UTata uSmuts wayengumlobi. Kodwa, iintlanzi zazingeninzanga njengokuba kwakunjalo kudala kwaye ngezinye iimini wayekhe abuye nelize. Xa kunjalo, isi-aram esinguTata uSmuts sasiye sizive sikhathazeke kakhulu.
Xa kunjalo uMama uSmuts wayeye amange aze athi, “Kuza kulunga, soze silale singatyanga.” USannie noFrikkie babeye bongeze ngelithi, “Icebo liyazakha Tata, zange silale singatyanga.” Ngokwenene kwakusoloko kunjalo kuba …
… akukho namnye owayelima iitumato ezibomvu, iipepile eziluhlaza, iminqathe ekramkram kunye nekhaphetshu eligramgram ukodlula uTata uSmuts, encediswa nguSannie noFrikkie.
Kwaye akukho namnye, nditsho omnye nje kuphela, owayekwazi ukuguqula ezona tumato zibomvu, iipepile eziluhlaza, iminqathe ekramkram kunye nekhaphetshu eligramgram zibe sisidlo esimnandi ukodlula uMama uSmuts, encediswa nguSannie noFrikkie!
Ngenye imini yethamsanqa, uTata uSmuts wabambisa iintlanzi ezintlanu. Wathengisa ezine waza enye wayigcina ukuze agoduke nayo khon’ ukuze ilungiselelwe isidlo sangokuhlwa.
Wathi xa uTata uSmuts edlula esitendini sikaMariya, uMariya wambuza esithi, “Ungandibiza malini ngaloo ntlanzi?”
“Uxolo Mariya,” watsho uTata uSmuts, “le yeyesidlo sethu sangokuhlwa.”
“Kunganjani,” kubuza uMariya, “xa uthatha enye into eyohlukileyo ugoduke nayo, into efana nesoseji? Ayinakuba yinto emnandi na leyo?”
UTata uSmuts wacinga umzuzwana, kodwa yaba ngumzuzwana nje kuphela kuba iisoseji zazikhangeleka zimnandi ngokwenene! Ngoko ke, uMariya noTata uSmuts batshintshiselana waze uTata uSmuts wakhawuleza ukugoduka.
Kwabakho uchulumanco olukhulu xa uTata uSmuts axelela uMama uSmuts, uSannie noFrikkie malunga nosuku lwakhe lwethamsanqa. Kwakungathi uze nobutyebi ekhaya kwaye ke ngokwenene wayeze nabo, ngenye indlela.
UMama uSmuts wazikhuphela kweyona pleyiti yakhe intle iisoseji wazibeka ekhabhathini. Wayeyazi kakuhle into awayeza kuyenza ngazo. Wayeza kwenza eyona Chakalaka yakhe yamnandi aze akugqiba anqunqe iisoseji azizamisele kuyo. Ngaloo ndlela yayiza kuba ngathi zininzi kakhulu.
UMama uSmuts wanqunqa, esika izilayi, wacukuceza, eqhola, encediswa nguSannie noFrikkie.
Lo gama uMama uSmuts esongeza intwana yale aze agalele kakhulu leya, uSannie noFrikkie bancedisa uTata uSmuts ukulungiselela isidlo sangokuhlwa itafile ngokukha iintyatyambo zokuyihombisa.
Ekugqibeleni lafika ixesha lesidlo. Esinjani sona!
“Mh!” kutsho uSannie.
“Mh, mh!” kutsho uFrikkie.
Waze, “Ah mh, ah, mh!” watsho uTata uSmuts. “Andikhange ndicingele ukuba inokwenzeka, kodwa le iChakalaka yeyona ingcono kunowakha wazenza. Ezaa soseji zenze umahluko omkhulu!”
UMama uSmuts zange athethe. Kodwa, ukuba uTata uSmuts, uSannie noFrikkie babengaxakekanga besitya ukutya abazongeze kona ngebabemvile xa wayesenza isingqala.
UMama uSmuts waya ekhabhathini esekhitshini ngokukhawuleza. Wazigquma ezo soseji zipinki ziqumqum, wabe emangalisiwe ukuba uzilibele njani ukuzizamisela kwiChakalaka yakhe.
Kodwa wabuya wacinga, “Iisoseji sisidlo sakusasa. Kuza kuba mnandi kakhulu!”
