“Namahlanje lusuku lokuzalwa kukaTata,” utshilo uMama.

“Ewe, ndifuna ukumnika isipho!” watsho u-Alex. “Ingaba ndingamnika ntoni, Mama?”

“Kufuneka siye evenkileni sithenge umgubo wengqolowa wokubhaka ikeyiki yosuku lokuzalwa kukaTata,” watsho uMama. “Siza kuzama ukucinga ngesipho sikaTata endleleni eya evenkileni.”

“Kulungile! Ndiza kuphatha isingxobo sokufaka izinto esizithengileyo,” watsho u-Alex.

Wahamba ke u-Alex nomama wakhe ukuya evenkileni. U-Alex wayebaleka phambili kumama wakhe kulo ndledlana sele ide yombeka kukuhanjwa. Yayilusuku olumnandi kakhulu olu. Ilanga lalivelile ngaphaya kwaloo mithi yompayini, liqaqambisa amandongomane embewu yawo ewele phantsi emhlabeni. U-Alex wachola enye yaloo mbewu.

“Jonga, Mama. Yintoni le?” wabuza umama wakhe.

“Ngamandongomane embewu yompayini,” watsho uMama.

“Akhangeleka ngathi aneempiko,” watsho u-Alex.

“Oko kwenzelwe ukuze imbewu ikwazi ukubhabha emoyeni, iye kufumana indawo efanelekileyo ize ikhule apho ukuze ibe ngomnye umthi wompayini,” watsho uMama. “Onke la mandongomane ayimbewu asemhlabeni awe esuka kwimibhumbulu yemithi yompayini.”

“Ndingangcamla elinye lawo?” wabuza u-Alex.

“Ewe, kodwa kufuneka silikhuphe eqokobheni lalo kuqala,” watsho uMama, waza waligximfa ngelitye iqokobhe.

“Nalo ke,” watsho uMama, waza wanika u-Alex indongomane elincinane.

“Linencasa emnandi!” watsho. “Ucinga ukuba uTata angawathanda amandongomane njengesipho sosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa, Mama?”

“Mhlawumbi,” watsho uMama.

Waza ke u-Alex wachola amandongomane ompayini amaninzi wawafaka engxoweni yokufaka izinto ezithengiweyo. Njengokuba behamba nje, u-Alex waqaphela ukuba ilanga likhazimlisa amanye aloo matye. Waza wachola lalinye kuwo.

“Jonga eli litye limdaka ngombala, Mama,” utshilo. “Ligude kakhulu. Ucinga ukuba uTata angalithanda njengesipho sosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa?” wabuza u-Alex.

“Mhlawumbi,” watsho uMama.

Wathi ke ngoko u-Alex wafaka ilitye eligudileyo nelimdaka ngebala engxoweni yokufaka izinto ezithengiweyo, baza baqhubeka nohambo. Bathe besahamba, u-Alex wabona iintyatyambo zasendle ezizuba ecaleni kwendledlana.

“Jonga ezi ntyatyambo, Mama,” watsho u-Alex. “Zifana nqwa nesibhakabhaka.”

“Ziintyatyambo ezincinane zasendle, kwaye zijonge ngqo elangeni,” watsho uMama.

U-Alex wakha yanye. “Ucinga ukuba uTata angayithanda le ntyatyambo izuba njengesipho sosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa, Mama?” wabuza.

“Mhlawumbi,” watsho uMama.

U-Alex wafaka intyatyambo ezuba kwingxowa yokufaka izinto ezithengiweyo.

Kanye ngelo xesha u-Alex nomama wakhe bagaleleka evenkileni. UMama wathenga umgubo wengqolowa wokwenza ikeyiki kaTata yosuku lokuzalwa. Waza kananjalo wathenga namakhandlela amancinane aza kufakwa ngaphezulu ekeyikini.

Bathi bakufika ekhaya, uMama wabhaka ikeyiki yosuku lokuzalwa kukatata waze u-Alex wakhupha amandongomane ompayini nelitye eligudileyo elimdaka kwakunye nentyatyambo encinane ezuba kwingxowa yokufaka izinto ezithengiweyo.

“Owu, hayini! Jonga,” watsho u-Alex, “intyatyambo encinane ezuba izisongile, kwaye ubuso bayo buvalekile.”

“Ewe kaloku,” watsho uMama. “Iintyatyambo zasendle zithanda ukuveza ubuso bazo elangeni, kwaye ziyakuthanda ukuhlala emhlabeni.”

“Owu,” watsho u-Alex.

“Kutheni ungazobi umfanekiso njengesipho sikaTata sosuku lokuzalwa?” umbuzile ebucebisa uMama.

“Licebo elihle kakhulu elo,” wancuma u-Alex. Walanda iikhrayoni zakhe kwakunye nephepha ukuze azobele uTata umfanekiso. Wazoba indlu enophahla olubomvu. Waza ke emva koko wazoba umthi omkhulu oluhlaza ecaleni kwendlu leyo. Uthe ke wongeza indledlana eya esitiyeni esuka kumnyango wangaphambili wendlu ukuya ekupheleni kwephepha, ze wazoba iintyatyambo ezizuba ecaleni kwale ndledlana. Wazoba isibhakabhaka esizuba phezulu ephepheni kunye nelanga elikhulu elityheli. Emva koko ke wazoba ingca eluhlaza ezantsi ephepheni. Ekugqibeleni wazoba uTata, uMama kunye naye bemi apho engceni.

Uye wade wabuya ke uTata emsebenzini.

“Mini emnandi, Tata,” watsho u-Alex waze wamnika izipho zakhe. Kuqala uthe wamnika amandongomane ompayini uTata. “Ndiyawathanda amandongomane ompayini,” watsho uTata.

Ulandelise ngokumnika uTata ilitye eligudileyo nelimdaka ngombala. “Wawu, ilitye elihle kangaka!” watsho uTata. “Ndiza kuligcina epokothweni yam ukuze lindizisele amathamsanqa!”

Emva koko wanika uTata umzobo wakhe. “Yhu!” watsho uTata. “Le yindlu yethu nomthi wethu, ze ibe sithi aba! Nguwe, nguMama kunye nam. Kwaye ndizithanda ngenene ezi ntyatyambo zizuba zisecaleni kwale ndledlana.”

“Eziya ntyatyambo zizuba zifana nqwa nesibhakabhaka,” watsho u-Alex.

“Enkosi kakhulu ngezipho zam zosuku lokuzalwa, Alex,” watsho uTata, waza wamanga ngothando olukhulu. “Ndicinga ukuba masityale iintyatyambo zasendle ezizuba apha,” watsho uTata. “Siza kuzityala ecaleni kwendledlana eya esitiyeni, kanye njengeentyatyambo ezisemfanekisweni wakho.”

“Yingcinga elunge kakhulu leyo!” watsho u-Alex. “Ndiza kukuncedisa sizityale, Tata!”

Emva kwesidlo sangokuhlwa uMama walayita amakhandlela asekeyikini kaTata. UTata wawavuthela onke ngaxeshanye, wawacima pam! U-Alex noMama bacula ingoma ethi, “Min’ emnandi kuwe” beculela uTata.

“Ndiyakuthanda ukukukhangelela izipho, Tata,” watsho u-Alex ngoncumo olubanzi.