Kwakukho intombi egama linguMatty. Wayehlala kwifama encinci, apho umhlaba wawulukhuni nomsebenzi unzima. Kodwa uMatty wayengumfama ongaqhelekanga. Wasebenza nzima ngokuzimisela kuloo ngqatsini yelanga ukuze alime imifuno eyaneleyo awayeza kuyithengisa kwimarike ephithizelayo ekufutshane.

Xa isivuno sakhe silungile, ibe sanele ukuba angabela nabanye abantu, uMatty wapaka ibhaskithi yakhe waza waya emarikeni, imincili ibhaliwe ebusweni bakhe. “Namhlanje ndiza kuyithengisa yonke le mifuno ndize mhlawumbi ndizithengele into emnandi,” watsho.

Uyabona, eyona nto imnandi yayithandwa nguMatty yayimlindile kuloo marike. Yayiziiapile – iiapile ezinkulu, ezinencindi, nezimnandi. Wayengakwazi kuzibamba bobo buswiti bazo. Zazingumvuzo wokuqotywa kwakhe ngumsebenzi.

Kwisitendi seziqhamo, uMatty wadibana nomakhulu owayenobuhlobo, izidlele zakhe zibomvu ngathi ziiapile ezivuthiweyo. Amehlo akhe athi ntaa akubona uMatty ebuka iziqhamo ezimibalabala.

UMatty wayethath’ ebeka ecinga ukuba athenge ziphi iiapile ukwenzela xa ephinda ebhaka. “Iiapile ezibomvu, zimnandi kwikeyiki,” watsho uMatty ekhwaza njengoko wayethatha iapile ebomvu. “Mhlawumbi neeapile zeGranny Smith ukwenzela ipayi, neeapile ezimbalwa zeHoney Crisp ukwenzela iimuffin. Ngokuqinisekileyo neeapile zeGolden Delicious zeapple crumble eshushu.” Njengoko wayebiza iapile nganye, uMatty wayeyizifaka kwibhaskithi yakhe.

Lo makhulu wathi qhuzu kancinci ehleka. Wolula isandla wanika uMatty iapile yegolide. “Nabani na othanda iiapile kangaka, ufanelwe yinto ekhethekileyo emnandi. Ina, thatha le apile ikhethekileyo. Iza kukuvuyisa ngalo lonke ixesha,” lo makhulu watsho.

“Enkosi kakhulu,” watsho uMatty ebulela. Le apile yegolide yayinkulu kwaye intle ngaphezu kwayo nayiphi iapile awakha wayibona. Yayingathi akasafiki ekhaya akhe ayingcamle.

Njengoko ilanga lalisithela ngaphaya kweenduli, uMatty wabuyela kwifama yakhe. Wazikhetha ngobunono waza wazicoca zonke ezo apile, edumzela ngovuyo njengoko esebenza. Wayeza kuzibhaka zonke izinto ezimnandi awayecinge ngazo, kodwa iapile ekhethekileyo yegolide yona wayigcinela ukuba ayitye.

Emva kokuba uMatty ezikhethile waza wazicoca zonke iiapile, wathatha iapile yegolide ekhethekileyo. “Ngoku lixesha lento emnandi,” watsho. Kodwa uthe xa eza kuliluma, kwathi gqi intloko encinci kumngxuma okulo apile.

“Ungandityi!” watsho umbungu.

UMatty wayiwisa loo apile othukile. “Yintoni ngoku le?” watsho emaphikana.

Lo mbungu waphuma, uthe nta amehlo kwaye udomboza ucela uxolo. “Ndicela uxolo ngokutya iapile yakho, ibimnandi nyhani!” watsho.

UMatty wayengazi nokuba makacaphuke okanye angacaphuki. Laa makhulu wayethe le apile yayiza kumvuyisa ngalo lonke ixesha, kodwa ngoku wayengaqinisekanga ngaloo nto.

Ekugqibeleni uMatty waphefumlela phezulu waza wathi, “Mbungwana, unethamsanqa kuba namhlanje ndisemoyeni omhle. Mandiye kuyingcwaba ngasemva kweyadi le apile yakho ukuze ungaphazanyiswa xa uyitya, ube kude neentaka.”

Njengoko uMatty wayefaka loo apile emngxunyeni awayewumbe emhlabeni, lo mbungu wathi, “Usale kakuhle, Matty. Ndiyakuthembisa ukuba ndiza kukubuyekeza ngobubele bakho.” UMatty waphakamisa isandla esithi ndlelantle waza wabuyela ekubhakeni.

Ngentsasa elandelayo, xa imitha yokuqala yelanga ipeyinta isibhakabhaka, ukuvula kukaMatty amehlo akhe weva elona vumba limyoli awakha waliva. Waphuma ekhawuleza waya ngaphandle ibe wasuka wakhamisa nje kukumangaliswa. Phambi kwamehlo akhe kwakumi umthi omkhulu weapile, amasebe awo esindwa zezona apile zintle awakha wazibona.

UMatty wadanisa ejikeleza lo mthi, ukugigitheka kwakhe kuxube nesandi sokuntyiloza kweentaka. Wakha iiapile, enye emva kwenye, emangaliswe yiloo nto yayenzeke ngobusuku.

Ngaloo ngokuhlwa, uMatty wabuyela emthini, wabeka imuffin awayesandula ukuyibhaka kwiingcambu zawo. “Enkosi,” watsho esebeza. “Kuthe kanti umakhulu ebenyanisile ngokwenene lo mthi uza kundivuyisa ngalo lonke ixesha!”

[Get story active!] Yenza ibali linike umdla!

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