Ngenye intsasa indoda engenakhaya yavuka ngokwesiqhelo. Yayichithe ubusuku bephezolo ingqiba, icela ukutya, kodwa zange kubekho nomnye umntu oyenzela ububele.

Isisu sasigrugruza kuba yayilambe kakhulu. Iqhutywa yingxingo neentsizi zokukhangela ukutya njalo, yazulazula kwiindawo ezithengisayo kuloo lali, ingqiba kubarhwebi ukuze ifumane ukutya okushiyekileyo nemibeko.

“Ncedani … ncedani … Sezimbini iintsuku ndingasatyi. Ncedani nikani indoda engenakhaya nesweleyo ukutya kwenu okushiyekileyo,” yabongoza isitsho le ndoda.

Kodwa abantu abaninzi benza ngathi ayibonakali emehlweni abo le ndoda. Abo bayibonayo, babeyigibisela ngeziqhamo ezibolileyo, beyenyelisa nangamagama amabi afana nala athi “wena uyimpuku yesitrato” kanye “uyinja yasebugxwayibeni”.

Emva kwemizamo emininzi nezithuko ezininzi,le ndoda yenza isigqibo sokuya kuphanda kwindawo ekuchithwa kuyo inkunkuma ekufutshane, ngethemba lokufumana ukutya apho.

Ithe isaphanda kwezo ngqimba zenkunkuma ebolileyo, yafumana ingxowa encinane eyenziwe ngesikhumba eyayibotshelelwe phezulu ngomtya. Yayiphakamisa yaza yayivula.

Yayizele ziingqekembe zegolide! Ngentliziyo ephuphuma luvuyo, yabala indyebo yayo ethe yayifumana.

“Inye, zimbini, zintathu … zilikhulu iingqekembe zegolide!” yatsho yakugqiba ukubala. “Ezi ziya kundondla ubomi bam bonke.”

Yathi xa le ndoda ibaleka ibuyela kwindawo yorhwebo ijonge phambili ekuhlohleni isisu sayo, yeva umrhwebi ekhwaza esithi, “Mamelani nonke! Ndilahlekelwe yingxowa yam yeengqekembe zegolide kwaye ndiya kumnika ibhaso nabani na onokuyibuyisela kum ingxowa leyo yam asakuyichola!”

Indoda engenakhaya yayilunge kakhulu, ngoko ke yamsizela umrhwebi lowo. Yenza isigqibo sokwenza into elungileyo.

“Ingaba yiyo le ingxowa ekulahlekeleyo?” yabuza, iphakamisele phezulu ingxowa leyo eyayiyichole.

“Owu, ewe, yiyo kanye le!” watsho umrhwebi ethatha ingxowa ebala iingqekembe zegolide ezazingaphakathi kuyo.

Indoda engenakhaya yalinda umzuzwana yaza yabuza ngelizwi eliphantsi, “Mnumzana, ubuthethe ngebhaso?”

“Ibhaso?” wamnyevulela umrhwebi. “Kutheni kufuneka ndikunike ibhaso nje? Sowuzibile nje ezinye iingqekembe!”

“Akukho nto ndiyithathe engxoweni. Ndicede wethu, kutheni ungandiniki ibhaso obuthembise ngalo nje?” yabuza indoda engenakhaya.

“Ingxowa ibindilahlekele ibineengqekembe zegolide ezingamakhulu amabini kuyo. Ngoku le ineengqekembe zegolide ezilikhulu kuphela. Sowuthathe ngaphezu kwebhaso lakho,” watsho ngomsindo umrhwebi.

“Uxolo Mnumzana, akukho nto ndiyibileyo,” yachaza njalo indoda engenakhaya. “Zonke iingqekembe ezisengxoweni, zisenjengoko bendizifumene, ncam.”

“Hamba suka apha, ndingekabizi abalindi bakakumkani ukuba bakubambe,” wangxola umrhwebi.

"Nokuba ndibonakala ndingafani nawe, kodwa ndiyindoda ethembekileyo,” yatsho indoda engenakhaya. “Biza abalindi ukuze ndibeke ubungqina bam phambi kukakumkani.”

Ngoko ke, umrhwebi wabiza abalindi. Umrhwebi wabalandela yaze yalandela nendoda engenakhaya ukuya kukumkani.

“Ndinganenzela ntoni nina nobabini?” wabuza ukumkani xa umrhwebi nendoda engenakhaya babemi phambi kwakhe.

Kwaqala kwathetha umrhwebi. Waxelela ukumkani icala lakhe lebali. Wazichaza ke umrhwebi ukuba bezingaphi na iingqekembe zegolide ebezisengxoweni elahlekileyo nendlela indoda engenakhaya ebe ngayo isiqingatha sazo.

Ukumkani wamamela umrhwebi waza wajika wajonga kwindoda engenakhaya wabuza, “Uthini ke wena?”

“Kumkani, ingxowa ndiyichole kwindawo ekuchithwa kuyo inkunkuma inekhulu kuphela leengqekembe zegolide,” yatsho indoda engenakhaya ithokombise intloko yayo ngelixa ithetha. “Yinyaniso emsulwa leyo.”

Ukumkani wacinga okwethutyana waza wathi, “Mrhwebi, ndikuve kakuhle? Uthi ingxowa yakho ibineengqekembe zegolide ezingamakhulu amabini kuyo.”

“Ewe, kumkani wam,” watsho umrhwebi.

“Ndiyabona,” watsho ukumkani ephulula intshebe yakhe ende.

“Ewe, ndiyanikholelwa nobabini kwaye ndingakusombulula ngendlela elula oku! Mrhwebi uthi ingxowa ebikulahlekele ibineengqekembe zegolide ezingamakhulu amabini.

Ininzi kakhulu loo golide ayinakuphatheka ngengxowa encinane. Kodwa, ingxowa efunyenwe yile ndoda engenakhaya ibineengqekembe zegolide ezilikhulu kuphela kuyo. Oko kuthetha ukuba le asiyongxowa ebikulahlekele. Ndikuyalela ke ngoko ukuba uyinikezele kwindoda engenakhaya le ingxowa kwangoku ndithetha nawe.”

Ngoko ke, umrhwebi wayengenakwenza ngakumbi, wanyanzeleka ukuba ayinikezele kwindoda engenakhaya leyo ingxowa enegolide.

Ukuthembeka kwendoda engenakhaya kwayihlawula, yaza yaphila ubomi obude nobonwabelekayo, yahlala inokutya okuninzi yonke imihla yokuphila kwayo.