Njalo ekuseni uKoketso usiza ugogo wakhe ukuthi aphe izinkukhu ukudla ehhokweni elisemva kwendlu.

“Pok, pok, pok,” kumemeza uGogo bese izinkukhu ziza zigijima ocingweni. “Pok, pok, pok,” bese zithi. “Paak, paak, paaaak!” Bese kuthi lapho uGogo kanye noKoketso bencika ocingweni olufushane ukuze basakaze imbewu, izinkukhu ziyadudulana, zishaye amaphiko azo zizungeze, bese zizama nokweqana ukuze zifinyelele ekudleni kuqala.

UKoketso uhlale ebala izinkukhu. “Inye, zimbili, zintathu, zine izinkukhu,” kusho yena, “bese kuba nenye eyodwa, ezimbili, ezintathu, ezine izinkukhu. Zikhona zonke, Gogo!”

Ngelinye ilanga ekuseni lapho uKoketso evuka wabona ugogo wakhe egqoke ijakhethi yakhe ephambili kanye nesigqoko.

“Kumele ngiyosiza uNkk Solomon emtholampilo namhlanje ekuseni,” kuchaza uGogo, “ngakho-ke anginaso isikhathi sokuyopha izinkukhu ukudla. Ungakwazi ukwenza lokhu wedwa, Koketso? Uyazi ukuthi kumele wenzeni.”

UGogo wathatha isikhwama sakhe, wavula umnyango wangaphambili. Wase ephendukela kuKoketso wathi, “Manje-ke ungakhohlwa ukunikeza izinkukhu amanzi, kanti, kukho konke okwenzayo, UNGAZIVUMELI ukuthi ziphume ehhokweni!”

“Hawu, Gogo,” kusho uKoketso, “Ngiyakwazi konke LOKHO!”

“Hhayi-ke, ngithemba kanjalo,” kusho uGogo. “Ucophelele bo! Ngizokubona ekuhambeni kwesikhathi. Usale kahle, Koketso.”

Kwathi nje uma sekuhambe ugogo wakhe, uKoketso wahlala phansi wadla isidlo sakhe sasekuseni. “Ngilambe ngokwedlulele,” ezitshela, “leziya zinkukhu kuzomele zithi ukulinda kancane!”

UKoketso waqeda indishi enkulu yephalishi wase ephuza ingilazi yobisi. Waseehlala esitebhisweni esisemnyango ongaphambili wadla ihhabhula.

“Sawubona!” washo ebingelela imambana enguMalume uKoos lapho edlula nethroli yokuthenga nenja yakhe encane.

“Sawubona, Ma!” kusho yena ethathazela uNkk Zihlangu ngaphesheya komgwaqo.

“Woza uzodlala nami, Pinky,” esho ememeza umzala wakhe, owayephuma esitolo esisekhoneni, ephethe ulofu wesinkwa.

“Uxolo, angeke ngikwazi. Nginemisebenzi okumele ngiyenze,” kuphendula uPinky ememeza. “Wena wunayo?”

UKoketso wakhumbula ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi akazange aziphe izinkukhu ukudla. “Mamo,” kusho yena, “usizi lolu ezinkukhwini ezilambile!”

Nempela, izinkukhu zazikhala futhi zikhononda ehhokweni lazo. UKoketso wavula isango elifushane ngokukhulu ukucophelela. “Pok, pok, pok,” kusho yena. “Uxolo zinkukhu, naku ukudla kwenu.” Wase esakaza imbewu phansi.

“Inye, zimbili, zintathu, zine izinkukhu,” kubala yena, “kanye nenye eyodwa, zimbili, zintathu zine izinkukhu.”

Wase ebona ukuthi indishi yamanzi yezinkukhu yayomile wabe esephuma ngejubane eyokha amanzi ekhishini – kodwa wakhohlwa ukuvala isango!

“Mamo!” kusho uKoketso lapho ebuya namanzi esebona izinkukhu zigijima yonke indawo egcekeni. “Mamo, hhayi bo, hhayi bo! Zinkukhu ezimbi! Buyani MANJE!”

Kodwa izinkukhu zaqhubeka nokugijima – zazungeza indlu, zaphuma eceleni kwendlu ngendledlana zayongena emgwaqweni!

Kwaqhamuka indoda eyayigibele ibhayisikili eliphuzi.

“Siza! Siza!” kukhala uKoketso. “Ngicela ungisize ukubamba izinkukhu zikaGogo!”

“Empeleni ngizokusiza,” kusho indoda, yase ijaha izinkukhu ngebhayisikili, ishaya insimbi yayo.

Ngenkathi uKoketso esezithendeni zayo, wacishe wazithela phezu kwethroli kaMalume uKoos.

“Siza! Siza!” kusho uKoketso ehefuzela. “Malume uKoos, ngicela ungisize ngibambe izinkukhu zikaGogo!”

“Kulungile ngizokusiza,” kusho uMalume uKoos, esho elandela izinkukhu kanye nendoda esebhayisikilini eliphuzi. Inja yakhe encane yayilandela, ikhonkotha kakhulu.

Lapho uKoketso egijima ehla ngomgwaqo elandela uMalume uKoos, wabona umngani wakhe, uDikeledi. UDikeledi wayezijwayeza ukwenza imigilingwane ku-skateboard sakhe.

“Siza! Siza, Dikeledi!” kumemeza uKoketso. “Ngicela ungisize ukuthi ngibambe izinkukhu zikaGogo!”

“Kulungile ngizokusiza,” kusho uDikeledi ejaha izinkukhu.

Lapho uKoketso egijima ngemva kukaDikeledi wacabanga ngazo zonke izinto ezimbi ezazingenzeka zinkukhwini. Zingashayiswa, noma zidliwe yinja. Noma, zazingaphonseka emfuleni zigwilize. “Mamo, uzothini uGogo?” ehefuzela. UKoketso kwathi akakhihle isililo.

“Buka ukuthi ngitholeni!” kusho izwi. Kwakuyindoda esebhayisikilini eliphuzi.

Yayiphethe izinkukhu ezimbili ngesikhwama sokuthenga.

“Inkukhu eyodwa, izinkukhu ezimbili,” kubala uKoketso. “Eyi, ngiyabonga! Manje sekumele ngithole ezinye.”

Kusenjalo kwafika uMalume uKoos nezinye izinkukhu ezisebhokisini lekhadibhodi elivulekile ethrolini yakhe. “Nazi-ke, mntakwethu!” kusho yena, esenephika.

“Inkukhu eyodwa, ezimbili, ezintathu, izinkukhu ezine,” kubala uKoketso. “Lokhu kuchaza ukuthi nginenkukhu eyodwa, izinkukhu ezimbili ezivela endodeni yebhayisikili eliphuzi, kanye nenye inkukhu eyodwa, izinkukhu ezimbili, ezintathu kanye neyesine ezivela kuMalume uKoos. Ngiyabonga kakhulu, ngempela! Manje sekumele ngithole ezinye.”

Kusenjalo uDikeledi wavela eseshwibeka nge-skateboard sakhe. “Bheka ukuthi ngitholeni, Koketso!” washo egodle inkukhu ekhwapheni lakhe.

“Lokho kwenza ngibe nenkukhu eyodwa, izinkukhu ezimbili, ezintathu, ezine,” kusho uKoketso, “kanye nenye inkukhu eyodwa, ezimbili, ezintathu. Ngiyabonga kakhulu, bakithi, ngiyabonga! Kodwa ayikatholakali inkukhu eyodwa!”

Abangani bakaKoketso bamsiza ukubuyisela izinkukhu ehhokweni lazo. Basebemsiza ukufuna inkukhu yokugcina yonke indawo, kodwa akukho namunye owayithola.

Lapho uGogo ebuya ekhaya evela emtholampilo, uKoketso wamenzela itiye. “Hlala phansi, Gogo,” kusho uKoketso. “Kufanele ukuthi ukhathele kakhulu! Hlala phansi uzitholele inkomishi emnandi yetiye kanye nebhisikidi!”

UGogo wagqolozela uKoketso. “Ngabe konke kuhamba kahle?” kubuza yena. “Awujwayele ukungenzela itiye.”

UKoketso wakhihla isililo. “We, Gogo,” kukhala yena. “Kwenzeke into embi kakhulu ngesikhathi ungekho!” Wase etshela ugogo wakhe lonke udaba. “Kanti-ke,” ekhala, “inkukhu eyodwa isalahlekile. Futhi yile oyithandayo – le eyimpangele.”

“Kubi impela lokho, Koketso,” kusho uGogo eqinisa izwi. “Leyo ibizalela amaqanda amaningi ukudlula ezinye. Empeleni-ke ngiyethemba ukuthi ufunde ukucophelela kakhulu kunakuqala!”

“Yebo, ngifundile, Gogo,” kuhogela uKoketso. “Ngifunde ngempela!”

Kusenjalo kwezwakala umsindo wokukhala kwenkukhu ekhoneni lekhishi. Kwathi lapho oGogo noKoketso bebheka, babona inkukhu ebilahlekile. Ibizihlalele ithokozile phezu kwengqumbi yezingubo eziwashiwe kubhasikidi wezingubo ezizowashwa!

UGogo wathatha inkukhu wase eyiphulula umlomo wayo. “Ngiyajabula ukuthi ubuyile,” kusho uGogo.

“Awubheke, Gogo,” kusho uKoketso ekhomba kubhasikidi wezingubo ezizowashwa, “isizalele iqanda!”

Laphaya, phezu kwezingubo eziwashiwe, kwakukhona iqanda elikhulu, elinsundu, elinamachofoza!

“Lizoba yisidlo sethu sakusihlwa,” kusho uGogo enika uKoketso inkukhu. “Buyisela le nkukhu ehhokweni, ngiyakucela – bese kulokhu ungakhohlwa ukuvala isango!”