Kwasukasukela, uSikhukukazi, namachwane akhe amathathu amancane, babehlala ensimini noNkomazi.

UNkomazi wayekuthanda ukuklaba njengoba ayehamba indlela yonke enqamula ensimini ezovakashela umngane wakhe, uSikhukukazi. Kodwa izikhathi zazinzima. Imvula ifike sekwephuzile kulo nyaka, futhi kunotshani obuncane kakhulu. UNkomazi wayelambe kakhulu njengoba ayesondela kancane kancane ehhokweni likaSikhukukazi. Umnikazi wepulazi wayekhohliwe ukuthenga utshani obomile.

USikhukukazi wajabula lapho ebona uNkomazi. “Sawubona, mngane wami,” kusho uSikhukukazi. “Yithi ngikulethele amanzi abandayo, aqabulayo uphuze. Kumelwe ukuthi unxaniwe ngemva kokuhamba ibanga elide kangaka.” USikhukukazi wayesephuthuma eyothatha amanzi ukuze uNkomazi aphuze.

Njengoba uNkomazi ayelele emthunzini wesihlahla sameva esikhulu, esidala, amachwane amathathu amancane ayedlala eduze naye. Ayeyizibutubutwana futhi eyelo, njengezimbali zesihlahla se-tabebuia uNkomazi ayezibona ngezinye izikhathi entwasahlobo.

Isisu sikaNkomazi sabubula futhi saduma njengoba ayebukele amachwane edlala. Waphakamisa ikhanda lakhe futhi wabuka ngenhla kwehlombe lakhe ngokungathi udliwa unembeza. Okokuqala ngakwesokudla, kwase kuba ngakwesobunxele kwase kuba ngakwesokudla futhi. uSikhukukazi wayengakabonakali ndawo.

Manje-ke, izinkomazi azivamile ukudla inyama, kodwa khumbula, kungenzeka noma yini! UNkomazi wayelambe kakhulu kangangoba ngaphambi kokuba acabange, wagxuma wema ngezinyawo futhi waqala ukugijimisa izibutubutwana ezincane eziyelo!

Amachwane amathathu asakazeka phambi kukaNkomazi, ejeqeza ngobumnene ethi: “Sishesha njengombane, sijik’ eduze. Ngeke usibambe noma ungazama. Sishesha njengombane, sijik’ eduze. Ngeke usibambe noma ungazama.”

Ngaso leso sikhathi, uSikhukukazi wabuya ephathele uNkomazi amanzi. Wabuka izikhatha zothuli ezazingaphezu kwamachwane akhe amancane.

“Kwenzekani lapha?” kubuza uSikhukukazi, emamatheka ebheke amachwane amathathu.

“UNkomazi udlala ngokuthi asibambe,” amachwane ejeqeza, ewa eba yizibhodongo elinye phezu kwelinye, imilenze iphezulu emoyeni.

“Kodwa uthatha kancane,” entshiyoza. Ayesegxumela phezulu futhi agijima angena ephuma ngaphansi kwemilenze kaNkomazi ukuze abonise indlela ayeshesha ngayo.

“Musani ukukhathalisa umngane wethu,” uSikhukukazi ekekela etshela amachwane akhe ngaphambi kokuba ahambe ayolanda ukudla okulula okwengeziwe elandela uNkomazi.

Lapho nje uSikhukukazi esesithele, uNkomazi waphinda wajaha amachwane, ezama ngamandla onke ukubamba elilodwa okungenani. Kodwa asakazeka ngokushesha, ecula: “Sishesha njengombane, sijik’ eduze. Ngeke usibambe noma ungazama. Sishesha njengombane, sijik’ eduze. Ngeke usibambe noma ungazama.”

Ngesikhathi uSikhukukazi ebuya, ulimi lukaNkomazi lwalulenga ngaphandle komlomo wakhe, futhi ngomthamo owodwa omkhulu, wagwinya amanzi uSikhukukazi ayewabeke phambi kwakhe.

“Ahlale engaphansi kwezinyawo zothile. Athanda ukudlala,” kusho uSikhukukazi. “Kodwa okungenani ngiyazi ukuthi aphephile okhozini, oluhlale lubhekile lukude.” USikhukukazi wabheka phezulu ngokukhathazeka wayesemamatheka ebheke uNkomazi. “Ngiyabonga ngokungigadela bona lapho ngisahambile,” etshela umngane wakhe.

UNkomazi wayazi ukuthi kwakungekhona lokho okwakwenzekile ngempela, futhi nakuba azizwa kabi, wamane wavuma enqekuzisa ikhanda ngokukhathala. Manje, wayesefile yindlala. Ukujahana namachwane kwakumqede wonke amandla.

Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, uNkomazi wasukuma wavalelisa kuSikhukukazi, ezibuza ukuthi uzokwazi yini ngisho nokuhamba le ndlela ende ebuyela kwakhe.

UNkomazi wangena kwakhe lapho nje amathunzi akusihlwa eseqala ukubukeka emade phansi. Wakhululeka lapho ebona indunduma enkulu yotshani obomile obabulethwe ngumnikazi wepulazi. Lapho nje eseqale ukudla, akazange eme. Wadla wadla wadla waze wasutha kakhulu kangangoba wantanta waya phezulu wayofika enyangeni, njengebhalune elikhulu, elimibalabala. Phela khumbula, kungenzeka noma yini!

Yenza indaba ihlabe umxhwele!

• Yini engavamile kunazo zonke oke wayidla? Dweba umfanekiso walokho kudla. Ngezansi komfanekiso, chaza iphunga nendlela lokho kudla okunambitheka ngayo.
• Bhala isiphetho esisha sale ndaba. Yini eyayizokwenzeka ukube babungekho utshani obomile bokuba uNkomazi adle lapho ebuya ekhaya? Khumbula, kungenzeka noma yini!