Konkhe kwacala ngesikhatsi Make Moeng entela Gogo Moeng libhodlela lajamu welusuku lwakhe lwekutalwa. Umntfwana Bheka wabese utfola ibhaluni yakhe layitsandzako leluhlata sasibhakabhaka. Bekafuna kuyipha Gogo Moeng ibe sipho selusuku lwakhe lwekutalwa. Make wamema Umntfwana Bheka emhlane wakhe ngelibhayi lelintofotelako. Wabese utsatsa lelibhodlela lajamu uletfwala enhloko yakhe wase uyahamba ucondza endlini yaGogo Moeng. Ibhaluni yeMntfwana Bheka yayiloku ibhabhatela, bhabha-bhabha, bhum, nemaphacaphaca aMake avakala aatsi phaca-phece, phaca-phece ehla ngendlela lenetintfuli wate wahlangana naSipho aphuma esitolo iTip-Top. “Uyaphi Make Moeng?” kwabuta Sipho.

“Umntfwana Bheka nami siya endlini yaGogo Moeng. Lusuku lwakhe lwekutalwa namuhla,” kwaphendvula Make. “Ngineliphakethi lemashibusi emazambane laklamtelako aGogo Moeng. Ngingeta nami?” kwabuta Sipho. “Yebo,” Make amoyitela babese bayahamba. Liphakethi laSipho lemashibusi emazambane latsi khwashakhwasha, ibhaluni yeMntfwana Bheka yona beyibhabhatela bhabha-bhabha, bhum, bese kutsi emaphacaphaca aMake bona bebavakala baloku batsi phaca-phece, phaca-phece bahamba aphacatela behla ngendlela lenetintfuli bate befika kaMnumzane Chapalala, labekondla tinkhukhu takhe. “Niyaphi?” wabuta. “Siya endlini yaGogo Moeng. Lusuku lwakhe lwekutalwa,” kwaphendvula Make.

“Nginesibhubukati senkhukhu saGogo Moeng. Ningamnika yona?” kubuta uMnumzane Chapalala. “Yebo,” kwasho Make afaka lesibhubukati senkhukhu ekhwapheni lakhe basho futsi bachubeka neluhambo lwabo, Make, Umntfwana Bheka naSipho. Lesibhubukati senkhukhu sihamba sitsi khushu-khushu, khushukhushu, liphakethi lemashibusi emazambane litsi khwashakhwasha, ibhaluni yeMntfwana Bheka iyabhabhatela bhabhabhabha, bhum emaphacaphaca aMake aphacatela phaca-phece, phaca-phece behla ngendlela lenetintfuli baze befika esitolo sekubhaka ekhaya saNkhosikati Makabelo. “Kumele sitfole likhekhe laGogo lelusuku lwekutalwa,” kwasho Make. Bangena ngekhatsi. Yevakala insimbi yasemnyango ntintintinti. “Sawubona Nkhosikati Makabelo. Bewati nje kutsi namuhla lusuku lwaGogo Moeng lwekutalwa?” “Yebo,” kwasho Nkhosikati Makabelo. “Ngimbhakele likhekhe lelikhetsekile, kodvwa-ke ngeke ngishiye sitolo sisodvwana.

Ungangihambela nalo yini umnike?” “Yebo,” kwavuma Make, kodvwa bekunenkinga − Make bekadzinga tandla letimbili kubamba lelikhekhe. Ngako-ke wabese wenta lisu. Wabeka lesibhubukati senkhukhu etulu kwalelibhodlela lajamu labekaletfwele enhloko yakhe. Manje-ke besekanetandla letimbili tekubamba lelikhekhe lelikhetsekile lelusuku lwekutalwa. Nako besuka bahamba Make, Umntfwana Bheka naSipho baphuma kulomnyango lokhala utsi ntinti-ntinti. Ngesikhatsi Umntfwana Bheka anukelwa ngulelikhekhe wevakala sekamumula, “Nandzi, nandzi, nandzi-nandzi.” Lesibhubukati senkhukhu sahamba sitsi khushu-khushu, khushukhushu, liphakethi lemashibusi emazambane laklamutelako litsi khwasha-khwasha, ibhaluni yeMntfwana Bheka iyabhabhatela bhabha-bhabha, bhum, emaphacaphaca aMake nawo atsi phacaphece, phaca-phece bahamba behla ngendlela lenetintfuli baze bahlangana naValecia. “Niyaphi nonkhe?” kwabuta Valecia.

“Siya endlini yaGogo Moeng. Lusuku lwakhe lwekutalwa,” kwachaza Sipho. “Nginesicheke setimbali taGogo Moeng. Ngingeta nami?” kwabuta Valecia. “Yebo,” kwasho Make. Nako besuka bamasha. Lesicheke setimbali senta Valecia watsimula, “Yetsi! Yeeeetsiiii!” Lesibhubukati senkhukhu satsi khushu-khushu, khushu-khushu, liphakethi lemashibusi emazambane lakhwashata khwashakhwasha, ibhaluni yeMntfwana Bheka iyabhabhatela bhabhabhabha, bhum emaphacaphaca aMake atsi, phaca-phece, phaca-phece bahamba behla ngendlela lenetintfuli baze bobona Mnumzane Sithole alima engadzeni yakhe yetibhidvo. “Niyaphi nonkhe nine, Make Moeng?” kwabuta Mnumzane Sithole. “Siya endlini yaGogo Moeng. Lusuku lwakhe lwekutalwa,” waphendvula. “Nginethroli legcwele tibhidvo takhe,” kwasho Mnumzane Sithole.

“Ngiyacela nifane nimnike tona.” “Kulungile,” kwasho Make. Kodvwa manje besekanenkinga LENKHULU Make − bese kukunyenti kakhulu lokwasekufanele kutsi akwetfwale! Kwadzingeka acabange lisu. Kwekucala, wehlisa Umntfwana Bheka emhlane wase umema lesibhubukati senkhukhu ngalelibhayi lelintofotelako. Umntfwana Bheka WAKHALA WACACAMBA! Ngako-ke Make wabeka lesibhubukati senkhukhu etulu ethrolini wabese umema Umntfwana Bheka emhlane ngalelibhayi lelintofotelako. Umntfwana Bheka wajabula kakhulu nesibhubukati senkhukhu sakujabula kakhulu kukofoya tonkhe letibhidvo. Kodvwa Make akazange ajabule ngaloku, ngako-ke wabeka lesibhubukati senkhukhu enhloko yaValecia. Letinsiba tatsintsa imphumulo yaValecia tase timenta kutsi atsimule kakhulu kunakucala, “EEEEE-TSIIII!”

Valecia abengakajabuli. Ngako-ke, Make watsatsa lesibhubukati senkhukhu wasibeka enhloko yaSipho. Waphindze wanika naletimbali taValecia kutsi atiphatse. Manje Valecia besanetandla letimbili letikhululekile tekuphatsa likhekhe. Futsi Make besanetandla letimbili letikhululekile tekushova ithroli. Wonkhe umuntfu bese ajabulile base bayesuka bayamasha baya endlini yaGogo Moeng. Emasondvo ethroli ahamba atsi nswigi-nswigi-nswigi. Valecia abenekhilimu yelikhekhe etihlatsini takhe ngako-ke lulwimi lwakhe lwalukhotsa lekhilimu lutsi ncwe-ncwe-ncwe. Umntfwana Bheka wamumula, “Nandzi, nandzi, nandzi.” Lesibhubukati senkhukhu sahamba sitsi khushu-khushu, khushu-khushu, liphakethi lemashibusi emazambane litsi khwasha-khwasha, ibhaluni yeMntfwana Bheka iyabhabhatela itsi bhabha-bhabha, bhum, emaphacaphaca aMake atsi phaca-phece, phaca-phece bahamba aphacatela behla ngendlela lenetintfuli bacondze endlini yaGogo Moeng. Make wanconcota emnyango wangembili. Sipho washaya inkwela.

Valecia wamemeta. Kodvwa BEKUTE IMPHENDVULO. Make wachilita sivalo sangembili kwavuleka babese bayangena bonkhe. Kodvwa BEKUTE LOKHONA. Babuka ekhishini – KUTE MUNTFU. Babuka ekamelweni lekulala – KUTE MUNTFU. Babuka yonkhe indzawo. Ukuphi Gogo Moeng? Make watsi, “Asipheke mhlawumbe Gogo utawuvela.” Nguloko-ke lokwentiwa nguye wonkhe umuntfu – ngaphandle kweMntfwana Bheka. Wahlala kukhawunta yasekhishini eceleni kwelifasitelo waze wabona Gogo ahamba ngendlela lephansi kweligcuma. “Gogo! Gogo!” wamemeta. Wonkhe umuntfu wabuka. “GOGO! GOGO!” bonkhe bamemeta kanyekanye. “GOGO!” Lapha entasi phasi kweligcuma Gogo watsi, “EE EE EE.

Kukhona longibitako. Manje ngingeke ngisakwati nekuya etitolo ngiyotsenga kudla kwami kwantsambama kwelusuku lwami lwekutalwa.” Gogo wajika wabese uyahamba ukhuphuka lentsatjana. Emahliphasi akhe ahamba atsi shafu-shafu kulendlela lenetintfuli. Ekugcineni wefika emnyango wangasemuva. Nakavula umnyango, wonkhe umuntfu wacala kuhlabela ingoma yekuhalalisela lusuku lwekutala. Etafuleni bekunephayi yetibhidvo nemathatsi ajamu lentiwe nguMake, emacandza lasandza kutalelwa ngulesibhubukati senkhukhu, likhekhe lelikhetsekile lelusuku lwekutalwa kanye nemashibusi emazambane laklamtelako. Litafula belihlotjiswe ngetimbali nebhaluni yeMntfwana Bheka lesasibhakabhaka.

“LOLU LUSUKU LWAMI LWEKUTALWA LOLUTENDLULA TONKHE!” kwasho Gogo. Futsi kufanele ati, ngoba Gogo abesake lokungenani waba nemashumi lasiphohlongo noma layimfica etinsuku tekutalwa ngembi kwalolu! KHOMBISA LIKHONO LAKHO LEBUCIKO! Bhala luhla lwato tonkhe tintfo bantfu labakulendzaba lebatiletsa kwenta lidzili lelusuku lwekutalwa lwaGogo lube ngulolukhetsekile. Nyalo yengeta tintfo letintsatfu lobewungatsandza kutinika Gogo kube bewumvakashele ngalolusuku lwakhe lwekutalwa.

KHOMBISA LIKHONO LAKHO LEBUCIKO!

Bhala luhla lwato tonkhe tintfo bantfu labakulendzaba lebatiletsa kwenta lidzili lelusuku lwekutalwa lwaGogo lube ngulolukhetsekile. Nyalo yengeta tintfo letintsatfu lobewungatsandza kutinika Gogo kube bewumvakashele ngalolusuku lwakhe lwekutalwa.