UTemo wayeyintombazana encinane ekrelekrele eyayihlala kwilali yaseQunu. Wayekuthanda ukuya esikolweni nokufunda izinto ezintsha.

Ngenye imini esikolweni, iklasi yakhe yafunda ngokutyala nokukhulisa imifuno. UTemo wayethabathekile ngulo

mbono kangangokuba wayengxamele ukugoduka ayokubalisela abazali bakhe ngale nto.

NKQENKQENKQE! Yakhala intsimbi yokugqibela yokuphuma kwesikolo baza bonke abantwana bagilana ukuphuma kumagumbi abo okufundela begoduka.

Xa efika ekhaya uTemo, umama notata wakhe babesekhitshini bephunga iti.

“Molo, Mama. Molo, Tata,” watsho njengoko engena ekhitshini.

“Molo, Temo,” baphendula batsho abazali bakhe.“Belunjani usuku lwakho esikolweni namhlanje?”wabuza umama wakhe.

“Beluluhle! Ndifunde into enomdla kakhulu,” waphendula uTemo enemincili logama esiya ngasegumbini lakhe lokulala.

Abazali bakaTemo bathi nqa ukuba intombi yabo ithetha ngantoni, kodwa phambi kokuba bamcele ukuba achaze, wayesele ethe shwaka.

Kwigumbi lakhe lokulala, uTemo wakhulula iyunifom yesikolo wanxiba ezinye iimpahla zakhe. Kodwa

ezi yayingezizo ezi azinxiba mihla yonke. Wanxiba iovaroli, iigambhutsi kunye nomnqwazi.

UTemo wabuyela ekhitshini. “Ndim-lo! Mama noTata, jongani!” watsho.

Abazali bakhe babemangalisiwe kakhulu. UTemo wayesoloko engafuni kwenza misetyenzana ekhaya, ngoko ke kwakutheni ngesiquphe wanxiba iimpahla zokusebenza?

“Kutheni unxibe ngolo hlobo, Temo?” wabuza utata wakhe.

“Kuba ndifuna ukuqalisa ukutyala eyam imifuno, Tata,” watsho enemincili.

“Ngoku ke, ufuna ukuba nesitiya esisesakho semifuno apha ekhaya?” wabuza umama wakhe.

“Ewe, Mama,” waphendula watsho uTemo.

Abazali bakaTemo bajongana bekhwankqisiwe ukuba uTemo wayeza kukwazi njani ukulondoloza isitiya xa

wayekhalazela ukwenza imisetyenzana elula enjengokubenzela iti. Kodwa bagqiba kwelokuba bamthembe noko kunjalo.

Ngoko ke uTemo notata wakhe baphuma phandle baza bakhetha umhlatyana kwiyadi yabo apho uTemo wayenokuqalisa

isitiya sakhe. Waza utata kaTemo wangena endlwini ukuyokutshintshela kwi-ovaroli.

Okokuqala, uTemo noyise basebenzisa ifolokhwe yokumba ukupeta umhlaba ababewukhethile.

Oku kwanceda ukwenza ukuba umhlaba uthambele ukutyala imbewu. Kwanceda nokuxegisa ukhula

olungafunekiyo namatyana aphantsi komhlaba. Okulandelayo, barhugula lonke ukhula olungafunekiyo

kwakunye namatyana asemhlabeni. UTemo notata wakhe balufaka lonke ukhula kwiingxowa ezinkulu zeplastikhi baza bazilahla kwimigqomo yenkunkuma.

Ngosuku olulandelayo akubuya esikolweni uTemo, wakhawuleza watshintsha iyunifom yakhe yesikolo waza

wangena esitiyeni notata wakhe. Utata wakhe wayethenge imbewu ababeza kuyityala. Baza batyala, batyala!

Batyala imbewu yesipinashi, eyeminqathe, eyetumato neyeembotyi. Waza uTemo wawunkcenkceshela umhlaba ukuncedisa

imbewu ukuba ikhule. Yonke imihla ukusukela ngoko, uTemo wayekuthakazelela qho ukugoduka ukuze ankcenkceshele isitiya sakhe.

Kodwa yayikhona ingxakana: xa kwakungekho mntu ujongileyo, izilwanyana zaziqalisa ukutya izityalo zemifuno zikaTemo!

Ngenye imini, xa wayefika ekhaya evela esikolweni, uTemo wafumana iibhokhwe zisitya esitiyeni sakhe. Wazigxotha waza wabaleka wangena endlwini.

Mama! Tata! Iibhokhwe zitya izityalo zam. Kutheni ningazigadanga nje?” watsho, elila.

“Uxolo Temo,” waxolisa watsho utata wakhe. “UMama nam besisathe ngqwa. Masiphume sibone ukuba singenza ntoni na.”

Ngoko ke baya esitiyeni. Ongakanani wona umonakalo ezaziwenzile iibhokhwe! Kodwa okuxolisayo yindawo nje encinane yesitiya eyayonakalisiwe.

“Masisibiyele isitiya, Tata,” wacebisa watsho uTemo.

“Ngumbono omhle lowo!” waphendula uTata.

Ngoko ke uTemo notata wakhe basibiyela isitiya ukuze iibhokhwe zingabi nakuphinda zingene.

Ngosuku olulandelayo xa uTemo wayevela esikolweni, wafika iinkomo zisitya izityalo zakhe. Iinkomo

zazikrelekrele ngokwaneleyo ukuba zivule isango lesitiya ngeempondo zazo.

UTemo wazama ukuzigxotha iinkomo, kodwa yaba nye nje inkomo eneempondo ezinkulu nezitsolo, eyamjonga waza woyika!

Iinkomo zazikhangeleka zinkulu kakhulu! Ngoko ke wabaleka wangena endlwini.

“Mama! Tata! Kweli ityeli ziinkomo ezitya izityalo zam,” watsho.

UTemo notata wakhe baphuma phandle baza bafumana iinkomo zisitya esitiyeni sikaTemo. Utata wakhe wazigxotha.

“Tata, kutheni singalitshixi ngeqhaga nje isango?” wacebisa watsho uTemo. “Ngolo hlobo iinkomo azizukwazi ukuvula isango kwakhona.”

Utata wakhe wacinga ukuba ngumbono omhle lowo baza bahamba baya kuthenga iqhaga balitshixa isango.

Ngosuku olulandelayo xa uTemo evela esikolweni, zange afumane zibhokhwe, zange afumane zinkomo,

kodwa wafumana iintaka zisitya izityalo esitiyeni sakhe! Wazigxotha waza wabaleka ukuya kuxelela abazali bakhe.

“Mama! Tata! Ngoku ziintaka ezitya izityalo zam zemifuno,” wakhala.

Utata kaTemo waphuma phandle noTemo ukuya kubona ukuba yintoni ingxaki.

“Andazi ukuba mandenze ntoni ngoku, Temo,” watsho utata wakhe esonwaya intloko ecinga nzulu.

“Ndiyayazi into esinokuyenza,” watsho uTemo ngokukhawuleza. “Singogquma isitiya ngomnantha, ukuze iintaka zingakwazi ukufikelela ezityalweni.”

Yaye uTemo wayechanile! Zange aphinde abe nokukhathazeka kwakhona zizilwanyana ezitya izityalo esitiyeni sakhe.

Akukho zibhokhwe zazinokungena, nazinkomo zazinokungena yaye neentaka zazingena kungena.

Izityalo esitiyeni sakhe zakhula, zakhula, yaye ngokukhawuleza imifuno yakulungela ukukhiwa! Umama kaTemo

wapheka isophi enencasa yeembotyi, iminqathe, isipinatshi neetumato baza bonke bonwabela isidlo esasiphuma kwisitiya sikaTemo.