Palesa naGracie bebabangani labakhulu kusukela baneminyaka lemitsatfu budzala. Bebakhelene, futsi nabomake babo bebabangani. Bebashiyana ngenyanga yinye futsi bakhuliswa njenge bantfu bandzawonye. Bebenta tonkhe tintfo ndzawonye. Bebafundza esikolweni sinye futsi njalo bebaba sekilasini linye! Ngako ngalelinye lilanga, nasekakhulakhulile lamatfombatane, kwenteka lokutsite lokwawavisa buhlungu kakhulu. Gracie wefika ekhabo Palesa akhala tinyembeti. “Kwentenjani?” Palesa abuta, akhatsateke kakhulu ngemngani wakhe. “Babe utfole umsebenti kulelinye lidolobha, manje umndeni wami kufanele utfutse,” kusho Gracie asidzindza sililo. Omabili lamatfombatane akhala. “Make, ngicela Gracie angahambi ahlale natsi?” Palesa ancenga make wakhe. “Make, ngicela sihambe naPalesa?” Gracie ancenga make wakhe. Kodvwa ngalokudzabukisako, loko bekungeke kwenteke ngoba lamatfombatane bekufanele ahlale nemindeni yawo.

Ngelilanga lelendvulela kuhamba kwemndeni wakuboGracie, Palesa wacabanga kupha umngani wakhe sipho lesikhetsekile. Bekulibhengela lelihle labekaphiwe ngugogo wakhe eminyakeni leminyenti leyendlulile. Wesifazane lobekatsengisele gogo wakhe lelibhengela bekatsite wente lamabili kuphela aloluhlobo. Lelinye belinelilanga lelihle, leli lelinye linenyanga lenhle. Gogo waPalesa bekamkhetsele leli lelinelilanga Palesa. “Ukukhanya kwetimphilo tetfu,” washo njalo nakaniketa Palesa lelibhengela. Nakashona gogo waPalesa, Palesa ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi bekaluva lutsandvo lwagogo wakhe nakagabe lelibhengela. Belikhetseke kakhulu kuye.

“Ngifuna kuniketa Gracie lelibhengela,” Palesa akhuluma yedvwa. “Litamkhumbuta kutsi sitawuhlale sibangani.” Gracie wahamba waya esikolweni sakhe lesisha, kodvwa abemkhumbula kakhulu umngani wakhe. Lamantfombatane lamabili bekabhalelana ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi bekasitfola. Ngalelinye lilanga, Palesa watfola liphasela eposini. Belibuya kuGracie. “Ingabe yini lena lelapha ngekhatsi,” kusho Palesa njengoba make wakhe amniketa leliphasela. “Livule!” Make amamatseka. Ekhatsi kuleliphasela Palesa wamangala kutfola libhengela lelifanana naleli labekaliphe Gracie. “Kungani Gracie alibuyisele emuva lelibhengela?” Kubuta Palesa, ativa akhatsatekile futsi advumele kancane.

Kodvwa Palesa watsi nakalibukisisa lelibhengela, wabona kutsi leli belinenyanga lenhle. “Leli nguleli lelinye libhengela Gogo langitjela ngalo!” Kusho Palesa ngekumamatseka lokukhulu. Watfola nemlayeto lobuya kuGracie. Gracie abewubhale watsi: Ngitfole lelibhengela ekhaya letfu lelisha. Ngetamile kulibuyisela emuva kumnikati walo, kodvwa utsite uyangipha. Ngikupha lona kuze likukhumbute kutsi sitawuhlale sibangani labakhulu.“Taze tacondzana tintfo,” kusho Palesa njengoba agaba libhengela lakhe.

Palesa bekati kutsi lolu luphawu lolukhombisa kutsi batawuhlale babangani, ngisho noma bachelelene ngekuhlala. Bebafanana nelilanga nenyanga, ngakunye lokuniketa kukhanya ngendlela yako leyehlukile.

Yenta indzaba ibe nemdlandla!

• Unaye umngani lomkhulu? Yini loyitsandzako ngemngani wakho lomkhulu?
• Dvweba sitfombe sakho nemngani wakho lomkhulu nenta umsebenti lonijabulisako.
• Ungaphindze ubhale futsi uhlobise incwadzi kuze ukhombise kutsi umtsandza kangakanani umngani wakho lomkhulu. Ungacala indzaba yakho ngekutsi, “Jabu lotsandzekako, ngiyabonga ngekutsi ube ngumngani wami. Ngiyakutsandza ngoba …”