Kwaqala lapho uMama uMoeng enza ujamu ogcwele ibhodlela wosuku lokuzalwa lukaGogo uMoeng. UMntwana uBheka wase ethola ibhelunde lakhe eliphambili eliluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. Wayefuna ukulinika uGogo ngosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa. UMama wabeletha uMntwana uBheka ngengubo ethambile. Wase ethwala ibhodlela likajamu ehamba eqonde endlini kaGogo Moeng. Ibhelunde loMntwana uBheka lathi bham-bham-bham kanti ophaqa bakaMama bona bathi phaqa-phaqa, phaqa-phaqa ngenkathi ehla ngendlela ewubhuqu waze wahlangana noSipho ephuma esitolo i-Tip-Top. “Uyaphi, Mama uMoeng?” kubuza uSipho.

“Mina noMntwana uBheka siya endlini kaGogo uMoeng. Usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa namhlanje,” kuphendula uMama. “Nginamashibusi amazambane aklamuzela kamnandi kaGogo uMoeng. Ngingeza nami?” kubuza uSipho. “Impela,” uMama wamamatheka, baqhubeka nendlela yabo. Iphakethe lamashibusi amazambane aklamuzelayo lathi klamuklamu, ibhelunde loMntwana uBheka lalithi bham-bham-bham ngesikhathi ophaqa bakaMama bethi phaqa-phaqa, phaqa-phaqa, behla ngendlela ewubhuqu baze bafika kuMnumzane uShabalala, owayepha izinkukhu zakhe ukudla. “Niyaphi?” kubuza yena. “Siya endlini kaGogo Moeng. Usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa,” kuphendula uMama. “Nginenkukhu ekhuluphele kaGogo uMoeng.

Ngabe ningamnika yona?” kubuza uMnumzane uShabalala. “Ungabe usabuza,” kusho uMama efaka inkukhu ekhuluphele ngaphansi kwekhwapha, beqhubeka nohambo oMama, uMntwana uBheka noSipho. Inkukhu ekhuluphele yathi kuku-kuku-kuku, iphakethe lamashibusi lathi klamu-klamu, ibhelunde likaMntwana uBheka lathi bham-bham-bham ngesikhathi ophaqa bakaMama bethi phaqa-phaqa, phaqa-phaqa, behla ngendlela ewubhuqu baze bafika esitolo sombhako wasekhaya sikaNkosikazi uMakabelo. “Kumele sitholele uGogo ikhekhe losuku lokuzalwa,” kusho uMama. Bangena phakathi.

Khence-khence, kukhala insimbi emnyango. “Sawubona, Nkosikazi uMakabelo. Ngabe bewazi ukuthi namhlanje usuku lokuzalwa lukaGogo uMoeng?” “O, yebo,” kusho uNkosikazi uMakabelo. “Ngimbhakele ikhekhe lekhethelo, kodwa angikwazi ukushiya la esitolo. Ningangihambisela lona?” “Ubala lolo,” kuzinikela uMama, kodwa kwakunenkinga − uMama wayedinga izandla ezimbili ukuze aphathe ikhekhe. Ngakho, waqhamuka nesu. Wabeka inkukhu ekhuluphele phezu kwebhodlela likajamu ayelithwele. Manje wayesenezandla ezimbili ayezophatha ngazo ikhekhe lekhethelo.

Baqhubeka nohambo oMama, uMntwana uBheka noSipho bephuma ngomnyango okhala insimbi ethi khence-khence. Lapho uMntwana uBheka ezwa iphunga lekhekhe wanambitha, “ncam, ncam, ncam.” Inkukhu ekhuluphele yathi kuku-kuku-kuku, iphakethe lamashibusi lathi klamu-klamu, ibhelunde likaMntwana uBheka lithi bham-bham-bham ngesikhathi ophaqa bakaMama bethi phaqa-phaqa, phaqa-phaqa behla ngendlela yobhuqu baze bahlangana noValecia. “Ngabe nilibangisephi?” kubuza uValecia. “Siya endlini kaGogo Moeng. Usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa,” kuchaza uSipho.

“Nginezimbali zikaGogo uMoeng. Ngingeza nami?” kubuza uValecia. “Ungabe usabuza,” kusho uMama, babeqhubeka njalo nendlela. Izimbali zenza ukuthi uValecia athimule, “Athi! A-A-Athiiii!” Inkukhu ekhuluphele yathi kuku-kuku-kuku, iphakethe lamashibusi lathi klamu-klamu, ibhelunde likaMntwana uBheka lithi bham-bham-bham ngesikhathi ophaqa bakaMama bethi phaqa-phaqa, phaqa-phaqa behla ngendlela yobhuqu baze babona noMnumzane Sithole elima esivandeni sakhe. “Nilibangise kuphi nonke, Mama uMoeng?” kubuza uMnumzane uSithole. “Siya endlini kaGogo Moeng. Usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa,” kuphendula uMama. “Nginenqola egcwele imifino yakhe,” kusho uMnumzane Sithole. “Ngingacela nimnike yona?”

“Ush’ entshweni,” kuphendula uMama. Kodwa manje uMama wayesenenkinga ENKULU – wayesethwele izinto eziningi! Kwakumele aqhamuke neqhinga. Waqala, wehlisa uMntwana uBheka emhlane wase ebophela inkukhu ekhuluphele ngengubo ethambile. UMntwana uBheka WAKHALA KAKHU-U-U-LU! Ngakho kwadingeka ukuthi abeke inkukhu ekhuluphele enqoleni bese ephinda ebeletha uMntwana uBheka ngengubo ethambile. Wathokoza uMntwana uBheka kanti nenkukhu ekhuluphele yakuthokozela ukungqofa yonke imifino. Kodwa uMama wayengathokozile ngalokhu ngakho wabeka inkukhu ekhuluphele ekhanda likaValecia. Izimpaphe zakitaza ikhala likaValecia zamenza wathimula kakhulu futhi, “AAAAA-THIIIII!”

Akuzange kumthokozise lokhu uValecia. Ngakho, uMama wathatha inkukhu ekhuluphele wayibeka ekhanda likaSipho wase emnika nezimbali zikaValecia ukuthi azibambe. Manje uValecia wayesenezandla ezimbili ezingaphethe lutho ayengabamba ngazo ikhekhe. Kanti uMama wayesenezandla ezimbili ezingaphethe lutho ayengaqhuba ngazo inqola. Wonke umuntu wayethokozile ngakho baqhubeka nendlela eya endlini kaGogo uMoeng. Amasondo enqola akhala athi nsege-nsege-nsege. UValecia wayenokhilimu wekhekhe esihlathini sakhe ngakho ulimi lwathi khothi-khothi-khothi. UMntwana uBheka wanambitha, “ncam-ncam-ncam.” Inkukhu ekhuluphele yathi kuku-kuku-kuku, iphakethe lamashibusi lathi klamu-klamu, ibhelunde likaMntwana uBheka lathi bham-bham-bham ngesikhathi ophaqa bakaMama bethi phaqa-phaqa, phaqa-phaqa behla ngendlela yobhuqu baze bayongena endlini kaGogo. UMama wangqongqoza emnyango wangaphambili.

USipho washaya ikhwela. Wamemeza uValencia. Kodwa AKUPHENDULANGA MUNTU. UMama wadudula isicabha sangaphambili base bengena bonke. Kodwa KWAKUKHALA IBHUNGEZI. Babheka ekhishini − KWAKUNGEKHO MUNTU. Babheka ekamelweni lokulala − KWAKUNGEKHO MUNTU. Babheka yonke indawo. Ngabe uphi uGogo? UMama wathi, “Ake sivele sipheke mhlawumbe uGogo uzoqhamuka.” Ngakho yilokho okwenziwa yibo bonke – yebo yibo bonke ngaphandle kukaMntwana uBheka. Wahlala phezu kwekhabethe lasekhishini eduze kwefasitela walokhu ebuka waze wabona uGogo ehamba ezansi kwegquma elingumqansa. “Gogo! Gogo!” kumemeza yena. Bonke babheka ngakhona. “GOGO! GOGO!” kumemeza wonke umuntu kanyekanye. “GOGO!” Le ezansi negquma elingumqansa uGogo wathi, “EE, EE, EE.

Kukhona umuntu ongibizayo. Manje angeke ngisakwazi ukuyothenga ukudla kwakusihlwa kosuku lwami lokuzalwa.” UGogo waphenduka wase ekhuphuka igquma eliwumqansa. Izicathulo zakhe zithi shi-shi-i endleni yobhuqu. Ekugcineni wafika emnyango ongemuva. Lapho ewuvula, wonke umuntu waqala ukucula iculo lokumfisela usuku lokuzalwa olumnandi. Etafuleni kwakukhona uphaya wemifino kanye namathathi kajamu okwakwenziwe uMama, kunamaqanda asanda kuzalelwa yinkukhu ekhuluphele, ikhekhe lekhethelo losuku lokuzalwa kanye namashibusi amazambane aklamuzelayo. Itafula lalihlotshiwe ngezimbali kanye nebhelunde elihle eliluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka likaMntwana uBheka.

“LOLU USUKU LOKUZALWA OLUHLE KUNAZO ZONKE ENGAKE NGABA NAZO!” kusho uGogo. Futhi wayekwazi kangcono lokhu, ngoba uGogo wayesebe nezinsuku zokuzalwa okungenani ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalombili noma ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye ngaphambi kwalolu! VEZA UBUCIKO BAKHO! Bhala uhlu lwezinto zonke abantu abazikhipha ukuze benze umgubho wosuku lokuzalwa lukaGogo lube ngolukhethekile. Manje-ke yengeza izinto ezintathu obungathanda ukuzinika uGogo uma wawukwazile ukumvakashela ngosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa.

VEZA UBUCIKO BAKHO!

Bhala uhlu lwezinto zonke abantu abazikhipha ukuze benze umgubho wosuku lokuzalwa lukaGogo lube ngolukhethekile. Manje-ke yengeza izinto ezintathu obungathanda ukuzinika uGogo uma wawukwazile ukumvakashela ngosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa.