UMnumzane Shabalala wayenomhlaba omkhulu. Wayenendlu enhle, isihlahla samahhabhula, izikhukhukazi kanye nesivande semifino.

Isihlahla samahhabhula sasisikhulu kakhulu. Amagatsha aso ayenabe kakhulu engadini yakhe naphezu kodonga aze afika engadini esodongeni olungemuva. Ngesinye isikhathi kwakuba namahhabhula amaningi kangangoba wayegcina engasazi ukuthi enze njani ngawo wonke.

Izikhukhukazi zakhe zazimkhiqizela amaqanda amakhulu, ansundu. Wayengakwazi ukudla wonke amaqanda ayezalelwa izikhukhukazi zakhe, ngakho amanye amaqanda ayechamsela nokwakwenza ukuthi abe nezinkukhu eziningi ukudlula wonke umuntu edolobheni.

Isivande sakhe semifino sasihlale sigcwele izinto eziningi ezimnandi ezidliwayo, kodwa ngesinye isikhathi kwakubakhona amathanga, ummbila, amazambane kanye neminye imifino okuningi kakhulu.

Kodwa uMnumzane Shabalala wayeyindoda engenamusa. Wayengathandi ukwabelana nabanye abantu. Uma kwakukhona umuntu owayesondela eduze nendlu kanye nengadi yakhe, wayethukuthela agane unwabu. Ngakho uMnumzane Shabalala wayengenaye noyedwa umngani.

Ezinye izinto zazimdina kakhulu kangangokuthi wayeze athethe. Ngesikhathi abantu behleli ngaphansi komthunzi wesihlahla samahhabhula ngemva kodonga lwakhe, babebanga umsindo kakhulu. Uma kuwa amahhabhula esihlahleni esingemva kodonga lwakhe, izingane zaziwacosha. Zazidlala, zidle amahhabhula zibange nomsindo omkhulu. Ngesinye isikhathi izikhukhukazi zakhe zaziphuma ngembobo encane esocingweni. Uma zenze kanjalo, zazizalela amaqanda azo ensimini ngaphandle kodonga. Wayezwa abantu besifazane bekhuluma ngesikhathi bethola amaqanda, futhi wayazi kahle ukuthi bagoduka namaqandaakhe. Kodwa okunzima nakakhulu ukuthi, ngesinye isikhathi kwakuye kufike umfana omncane azocela imbewu evela esivandeni sakhe semifino.

Ngelinye ilanga, uMnumzane Shabalala wayethukuthele kangangokuthi wanquma ukuthi uzoyekisa wonke umuntu ukumhlupha. Wathatha isaha lakhe wanquma onke amagatsha esihlahla samahhabhula ayelengela phezu kodonga lwakhe. Wavala imbobo ocingweni lwakhe ukuze izikhukhukazi zakhe zingaphumi. Futhi wayethukuthele kakhulu kangangokuba waze wemba isivande sakhe semifino.

“Ekugcineni ngizohlala kahle ngokuthula kungekho muntu ongihluphayo noma ongintshontshela okuthile,” kusho yena.

Akudlulanga sikhathi eside kwaba namahhabhula amaningi kakhulu esihlahleni. Kwakunezikhukhukazi, amatshwele namaqanda okuningi kakhulu. Njengoba kwakungasekho sivande semifino nje, wayengenamifino uMnumzane Shabalala.

Kodwa kwakukhona enye into eyayinzima kakhulu kunalokho. Kwase kuthule kakhulu manje kangangokuthi uMnumzane Shabalala waze waphathwa ikhanda. UMnumzane Shabalala wabantu, akazanga ukuthi angenzenjani ngakho konke lokhu kuthula. Wavula umnyango wakhe wangaphambili wase ememeza kakhulu ngendlela ayengakwazi ukwenza ngayo, ukuze kube nomsindo.

Ngokushesha, kwagijima abantu beza endlini yakhe.

“Ngabe konke kuhamba kahle?”

“Ngabe uzilimazile?”

“Singakusiza?”

“Ngi… Ngi…” UMnumzane Shabalala akazanga ukuthi athini. Noma wayenonya futhi engenamusa, wonke umuntu weza ezobheka ukuthi konke kuhamba kahle yini. UMnumzane Shabalala waphatheka kabi waqala ukukhala. “Ngiyaxolisa,” kusho yena. “Ngiyaxolisa.”

“Siyaxolisa ngokubanga umsindo emthunzini wesihlahla sakho,” kusho omunye.

“Siyaxolisa ngokuthatha amahhabhula,” kusho izingane.

“Siyaxolisa ngokuthatha amaqanda,” kusho owesifazane.

“Cha bo!” kusho uMnumzane Shabalala. “Bengizicabangela mina nje futhi ngedelela; ngiyaxolisa. Ngakho, ngiyanicela, ngenani nonke ngizokwabelana nani ngayo yonke into.”

UMnumzane Shabalala wabelana ngayo yonke into kusukela ngalelo langa. Wethembisa futhi nokuthi uzovumela amagatsha esihlahla sakhe akhule eqe ngaphezu kothango, nokuthi uzovula imbotshana yezikhukhukazi namatshwele ocingweni.

Wayemamatheka ngokujabula ngesikhathi sekuhambe wonke umuntu, ngoba kwase kukhona imisindo yabantu abathokozile ngaphandle.

Kusenjalo uMnumzane Shabalala wakhumbula ukuthi akanaso isivande semifino. Ngaleso sikhathi wezwa umuntu ongqongqoza kancane emnyango wakhe ongaphambili. Wavula umnyango wakhe wabona umfana omncane emi lapho.

“Awu bakithi,” kusho yena, “ungumfana obehlale ezocela imbewu.”

“Yebo,” kusho umfana, “kodwa ngiyazi ukuthi awusenaso isivande semifino manje. “Ngabe ngingakusiza usitshale?”

Kanti kwaba okwesibili ngalelo langa, uMnumzane Shabalala echiphiza. Kodwa ngalesi sikhathi kwakuyizinyembezi zenjabulo.