuzokugcina ufudumele uze uthole indlela eya ekhaya?”

“Hhu, hhu, hhu,” kukhonkotha umdlwane, sengathi uqonda igama ngalinye.

Ngakho uDell wathatha isikele wasika isiqephu sentshebe yakhe. Wagoqa isiqeshana sentshebe yakhe emdlwaneni wase ebopha ifindo kamnene. Yayibukeka njengejezi elincane. Umdlwane wawubukeka ujabulile futhi wawungakwazi ukuyeka ukutshikizisa umsila wawo nokukhotha izandla zikaDell.

Kusenjalo uDell wezwa kukhona omemezayo. “Pepper! Pepper! Ukuphi?”

Ileti lagijima leza kuDell nomdlwane. “O, Pepper, ngaze ngakuthola. Bengikhathazekile,” kusho lona.

“Awu, hhe,” kucabanga uDell, “lizojika ngenxa yentshebe yami.” Kodwa alizange.

“Ngiyabonga kakhulu ngokuthola inja yami,” kusho yena. “Igama lami nginguPauline. Ummm … ngabe awusiye yini uDell umthungi?” kubuza yena.

UDell wavuma ngekhanda kodwa wayekhathazekile ngokuthi wayezothini ngejezi elisha lenja yakhe.

“He, ake nibheke?” kusho uPauline. “Umqondo omuhle lo! Pepper,” esho enjeni yakhe, “ubukeka uthokomele futhi ufudumele.” UPepper wakhotha ubuso bakhe ngenjabulo.

“Nginesiqiniseko sokuthi miningi imidlwane edinga amajezi akwenza uthokomale njengoba sekusebusika,” esho kuDell. “Ungayenzela amajezi nayo.”

Yilokho kanye okwenziwa uDell. Wasika intshebe yakhe ende kakhulu ukuze enze amajezi ezinja. Ngokukhulu ukushesha wayesenentshebe emfishane.

Manje uDell umthungi wayesenza izingubo ezintsha, izingubo ezindala zifane nezintsha kanye namajezi ezinja amaningi. Wathola nabangani abasha. Futhi, nangempela, uDell kwadingeka ukuthi azenzele izingubo ezintsha naye manje ngoba wayengasenayo intshebe ende yokumgcina efudumele ebusika futhi epholile ehlobo.