UDell, umthungi weempahla wayehlala kwidolophana encinane ekufutshane nolwandle. UDell wayekuthanda ukuthunga iimpahla ezintle ezenzela abantu bale dolophu. Wayexakeke kakhulu esika kwaye ethunga yonke imihla. Wayexakeke kangangokuba wayengenalo nethuba lokuhlangana nezihlobo. Eneneni, wayengenalo neli lokucheba iindevu zakhe.

Ngenye intsasa, ukukhala kwentsimbi eholweni yoluntu, wavuka uDell. Wazwabuluka, ezamla ngengxolo.

“Namhlanje lusuku lwemarike,” utshilo. “Andizikusika ndingazi kuthunga nto tu kwaphela! Andenzi kwampahla zintsha namhlanje. Ndingazukuvuselela neempahla ezindala ndizenze ntshana. Namhlanje, ndiza kuthenga isonka esisandul’ ukubhakwa, ijem emnandi kunye neziqhamo nemifuno esandul’ ukuvunwa.” Emva koko watsho ngesingqala kalusizi. “Yhazi ukuba,” wacinga, “ukhona na umntu oza kuthetha nam namhlanje edolophini.”

UDell wavuka wahlamba waxukuxa … njengoko aqhele ukwenza rhoqo kusasa. Wazenzela ikomityi yekofu nesidlo sakusasa … njengoko aqhele ukwenza rhoqo kusasa. Wanxiba ivesti nebhulukhwe yakhe … njengoko aqhele ukwenza rhoqo kusasa. Kodwa … zange ayinxibe ihempe okanye ibhatyi. Akazange akhe anxibe iimpahla zesiqhelo njengaye wonke umntu.

Uyabona, uDell wayeneendevu ezinde kakhulu. Ngenxa yokuba wayengenalo ixesha lokuzicheba, iindevu zakhe zakhula amashumi amane anesihlanu onke eminyaka. Zazinde kangangokuba xa ephuma, ebezisongela ngazo zijikeleze umzimba wakhe; kanye, kabini, nakathathu.Yiyo loo nto wayenxiba ivesti nebhulukhwe nje kuphela. Iindevu zakhe zazimenza shushu ebusika aphole ehlotyeni.

Ngalo ntsasa yobusika, ngethuba uDell ehamba-hamba ezivenkileni, wonke umntu wayemthe ntsho ngamehlo. Babesoloko besenza njalo. Bayakusuka ke baguquke bamshiye apho bengatshongo nelimdaka kuye.

“Abantu abanangqondo,” wazithethela. “Ibiqale yayintoni iindevu ezinde.” Wayelibele ukuba iindevu zakhe yayizezona ndevu zakhe zande ehlabathini. Wayelibele ukuba abantu babengakuqhelanga ukubona umntu ozisongele ngeendevu.

UDell wakhawulezisa wagqiba ukuthenga. Njengesiqhelo kwakungekho namnye owathetha naye waza waziva elilolo nangakumbi.

Endleleni egodukayo esuka emarikeni, uDell wabona injana encincane ecaleni kwendlela. Yayingcangcazela igodola, imjonge ngamehlo alusizi.

“Owu,” watsho uDell, “usizana lwenjanana. Uyagodola? Ulahlekile?”

UDell wayisizela le njanana waze wayinika iqhekeza lesonka. Injana elambileyo yasibimbiliza eso sonka yaze yapitshozisa umsila, kodwa yayisaqhaqhazela yingqele.

Ngephanyazo, uDell wafikelwa lelona cebo likrelekrele nelimangalisayo.

“Kunganjani xa ndinokusika umcu kwezi ndevu zam ze ndikusongele ngazo? Ingaba oko kungakugcina ushushu de ufumane indlela yokuduka?”

“Hawu, hawu, hawu,” yakhonkotha yatsho injanana, ingathi iyayiqonda yonke into ayithethayo uDell.

Wathi ke ngoko ke, uDell wathatha isikere wasika umcu kwiindevu zakhe. Wayisongela injanana ngaloo mcu weendevu waza, ngobunono, wenza iqhinana elizakuzibamba ukuze zingakhululeki. Oko kwakhangeleka okwejezana encinane. Le njanana yabonakala ivuya kakhulu kangangokuba yayingayeki ukupitshozisa umsila wayo nokulenca izandla zikaDell.

Kanye kobo buthuba uDell weva umntu ekhwaza esithi; “Pepper! Pepper! Uphi?”

Inenekazi elithile lakhawuleza ukuza kufika kuDell nenjanana. “Owu, Pepper, nguwe lo. Okokoko ndikhathazekile ngawe,” litshilo.

“O-o,” wazicingela uDell, “eli nenekazi liza lizakuthi lakubona ezi ndevu zam lijike lindishiye apha.” Kodwa zange kwenzeke oko.

“Enkosi kakhulu ngokundifumanela inja yam,” litshilo. Igama lam nguPauline. Ee … awungoDell umthungi wempahla?” libuze latsho.

UDell wanqwala, kodwa wayekhathazekile, engazi ukuba liza kuthini na eli nenekazi ngejezi entsha enxitywe yinjanana yalo.

“Wawu, ukhe wayibona ke le?” watsho uPauline. “Icebo elikrelekrele kangaka! Pepper,” wabhekisa kwinjanana yakhe, “ukhangeleka uzithe luqe, ufudumele kamnandi.” UPepper wamlenca ebusweni ngolonwabo.

“Ndiqinisekile ukuba zininzi izinja ezidinga iijezi ezishushu kamnandi ngolu hlobo kuba kusebusika ngoku,” watsho ebhekisa kuDell. “Ungazenzela iijezi ezilolu hlobo nazo.”

Wenza loo nto kanye ke uDell. Wasika imicwana kwiindevu zakhe wenzela izinja iijezi. Kwakamsinyane nje zazisele zimfutshane iindevu zakhe.

UDell, umthungi weempahla ngoku wayesenza iimpahla ezintsha, iimpahla ezindala azenze zibe ntshana, kunye neejezi ezininzi zezinja. Kananjalo wafumana nezihlobo ezininzi. Kakade nje, ngoku kwafuneka ukuba azithungele iimpahla naye kuba wayengasenazo iindevu zokumgcina eshushu ebusika ze zimgcine epholile ehlotyeni.