Kwaye kukho inkosikazi eyayihlala nomyeni wayo kufuphi noMlambo iHlimbitwa. Yonke imihla le nkosikazi yayilishiya ikhaya labo, ihambe iye ehlathini ukuya kutheza iinkuni. Yonke imihla umyeni wayo wayeyinika ibhotile yamanzi nokutya ukuze ibe nento yokusela neyokutya xa ingene phakathi ehlathini.
Ngenye imini yayiphumile le nkosikazi, iye kutheza yaze yakhetha umthi omkhulu ukuba iwugawule uwe.
“Lo uya kukulungela kakuhle kakhulu ukugawulwa,” yatsho. “Mkhulu kakhulu kwaye ndiya kufumana iinkuni ezininzi kuwo.”
Yakhupha izembe layo, yalibamba ngazo zozibini izandla zayo, yalijiwuzisela phezulu sele ilungele ukuqalisa ukugawula. Ithe xa kanye iza kugawula yeva ilizwi liyicenga ukuba iyeke.
“Ngubani lowo utshoyo?” yabuza njalo.
“Jonga phantsi apha,” latsho eli lizwi, “kwaye nantoni na oyenzayo, uze uncede, nceda ungawugawuli, uwuwise phantsi loo mthi.”
Le nkosikazi yothuswa kakhulu koko ikuvileyo, kodwa yathi xa ibona apho lalivela khona eli lizwi, ayakwazi nokuba mayithini! Phantsi emhlabeni, ecaleni kweengcambu zomthi, kwakukho eyona ndoda incinane eyakhe yabonwa yile nkosikazi. Yasuka yathi nkebe umlomo ikhamisile, ingakukholelwa eyayikubona. Ekugqibeleni kwaphela ukothuka.
“Ndiyakubongoza torho, nceda ungawutshabalalisi lo mthi,” yatsho le ndoda encinane.
“Ee … ndiyavuma xa usitsho,” watsho. “Ndiyasamkela isicelo sakho. Ndingazingela omnye umthi xa lo ubaluleke kangaka kuwe.”
“Ndiyabulela. Wenze eyona nto indivuyisa kakhulu,” yatsho indoda encinane. “Unentliziyo entle kakhulu kwaye ngenxa yesi senzo sihle kangaka usenzileyo, ndiza kuphumeza iminqweno yakho emithathu, nokuba iyintoni na.” Emva koko, yanyamalala indoda encinane. Le nkosikazi yaba ngayizingela kuzo zonke iindawo ehlathini, zange iyifumane le ndoda ingaqhelekanga.
Ekugqibeleni yakuncama le nkosikazi ukuzingela le ndoda, yagoduka. Kuyo yonke loo ndlela igodukayo yayihlunguzela intloko, imbombozela imane ikhuza yodwa ngenxa yokumangaliswa kokwenzekileyo. Yakuba ifikile ekhaya yahlala phantsi ecaleni kwendlu ukuze iphumle, isazibuza ukuba ingaba kukho umntu obedlala ngayo kusini na. Zonke ezo ngcinga zayilambisa nangakumbi. “Ingaba sesilungile isidlo sethu sangokuhlwa?” yabuza umyeni wayo owayesuke waza kuhlala ecaleni kwayo.
“Owu, hayi,” waphendula umyeni, “asikalungi. Kusasele nje iiyure ezimbalwa phambi kokuba silunge.”
Le nkosikazi yancwina. “Andilambe ngako, akwaba bekukho nokuba liqathana nje lenyama endinokulitya.”
Kungekudala ewathethile loo mazwi – thaxa – inyama epleyitini eyayithe tshitshilili apha kanye phambi kwakhe. Wakhupha amehlo aziingqanda kwanomyeni wakhe ngokunjalo.
“Yintoni le?” wabuza umyeni emangaliswe yiloo nto yayisenzeka.
Le nkosikazi yamxelela yonke into eyayenzeke ehlathini kuloo ntsasa. Umyeni wayo wayijamela yaze nayo le nkosikazi yabona ukuba umyeni uthe fixi ngumsindo.
Yathi yakugqiba ukuthetha le nkosikazi, umyeni wayo wangxola ngelizwi elingqwabalala wathi, “INTONIII? Kaloku ubufanele ukuba uye wacinga phambi kokuba uxele ukuba unqwenela ukufumana inyama. Ugeza kakhulu, akwaba loo nyama ibinokuncamathela kuloo mpumlo yakho.” Le nkosikazi yathi ingekatsho nokuthi hayi-bo! labe iqatha lenyama selincamathele empumlweni yayo. Yalibamba ilitsala, kodwa alasuka tu elo qatha lenyama. Umyeni naye wazama ukuyisusa. Bobabini bancedisana, batsala, batsala, kodwa zange baphumelele ukulisusa. Inyama yayincamathele nca elungqamekweni lwempumlo yale nkosikazi.
“Owu, hayi,” yatsho le nkosikazi. “Kuza kuthiwani ngoku?”
“Andazi, kodwa ifanele ukusuka,” yatsho indoda.
Le nkosikazi yaqonda ukuba kufanele ukuba nento eyenzayo kwamsinyane phambi kokuba umyeni wayo akhuphe elinye ilizwi.
“Ndinqwenela ukuba le nyama isuke empumlweni yam!” yakhwaza ngelo le nkosikazi.
Ngomzuzwana nje inyama yaphinda yaba sepleyitini kwakhona. Bahlala apho, le nkosikazi nomyeni wayo, bejamelene. Kwakungekho minqweno yimbi abanokuyisebenzisa ukuze bafumane imali, okanye iimpahla, okanye indlu enkulu, okanye ulonwabo. Kwakungasayi kuphinda kubekho minqweno yanto kwaphela,
kodwa … okungenani babenenyama emnandi yesidlo sangokuhlwa!
