UJabu wayeyinkwenkwe ethanda ukwazi izinto ezintsha. Wayehlala kwilali encinci yaseMpuma Koloni nomakhulu, utamkhulu, oomakazi, oomalume kunye nabazala bakhe abaninzi. Nangona uJabu wayedla ngokudlala nabazala neetshomi zakhe, eyona nto wayeyithanda, yayikukuya kwihlathi elikufutshane nekhaya lakhe aye kufunda izinto ezintsha.

Zazininzi izinto ezinokwenziwa ehlathini. Wayengabuka iintaka, akhangele iinyekevu, okanye abukele iintubi xa zisakha iziduli zazo.

UJabu wayesonwaba kakhulu ehlathini yonke imihla, kodwa yayimkhathaza into yokuba engakwazi ukubalisela abazali bakhe ngezinto azibonileyo.

Umama notata kaJabu babehlala eMossel Bay eNtshona Koloni. Babefowuna qho ngeveki, kodwa uJabu wayedla ngokuba nemizuzu embalwa yokuthetha nabo kuba wonke umntu wayeye afune ithuba lokuthetha nabo.

“Khawusapha ifowuni. Kukho into endifuna ukuyicela kuAnti,” wayeye atsho omnye umzala wakhe.

“Kukho into ebalulekileyo endifuna ukuyixelela utatakho,” wayeye akhwaze atsho umalume.

Ngoxa elinde elakhe ithuba, ingqondo yakhe yayiye ithathe ibeka icinga ngezinto ezibangela imincili azenzileyo awayefuna ukubalisela abazali bakhe ngazo. “Ndiza kubabalisela ukuba ndibone intaka enkulu ibamba impuku yasendle. Hayi! Mandibabalisele ngenyekevu endiyibone isitya amagqabi kusasa namhlanje. Hayi! Ndiza kubabalisela ngentubi eye yenyuka ngomlenze yazokungena kushoti wam. Hayi! …” yayisiba yiloo nto ke ecinga le naleya.

Xa kufika ithuba lakhe lokuba athethe nabazali bakhe, uJabu wayesiba nezinto ezininzi kakhulu afuna ukuzithetha kangangokuba wayeye aphele sele ethula efowunini, engazi ukuba makabalise liphi ibali.

Kuthe ngenye iveki, utitshala wakhe, uNkskz Nako, waxelela iklasi ngencwadi eluncedo kakhulu ebizwa ngokuba yidayari.

“Idayari yincwadi enamaphepha amaninzi ongabhala kuwo,” watsho uNkskz Nako exelela iklasi. “Ikhethekile kuba iphepha ngalinye lelosuku oluthile lonyaka ukusuka kuJanuwari ukuya kuDisemba. Ungayisebenzisa ukubhala izinto ezibalulekileyo ezenzeke ebudeni bemini. Ungayisebenzisa nokuze uphawule iintsuku ezithile, njengomhla wokuzalwa wakho, ukuze ukhumbule ukwenza izinto ngalo mini.”

UJabu waba nemincili!

“Yile nto kanye ndiyifunayo!” wacinga watsho evuya. “Ndidinga idayari ukuze ndibhale zonke izinto endizenzayo. Emva koko ndiza kuhlala phantsi ndigqibe ngezinto endifuna ukuzibalisela abazali bam xa bephinda befowuna!”

Ngoko nangoko emva kweklasi, uJabu wabaleka waya kuNkskz Nako wambuza ukuba unayo na idayari, nokuba indala, angampha yona ukuze ayisebenzise.

Ngethamsanqa, uNkskz Nako wayeze needayari ezincinci eklasini ukwenzela xa abafundi benokuzifuna. UJabu wavuya kakhulu. “Enkosi, Nkskz Nako. Awuyazi indlela ebaluleke ngayo le nto kum!” watsho encumile.

Idayari yakhe entsha yayincinci ngokwaneleyo ukuba ilingane epokothweni yakhe, ngoko wayekwazi ukuya nayo naphi na. Yayiblu kwaye ineribhoni ngaphakathi. UNkskz Nako wathi angasebenzisa iribhoni njengesiphawuli ukuze aphawule iphepha afuna ukutyhila kulo.

“Makhulu, jonga idayari yam entsha!” uJabu wakhwaza esangena ngegeyithi xa evela esikolweni. Wayenemincili kangangokuba akazange awabone amanzi anodaka awayephambi kwakhe. Wawanyathela waza wayokuwa kuwo! Wonke umntu wamhleka – noJabu lowo waqalisa ukuzihleka.

“Tyhini, Jabu,” watsho uMakhulu, “Ndikuxelele nje ukuba ungabongxama xa unemincili. Jonga ngoku ungcoliswe ngamanzi anodaka! Kodwa ngethamsanqa idayari yakho entsha ayimanzanga.”

“Ndiyazi Makhulu,” watsho uJabu ephakama. “Kodwa yinto yokuqala le endiza kubhala ngayo kwidayari yam!”

Emva kokuba uJabu ehlambile waza waphumla emva kwesidlo sangokuhlwa, wahlala ecaleni kukaMakhulu waza waqalisa ukubhala.

Emva kweentsuku ezimbalwa, uJabu wavuya kakhulu kuba wayebhale izinto ezininzi azenzileyo kwidayari yakhe entsha. Wafaka iribhoni yokuphawula kwibali lendlela awawela ngayo kumanzi anodaka.

“Ndiyalithanda eli bali, Makhulu,” watsho uJabu. “Eli bali lindikhumbuza umhla endafumana ngawo idayari yam. Nobuchule bam bokubhala buya busiba bhetele, Makhulu, kuba ndibhala yonke imihla!”

“Intle loo nto, Jabu,” watsho uMakhulu, emncumele. “Khawuyothatha idayari yakho ke kuba abazali bakho baza kufowuna kungekudala.”

UJabu wakhupha idayari epokothweni yakhe. Wayevuya kwaye enemincili kuba ekugqibeleni esazi into aza kuyithetha xa kufike ithuba lakhe lokuthetha efowunini!

[Get story active!] Yenza ibali linike umdla!

• Zoba umfanekiso wale ndawo ebalini: Emva kokuba uJabu ehlambile waza waphumla emva kwesidlo sangokuhlwa, wahlala ecaleni kukaMakhulu waza waqalisa ukubhala.
• Fumana izidalwa ezine ezabonwa nguJabu kweli bali.
• Yenza idayari yeapile ye-3D ekwiphepha 4. Bhala ngento ebangela umdla eyenzeke kuwe namhlanje.