“Ngabe uJake angeza ukuzodlala lapha?” kubuza uThoko kuMama. “Ungumngani wami omkhulu,” kusho yena.

“Kulungile,” kusho uMama. “Inqobo nje uma uGogo engenankinga ngokuninakekela ngesikhathi ngisesemsebenzini, kulungile-ke.”

“Anginankinga neze,” kusho uGogo. “Nganginomngani omkhulu owayebizwa ngoBhozomela.

“Laze lahlekisa lelo gama,” kusho uThoko.

“Wayeyintombazane ehlekisayo,” kusho uGogo. “Uma sidlala wayehlale efuna ukuba uNdlovukazi Sibanibani noma uNdlovukazi Sibanibanyana. Kwakumele ngihlale ngiyisisebenzi ayehlale esithuma yonke indawo.”

UThoko, uMama noGogo bahleka kakhulu.

Ngakusasa, kwafika uJake ezodlala. Baqala ngokudlala u-‘tekisi-tekisi’. UGogo wabavumela ukuthi basebenzise izihlalo ezimbili zasekhishini ukuze benze itekisi.

“Ngizoba umshayeli wetekisi,” kusho uJake.

“Ngizoba yilowo omemeza ukuthi eKapa! bese ngiqoqa imali,” kusho uThoko.

“Ngizoba umgibeli,” kusho uGogo.

UJake wahlala esihlalweni esiphambili, uGogo wahlala esihlalweni esingemuva kanti uThoko wayememeza ethi eKapa! wase ezimpintshela khona lapho. UGogo wanika uThoko amaphephamenti amabili, enza sengathi ayimali.

Kungakabi nasikhathi esingakanani bafika eKapa uThoko wase ememeza ethi, “Makwehle wonke umuntu!” UGogo wehla uThoko wase abelana noJake ngamaphephamenti.

“Sizodlalani manje?” kubuza uJake.

“Masidlale u-‘sitimela-sitimela’,” kuphakamisa uThoko.

“Sidinga izihlalo ezinye ukuze senze isitimela,” kusho uJake. Basebenzisa izihlalo zasekhishini ezintathu. Esisodwa kwakungesomshayeli wesitimela, esesibili kwakungesabagibeli kanti esokugcina kwabe kungesamabhokisi kanye nezilwane.

“Ngifuna ukuba ngumshayeli wesitimela,” kusho uJake.

“Ngifuna ukuba nguGogo oyovakashela umndeni wakhe eJozi,” kusho uGogo, ehlala phansi enqoleni ehlala abantu.

“Ngizoba yinja-ke ngihlale enqoleni yokugcina,” kusho uThoko.

“Shuku-shuku! Shuku-shuku!” kukhala uJake, ngesikhathi isitimela siphuma esiteshini.

“Hhowu, Hhowu!” kukhonkotha uThoko. UGogo wacimeza wenza sengathi ulele zwi. Okubi nje ukuthi waphuthelwa ukubona izindawo ezinhle ngesikhathi isitimela sisuka eKapa siya eGoli. Bagudla benqamula izigodi benyuka izintaba. Bedlula eKaroo engamathafa abanzi anezintatshana. Bawela imifula banqamula amapulazi. Ekugcineni bafika edolobheni elikhulu laseGoli.

“Khushu khushu-u-u-u!” kusho uJake ngesikhathi befika esiteshini.

“Hhowu-u hhowuu-u!” kukhonkotha uThoko.

Lokho kwavusa uGogo owathi, “Hawu nkosi yami! Sesilapha? Sifike ngesikhathi esikahle sokuthola inkomishi yetiye!”

UJake noThoko baqukula izihlalo bazibuyisela etafuleni, uGogo wase enza itiye ngethibhathi, wase ebeka amabhisikidi omshayeli onxaniwe kanye nenja encane elambile.

“Ngemva kokudla leli bhisikidi,” kusho uThoko, “Ngifuna ukwenza umkhumbimkhathi.”

“Kuhle!” kusho uJake. “Ngifuna ukuba ukaputeni wasemkhathini!” UThoko wabukeka edumele.

“Kungani nobabili ningabi abashayeli bomkhumbimkhathi?” kuphakamisa uGogo.

“Kulungile-ke,” kusho uJake. Kodwa engabukeki ekuthokozela lokhu.

Umkhumbimkhathi udinga izihlalo ezine. Izihlalo ezimbili ezimile kwakungezokuhlala abashayeli bomkhumbimkhathi. Ezimbili zazibekwe ngemuva njengezifuqi-rokhethi.

“Kuhlanu … kune … kuthathu … kubili … kunye … khuphukani!” kumemezela uGogo, ngesikhathi ebavayizela ebavalelisa. Wasukuma umkhumbi wasemkhathini waphakama, waphakama, waphakama wayoshona emkhathini.

“Bheka!” kusho uThoko. “Nansiya inyanga!”

“Masehlele phansi,” kusho uJake. Kancane kancane umkhumbimkhathi wehlela enyangeni, kwase kuphuma abashayeli bawo ababili.

“Akukho lutho lapha,” kusho uJake.

“Yebo,” kuvuma uThoko, “masibuyele ekhaya.”

Kwamthokozisa uGogo ukubabona bebuyela eMhlabeni. Bobabili babebukeka bekhathele ngenxa yohambo ababeluthathile. “Ngiyazi ukuthi yini elandelayo eningayenza,” kusho uGogo. “Yinto mina noBhozomela esasiyenza ngesikhathi sisengangani.” UGogo wabakhombisa ukuthi bangalenza kanjani iqhugwana ngokumboza izihlalo ngengubo.

“Ngifuna ukuba ngumzingeli,” kusho uJake.

“Ngifuna ukuba umngani omkhulu womzingeli,” kusho uThoko. “Wena ungaba umama wendlovu,” esho kuGogo.

“Ngincamela ukuba umama webhubesi,” kusho uGogo.

UJake wayethule ngesikhathi becathamela umama ubhubesi. UThoko wayethule nakakhulu. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba bafike lapho umama ubhubesi wayehleli khona ephuza inkomishi yesibili yetiye, waphenduka wagwavuma ngendlela eyethusayo – HHOOOWUUU! Umzingeli kanye nomngani wakhe omkhulu bethuka kangangokuba baziphonsa eqhugwaneni labo, behlisa uphahla lwabamboza. UGogo wahleka, base behleka kakhulu ngaphansi kwengubo. Kwase kuthi nya!”

“Kuhle,” kucabanga uGogo. Wayedinga ukuphumula.

“Uyazi ukuthini?” kusho uThoko ngaphansi kwengubo.

“Ini?” kubuza uJake.

“Noma ufuna ukuthi kulalelwe wena ngaso sonke isikhathi futhi ufuna ukuba ngumshayeli wetekisi, umshayeli wesitimela, ukaputeni womkhumbimkhathi kanye nomzingeli, wena usengumngani wami omkhulu,” kusho uThoko.

“Ngiyazi,” kusho uJake. “Kanti nawe ungumngani wami omkhulu kunabo bonke engake ngaba nabo!”

UGogo wamamatheka. Babezwakala bekhuluma njengaye uGogo noBhozomela!