Kwakuyintsasa eqhaqhazelisa amazinyo. UMolemo waya ezihlohla epokothweni yebhlukhwe yakhe yesikolo izandla zakhe waza wanyusa amagxa njengoko wayelinde ukunqumla indlela ezirobhotini. Wayenxibe izikipa ezibini ngaphantsi kwehempe yakhe emhlophe yesikolo, kodwa wayesagodola.

“Brrrrrrr,” watsho uMolemo, engqisha ngeenyawo zakhe njengoko wayelinde irobhoti itshintshe. “Akwaba umakhulu ebenemali eyaneleyo yokundithengela ibhatyi.”

Kuthe nje ukuba kuthi gqi umntu omncinane oluhlaza erobhotini, uMolemo waqalisa ukunqumla indlela. Kodwa kanye ngelo xesha weva isikhalo emva kwakhe. Xa ejika ukuze ajonge, wabona indoda ijijisana nexhegokazi izama ukulihlutha ibhegi yalo ephathwayo.

“Ncedani! Ncedani!” wakhwaza lo makhulu.

UMolemo akazange alibazise – wabaleka wayokunceda ixhegokazi waza wakhaba le ndoda eqatheni kakhulu kangangoko anako. Le ndoda yakhala isiva iintlungu yaza yayiyeka ibhegi ephathwayo yalo mama. Emva koko yaqhwalela isimka ikhawuleza kangangoko inako.

“Uxolo, Makhulu, akakonzakalisanga kodwa?” wabuza uMolemo, ephakamisa lo mama ukuze eme ngeenyawo. Waye wawa xa umphangi eyeka ibhegi yakhe ephathwayo. “Bambelela apha kum egxalabeni,” watsho uMolemo.

Lo mama wayengcangcazela ibe ebonakala ngathi ufuna ukulila. “Enkosi, enkosi,” watsho. “Andazi ukuba abantu bangenwe yintoni kule mihla.”

Uthe akuma ngeenyawo kwakhona lo mama, uMolemo wachola izinto zakhe waza wamnika zona. “Kubhetele kuba sisenabo abantu abalungileyo abanjengawe,” 

Kamva ngaloo mvakwemini, uMolemo wanqumla indlela kwakwezo robhoti zinye xa egoduka. Wothuka akubona ukuba, laa makhulu wayelapho emlindile. Wancuma xa embona. “Mfana! Ndinento endikuphathele yona!” watsho njengoko wayenika uMolemo ipakethe esongelwe ngobunono. “Uyivule xa ufika ekhaya.”

UMolemo waziva eneentloni. “Akuyomfuneko ukuba undiphe nanto…,” waqalisa.

“Yithathe, yithathe,” watsho lo mama, emngena emlonyeni. “Yinto oyidinga ngokwenene. Xa bendidibana nawe, ndiqondile ukuba iza kukufanela.” Wabhambatha uMolemo emqolo waza wamqinisa egxalabeni. “Xa ingasakulingani, uyinike omnye umntwana olunge njengawe.” Emva koko wajika waza wemka.

Ukufika kukaMolemo ekhaya, wayivula le pakethe. Ngaphakathi kwakukho ibhatyi etyheli eqaqambileyo. Yayineepokotho ngaphandle kwaye  inephatheni ethandekayo etshekhi kumphakathi wayo. Yayintle. Kodwa xa eyiphakamisa, wafumanisa ukuba yayincinane kakhulu.

UMolemo wadana. “Soze indilingane!” wacinga. Kodwa ngenxa yokuba intle le bhatyi, wagqiba kwelokuba ayilinganise.

Kobo buthuba kwenzeka into emangalisa nyhani – umkhono wasekunene wale bhatyhi wabonakala ukhula njengoko wayefaka ingalo yakhe kuwo. Waya usiba mde de wayilingana ingalo yakhe. UMolemo wayengawakholelwa amehlo akhe. Yayingenakwenzeka into enje! UMolemo wagqiba kwelokuba afake enye ingalo kumkhono wasekhohlo wale bhatyhi. Kwakhona, wabonakala ikhula ngokukhula de wamlingana.

Le bhatyi yamlingana gingci uMolemo. Waphuma phandle ukuze aye kuzibuka efestileni. Wema ebeke izandla zakhe esinqeni emva koko wazifaka epokothweni yebhatyi yakhe. Wayefaneleka nyhani!

Kuthe kusenjalo, udadewabo omdala, uNina, wathi gqi ekoneni. Wayebonakala ediniwe. UMolemo wathatha ibhegi yakhe waza wamlandela bangena endlwini. “Kunjani? Ndingakwenzela iti?” wabuza.

UNina wahlala phantsi kwitafile yasekhitshini. “Akhonto, qha ndidiniwe,” watsho, ezama ukumncumela. “Kunzima ukukhangela umsebenzi. Ndingayivuyela iti, enkosi.”

Kwakubonakala ngathi uNina wayesoloko ekhangela umsebenzi. Le nto yamenza buhlungu uMolemo. Wayesebenze nzima kakhulu ukuze agqibe esikolweni, ibe wayesazi ukuba yayimkhathaza into yokuba engade afumane msebenzi emva kokuba ewukhangele iminyaka emithathu.

“Ndiqinisekile uza kuwufumana kungekudala, Nina. Ukhuthele kwaye awuncami,” watsho uMolemo.

Wajika waza walayita isitovu separafini ukuze abilise amanzi eti. “Ngaske uNina afumane umsebenzi omhle,” wacinga watsho. Wabeka iketile esitovini waza wabeka ikomityi enesingxobo samagqabi ngaphakathi.

UMolemo wafaka izandla zakhe epokothweni yalo bhatyi ngoxa elinde amanzi ukuba abile. Ngelo xesha weva isiqwenga sephepha sihlohlwe kwikona yepokotho yasekunene. Wothuka. UMolemo wazibuza enoba besikade silapho na ntonje inguye ongasiqaphelanga.

Ngobunono, wakhupha elo phepha epokothweni. Yayisisibhengezo sephephandaba esisongwe kakuhle esasibhalwe: UMSEBENZI UYAFUMANEKA. Kufunwa umntu onematriki!

UMolemo wancuma. Kwakubonakala ngathi ithamsanqa laliza kuyifikela intsapho yakowabo ibe yonke loo nto yayibangelwa sisipho seliya xhegokazi.

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