“Ibali, ibali, khawuncede kaloku Gogo usibalisele ibali,” wacenga watsho uNeo. UBella wancuma waza wanqwala naye.

“Ewe, siyakucela wethu,” watsho uAfrika owayefunqulwe nguGogo.

UGogo wahleka. “Kulungile ke,” watsho, “makhe ndinibalisele ibali lokuba naba ngabahlobo njani na. Ingaba benisazi ukuba konke kwaqala ngenjana?”

UNeo wanqwala. UBella wancuma waze wathi, “Sibalisele, sibalisele,” Ngoko ke, noGogo waqalisa ukubalisa ibali.

Ngobunye ubusuku, kutsha nje, injana yayihamba ijoja kuyo yonke imigqomo yenkunkuma eyayidibana nayo. Yayilambile kwaye yayilahlekile. Yayingazazi nalapho yayisiya khona kodwa yayisazi ukuba isisu sayo asinanto kwaye ifuna ukutya!

“Usizana lwenjana,” watsho u-Afrika.

Kodwa kwakungekho kutya kufutshane nemigqomo yenkunkuma. Injana yayikhalela phantsi, incwina. Yayifuna ukutya kunye nendawo efudumeleyo yokulala. Yahamba ithoba isitalato. Kwakukho izindlu ezininzi kodwa ezinye zazo zazinezinja ezinkulu ezaziyikhonkotha ziyigragramele ngamazinyo azo amakhulu. Yayisoyika kakhulu.

Kwathi ekugqibeleni, ekupheleni kwesitalato, yabona indlu encincane eyayingenazo izinja ezinkulu eyadini. Kwakukhanyisiwe ngaphakathi kuyo kwaye yayikhangeleka ishushu inombizane nobubele, ngoko ke injana yasondela kule ndlwana.

Yathi xa isiya isondela yahlangatyezwa livumba elimnandi. Ucango lwangaphambili lwaluvulekile, ngoko ke yayikwazi ukubona okungaphakathi. Yabona intombazana encinane ifunda incwadi. Yayizihlekela, ibuka imifanekiso.

“Lixesha lesidlo sangokuhlwa,” injana yeva ilizwi lithethela phantsi nangobubele lisitsho. Yabukela lo gama umama wentombazanana ebeka ipleyiti ezele iinoodles phezu kwetafile. “Ndiza kuya kulanda eyam ipleyiti nesauce. Hlamba izandla zakho msinyane,” watsho umama wayo njengokuba wayebuyela ekhitshini. Intombazanana yakhawuleza yaya kungena kwigumbi lokuhlambela.

Lowo yayingumzuzu injana eyayilinde wona. Yakhawuleza yangena endlwini yatsibela esitulweni, yayifaka yatshona intloko yayo epleyitini eshushu nemnandi yeenoodles, yazibetha entloko ezo noodles. Ngokukhawuleza, yathi letshe yabaleka yaphuma phandle kwakhona, yazimela.

“Hayi bo Mama,” yakhwaza yatsho intombazanana ihlala etafileni, “akukho kutya kule pleyiti yam.”

“INTONI?” Umama wakhe wakhawuleza wabuyela kwelo gumbi. “Kodwa bendisandul’ ukukuphakela ngoku.” Wajika wajonga umnyango owawuvuliwe. “O ndiyabona” watsho, “makube kukho into okanye umntu ongenileyo wakuba ukutya kwakho.” Waluvala ucango lwangaphambili waza walutshixa.

Ngelo xesha injana yayibaleke yajikela eyadini ngasemva. Yafumana ucango lwasekhitshini luvuliwe yaza yangena ngaphakathi. Eli gumbi lalizele livumba elimnandi lokutya. Apho phezu kwetafile yasekhitshini kwakukho imbiza enkulu kunye nenye ipleyiti yenoodles. Injana yatsibela esitulweni kwakhona yazingcwaba kuloo pleyiti, yaqalisa ukutya.

Kanye ngaloo mzuzu intombazanana kunye nomama wayo bangena ekhitshini.

“Kuqhubeka ntoni na apha?” watsho umama wale ntombazanana ekhwaza.

Injana yayisoyika; yanwayiza yaya ngasekoneni, incwina.

“Sikuthini? Umdaka KAKHULU,” watsho umama.

“Ooo,”yatsho intombazana, “kwaye nomlomo wakho usazele iinoodles!”

“Vala ucango, ” watsho umama wentombazana. “Siza kuqala sitye size emva koko siyihlambe.” Emva kokutya benza njalo.

“Ngoku ke,” watsho uGogo, “ngubani onokuqashela ukuba bayithiya igama elithini loo njana?”

“NGUNOODLE!” wakhwaza uBella kunye noNeo.

“Ewe,” watsho uGogo. “Niyabazi ukuba ngoobani aba bantu basebalini?”

“NguBella kunye noMama,” wakhwaza uAfrika.

“YAYINDIM!” watsho uBella. UNeo wahleka.

“Kodwa esi ayisosiphelo sebali eso,” watsho uGogo. UBella kwafuneka ukuba afumanise ukuba leyo yayiyinjana kabani na. Wayenokukwazi ukuyigcina kuphela xa engamfumani umniniyo. Ngoko ke, ngosuku olulandelayo uBella nomama wakhe bangena kuzo zonke izindlu ezisebumelwaneni bebuzisa ngale njana. Kwakungekho mntu wakhe wayibona ngaphambili. Endlelni uBella wadibana noMme wa Afrika kunye no….”

“NAM!” wakhwaza uAfrika.

“Ewe,” watsho uGogo, “kwaba njalo ke ukuhlangana kwenu noNoodle. Leyo ke yindlela enathi naba ngabahlobo ngayo waza noNoodle waba yinja kaBella, kuba kwakungekho mntu owathi yinja yakhe.”

“Kwaye yeyona nja ilungileyo kulo lonke ihlabathi,” watsho uBella.

“Kwaye nathi singabona bahlobo bakhulu ehlabathini,” watsho uNeo.