Lapho uSibu ethuthela eLanga Avenue, uNkosikazi Magona watshela bonke omakhelwane ukuthi balethe okuncane nje kwalokhu nokuncane kwalokhuya, ukuze bamamukele. Ngakho uSibu wazitholela abangani abahle. Babemthanda kanti naye wayebathanda.
Ngeshwa kwakukhona into eyodwa eyayidina wonke umuntu. USibu wayeke athimule. Ukuthimula kwakhe kwakukubi kunakho konke emhlabeni jikelele. Lapho emi ngasemnyango wekhaya lakhe elincane bese ethi … ithi, ithi, ithi, …a-a-ah, aah …, kwakwethuka wonke umuntu.
Ngolunye usuku ekuseni, uSibu wavula umnyango wakhe wangaphambili. Kwaphuma ikatshana elimnyama ligijima kwase kuphuma noSibu. Waphakamisa ikhanda lakhe, wavula umlomo wakhe wase ethi, “Ah, -a-a-ah …”
“CHA!” kumemeza uNkosikazi Magona. “Ningamvumeli athimule. Ngokwedlule kokugcina kwenzeka lokhu, kwaphephula izingubo zami ezenekiwe zayongena exhaphozini. Mvimbeni khona manje!”
“CHA-A-A!”kumemeza uMnumzane Samson. “Mzukwane uSibu egcina ukuthimula waphephula wonke amarozi ami abomvu aba yisicaba. Ayemahle futhi eselungele ukuyodayiswa. Mvimbeni!”
“Ah, A-A-AH, A-A-A-AH …” kusho uSibu.
“Cha-a-a-a-a-a!” kumemeza uJabu noNozi. “Mzukwane egcina ukuthimula waphephula umsebenzi wethu wesikole owenzelwa ekhaya. Uthisha akazange asikholwe uma sithi kungenxa yokuthimula.”
“Sheshani! Sizozama okuncane kwalokhu kanye nokuncane kwalokhuya ukuze simvimbe angathimuli,” kusho uNkosikazi Magona ephethe iphekisi esandleni sakhe. Wavala ikhala likaSibu ngephekisi.
“A-a, a-a-ah … Libuhlungu! Ngicela ulisuse,” kusho uSibu.
UMnumzane Samson walethela uSibu ingilazi yamanzi. “Vala ikhala bese uphuza lokhu,” kusho yena.
Gwinsi, gwinsi. USibu egwinya, wase eqala ukukhwehlela.
“Sheshisa,” kusho uJabu ephethe indishi yephalishi. “Yidla lokhu.”
“Kuzogcina umlomo wakho kukhona okwenzayo,” kusho uNozi, “bese unyakazisa ikhala lakho.”
“A-a-a-a-a-a …” kusho uSibu edudula indishi. “Ah, a-a-ah …”
Ngakho wonke umuntu wama wase egqolozela elindile.
Ikatshana elimnyama elihleli odongeni labukela lalindela okuzokwenzeka. Lalazi kahle ukuthi kwakuzokwenzekani. Izingubo ezenekiwe zazizondiza, izimbali zizoba isicaba, kundize umsebenzi wesikole owenzelwa ekhaya, bese kwenzeka izinto ezintathu ezibalulekile. Uboya balo kanye nezindevu zalo zazizopheshulwa umoya omkhulu. Isihlabathi sasizophephukela emifantwini yodonga … bese … into enhle ukudlula zonke … amagundane ayezophuma egijima. Kanti-ke lalilambile.
“Aaaaah … thishSSHH …” Kwagoba wonke umuntu bezama nokucasha. “… SHOOOO!” kusho uSibu.
Kwandiza izingubo ezenekiwe. Izimbali zalala uwaca. Kwandiza umsebenzi wesikole owenzelwa ekhaya kaJabu noNozi. Kanti-ke okwathokozisa ikatshana elimnyama ukuthi kwaphuma amagundane egijima.
“Akukwazi ukuqhubeka lokhu. Kumele senze okuthile ngakho. Ngabe udle into ekwenze wathimula?” kubuza uNkosikazi Magona.
“Cha,” kuphendula uSibu.
“Ngabe kukhona okuhogele?” kubuza uNkosikazi Magona.
“Cha,” kuphendula uSibu.
“Empeleni, wenzeni?” kubuza uMnumzane Samson.
“Ngenze lokho engikwenza njalo ngoMgqibelo ekuseni,” kusho uSibu. “Ngivuke ngageza. Ngadla isidlo sami sasekuseni. Ngahlala esitulweni sami ukuze ngifunde incwadi yami, njengenjwayelo, kufike ikatshana elimnyama lazongibingelela.”
Kwaphenduka wonke umuntu wabheka ikatshana elimnyama.
“Ngabe ikati lakho?” kubuza uNkosikazi Magona.
“Cha!” kusho uSibu.
“Elikabani?” kubuza uNkosikazi Magona. Wonke umuntu wanikina ikhanda.
“Kuzomele-ke silixoshe. Buka, ijezi lakho ligcwele uboya obumnyama,” kusho uMnumzane Samson ekhomba.
“Awuzwani namakati, Sibu,” kusho uNkosikazi Magona. “Yingakho uthimula nje. Kumele silixoshe leliya kati.”
“Cha,” kusho uJabu noNozi kanyekanye. “Sizoya nalo ekhaya. UMa uthe singazitholela ikati.”
“Nizobe senenza kanjani ukuthi lingezi endlini kaSibu?” kubuza uNkosikazi Magona.
“Ubala lolo,” kusho uJabu. “Sizokwenza lokho ohlale ukusho.”
“Ngempela? Ngabe yini leyo?” kubuza uNkosikazi Magona.
“Sizolinika okuncane kwalokhu kanye nokuncane kwalokhuya ukuze silemukele,” kuphendula izingane.
Kwamamatheka wonke umuntu.
Ngakho uJabu noNozi baya ekatshaneni elimnyama, baphulula uboya balo base belihlebela amazwi amnandi. Kwamangala wonke umuntu ngesikhathi ikati lisukuma libalandela.
“Aaaah,” kusho uNkosikazi Magona ngokuziqhenya. “Kuyasebenza ngaso sonke isikhathi.”
“Kanti-ke manje,” kusho uSibu, “Ngizokwenza isitshulu senyama yenkomo ukuze sigubhe ukuthi ANGEKE NGISATHIMULA.”
Kusihlwa ngalelo langa omakhelwane bahlala bazungeza umlilo base bedla isitshulu esimnandi sikaSibu.
Ikatshana elimnyama lona? O, lalithokomele futhi lifudumele kakhulu ukuthi lingaphazamisa uSibu. Lalazi ukuthi ekhaya likaJabu noNozi, lalizothola okuncane kwalokhu kanye nokuncane kwalokhuya, kanye nothando oluningi ngendlela emangalisayo.
