Ngelinye ilanga uLwazi wathola isihlalo esinamasondo esidala esigangeni esingasekhaya lakubo. Sasephukile, kodwa sinamasondo amane asesimweni esikahle. Wawakhipha wawabheka. “Kazi ngingenzani ngalokhu,” kucabanga yena. “Ngiyazi, ngizokwenza inqola.”

Ngakho waya kumbazi. “Ngisize, Mnumzane, ngabe unawo amapulangwe amadala ongangipha wona?”

Umbazi waya enqwabeni yamapulangwe akhe wase etholela uLwazi amapulangwe amadala. “Thatha,” kusho yena. “Uqaphele bo. Ungahlatshwa uvave lwepulangwe.”

Manje uLwazi wayesenamasondo amane kanye namapulangwe amathathu, kodwa wayesadinga intambo.

Ngakho waya echwebeni. Kwakukhona uMnumzane Smit, umdobi, owayethulula izinhlanzi zohlobo lwesinuki esikebheni sakhe. “Mnumzane Smit, ngabe unayo intambo endala ongangipha yona, bandla?”

“Thatha,” kusho umdobi. “Amamitha amabili. Uqaphele uma uyinquma. Unganqumi umunwe ngephutha.”

Manje uLwazi wayesenamasondo amane, amapulangwe amathathu kanye nentambo engamamitha amabili, kodwa wayesadinga amabhawodi.

Ngakho waya kumakhenikhi eGranville’s Garage. “Mnumzane, ngicela ungiphe amanathi namabhawodi?”

“Thatha,” kusho umakhenikhi. “Uqaphele bo. Ungazilimazi ngesikhathi ubhoboza izimbobo.”

Manje uLwazi wayesenamasondo amane, amapulangwe amathathu kanye nentambo engamamitha amabili, amanathi namabhawodi amaningana. Waya emzini kamalume wakhe. Umalume uRodney wayenegceke elikhulu kakhulu, uLwazi wabe eselungiselela ukusebenza.

Ngaso sonke isikhathi sasekuseni uLwazi wayesaha bese eqongqothela, aphinde aqongqothele, abhole izimbobo, abuye abhole izimbobo, asahe futhi. Ntambana wayesekhathele kakhulu, kodwa inqola yakhe yayingakapheli. Wayesadinga ukuyenza ibe bushelelezi ukuze kungabi bikho mapulangwe ahlabayo.

“Yini le oyakhayo?” kubuza umzala wakhe, uLulu, ephumela phandle.

“Ngakha inqola,” kuchaza uLwazi.

“Ngabe uzongigibelisa uma isiphelile?” kubuza uLulu.

“Uma nje ungangisiza ukuthi ngenze ipulangwe libe bushelelezi,” kuphendula uLwazi.

Ngakho uLulu wathatha isendiphepha wase eqala ukwenza amacala abe busheshelezi kahle.

Abangani bakaLwazi ababili u-Ismail noMcKenzie bedlula bephikelele esitolo. “Yini le eniyakhayo?” kubuza bona.

“Sakha inqola,” kusho uLwazi noLulu.

“Singagibela nathi uma seyiphelile?”

“Uma ningasisiza,” kuphendula bona.

Ngakho abafana bathatha enye isendiphepha base benza ingaphakathi, ingaphambili kanye nengemuva laba bushelelezi kahle. Ekugcineni yaphela inqola.

“Kuzogibela imina kuqala,” kusho uLwazi, edonsa inqola eya esicongweni segquma.

“Akusibo ubulungiswa lokho,” kusho uLulu. “Ubuthe ngizogibela.”

“Nathi futhi,” kusho u-Ismail noMcKenzie. “Ubuthe singayigibela sonke.”

“Sifuna ukugibela sonke!” kumemeza uLulu no-Ismail noMcKenzie.

Ngakho bathi uma befika esicongweni segquma bagibela bonke – uLulu no-Ismail noMcKenzie bonke begibele enqoleni bebambelele ngqi. “Nazoke!” kumemeza uLwazi, ngesikhathi edudula inqola bese egibela ngemuva.

Bagijima ngesivinini ngesikhathi behamba, inqola ikhehlezela ibanga nomsindo futhi bememeza, behleka kwaze kwaba isikhathi lapho uLulu amemeza ethi, “Hhayi bo, naliya ixhaphozi! Siyimisa kanjani?”

“Mamo,” kusho uLwazi, “Ngikhohliwe ukwenza AMABHULEKI!!!”

Phahla, gxambu, bhalakaxa, phaxa!

Inqola yashayisa ucingo lokubiya, izingane zandiza zeqa ucingo zaphonseka exhaphozini.

“Ashu, ashu, ashu,” kukhala uMcKenzie, ephuma ukuze athole umoya, “ikhala lami libuhlungu.”

“Awe!” kukhala u-Ismail, edonsa esusa ukhula lwasexhaphozini ebusweni bakhe. “Libuhlungu ikhanda lami.”

“O, o, o, umhlane wami ubuhlungu!” kuklabalasa uLulu ezama ukuphuma exhaphozini.

“Uphi uLwazi?” kukhala uLulu. “Ngabe ungaphansi kwamanzi?”

“Ngabe ugwilizile?” kukhala u-Ismail noMcKenzie.

“Ngila!” kusho uLwazi ebabuka ngale kocingo. “Ake nibheka inqola bantu!” Eceleni komgwaqo kwakulele amasondo amane, amapulangwe amathathu kanye nentambo engamamitha amabili kanye nenqwaba yamanathi namabhawodi.

“Awu bantu,” kusho uLwazi. “Kumele siqale phansi futhi.”

“Kulokhu” kusho uLulu ehlikihla umhlane wakhe, “ngicela ukhumbule ukufaka namabhuleki.”

Bahleka bonke.