Kwesukasukela, kwakukhona indoda eyayimpofu kakhulu eyayibizwa ngoMzi.

“Izingane zilambile, asinayo imali yokuthenga ukudla,” kukhala inkosikazi,

uPhumla. “Sizokwenzenjani?”

“Ngizoyozingela,” kusho uMzi. “Uma ngibamba impangele, sizodla kamnandi.” Washo ephuma eya ehlathini nesihlilingi sakhe namatshe amancane. Emva kwesikhashana nje wahlangana nempangele ekhuluphele endaweni evulekile esikhotheni. UMzi wama nesihlilingi sakhe ezilungiselele ukuyinemba ngesikhathi …

“Ungangidubuli,” kukhala impangele. “Ngiyinyoni yekhethelo. Ngingakwenza ucebe.”

UMzi wabeka phansi isihlilingi sakhe. “Usho ukuthini?” kubuza yena. “Ngabe ungangicebisa ngempela?”

“Ngizalela amaqanda egolide,” kusho impangele. “Uma wethembisa ukuthi ngeke ungibulale, ngizokuzalelela iqanda legolide.”

UMzi wathatha impangele waya nayo ekhaya.

“A, yisidlo sakusihlwa-ke lesi,” kumemeza uPhumla ngesikhathi efika ekhaya. “Bulala impangele ngiyifake ebhodweni.”

“Chabo bo,” kusho uMzi. “Le mpangele ayifani nezinye. Le impangele yomlingo ezalela amaqanda egolide.”

“Kumele ungakholelwa kuyo yonke into oyizwayo,” kuhleka inkosikazi yakhe. “Nginike imbazo. Ngizoyibulala ngokwami.”

Impangele yabantu yethuka kakhulu. Yakhala kakhulu kangangoba yaze yazalela iqanda, khona lapho phambi komnyango! UPhumla wabuka iqanda wacwayiza. Wacikica amehlo wabuka futhi. Iqanga legolide ngempela!

UMzi waliphakamisa ngokucophelela. “Lisinda kakhulu,” kusho yena. “Kufanele ukuthi igolide elicolekile.”

“Igolide elicolekile!” kukhala impangele ngokuziqhenya.

“Sesicebile!” kumemeza uMzi.

“Sengingahamba manje?” kubuza impangele.

“Cha,” kuthetha uPhumla, egxavula impangele eyifaka ekhejini. “Kumele uhlale la bese uzalela amanye amaqanda.”

UPhumla noMzi baya kothengisa igolide. Bathengisa iqanda ngemali enkulu – yayiningi kangangoba yayanele ukudla konyaka wonke nengubo entsha kaPhumla. UMzi wayejabule kakhulu. Izingane zakhe zazinokudla, unkosikazi wakhe wayenengubo entsha kanti yena wayenempangele yomlingo ezalela amaqanda egolide.

Njalo ekuseni emva kwalokho umndeni wawuthola iqanda legolide ekhejini. Kungaphelanga sikhathi base benakho konke abakufisayo: indlu entsha, imoto emnyama ecwebezelayo, umabonakude onesikrini esikhulu, kanye nezingubo zokugqoka eziningi ezinhle. Njalo ebusuku babezitika ngokudla okumnandi, futhi wonke umuntu edolobheni langakubo wayefisa ukuba yibona.

Kodwa uPhumla wayengathokozile. “Ngisafuna okunye okuningi! Mpangele, ngizalelele amaqanda amabili ngosuku,” kusho yena ngesankahlu.

“Ngikwazi ukuzalela iqanda elilodwa kuphela ngosuku,” kukhala impangele.

“Kodwa ngidinga indlu enkulu kunale,” kusho uPhumla. “Ngifuna imoto engcono – kulokhu ngifuna ebomvu, ngifuna ukuhamba amazwe omhlaba, bese …”

“Kodwa sicebe kakhulu,” kugwavuma uMzi. “Kungani ungavele uthokoze?”

“Ngifuna okuningi,” kusho uPhumla. “Ngifuna amaqanda amabili nsuku zonke. Ngifuna ukuba umuntu ocebe kunabo bonke ezweni lonke.”

“Ngeshwa, ngeke ngikwazi,” kukhala impangele. “Ngikwazi ukuzalela iqanda elilodwa kuphela ngosuku.”

“Kuzomele wenzenjalo,” kusho uPhumla, esikaza ngezembe. Impangele yayethuke kakhulu nemilenze yayo yaze yaqhaqhazela yase … idudula, ikhanula, yase ikhala, yaphinde yakhala futhi kwase … kuphuma elinye iqanda! Yakwazi ukukhanula amaqanda amabili nsuku zonke.

Ngemva kwamasonto ambalwa uPhumla wayengakeneliswa. “Ngifuna amaqanda amathathu ngosuku,” kusho yena. “Ngifuna ukuba umuntu ocebe kunabo bonke kulo lonke elase-Afrika.”

“Ngeke ngikwazi ukuzalela amaqanda amathathu ngosuku,” kubabaza impangele

“Zama kakhudlwana!” kuthetha uPhumla. “Nginike amaqanda amathathu njengamanje, kungenjalo ngizokunquma ikhanda!”

Impangele eyethukile yakhala yase idudula yakhanula yase izalela iqanda. Yase idudula yase ikhanula, yaphinde yakhanula futhi, yagcina seyikhiphe iqanda lesibili.

“Elinye futhi,” kumemeza uPhumla, “kungenjalo ngizokuqoba ube yizicucu!”

Impangele yadudula yase ikhanula, yase idudula, ikhanula futhi, kusenjalo … yawa, yafa.

“Buka-ke ukuthi wenzeni!” kumemeza uMzi. “Impangele bandla isifile.”

“Ake siyisike siyivule,” kukhala uPhumla. “Kumele ukuthi igcwele amaqanda.” Wathatha umbese wase evula isisu sempangele. Kodwa, kwakungekho maqanda ngaphakathi, abazange baphinde bathola elinye iqanda legolide futhi.