UTimo wayehlala kwidolophana erhanqwe ziintaba, amasimi aluhlaza namahlathi amahle, kodwa eyona ndawo wayeyithanda kakhulu yayiyipaka. Wayekuthanda phaya kuba wayeziva eliqhawe elibalaseleyo xa ebaleka ejikeleza, ekhwela kwiqonga elijikelezayo lokudlala, ubhubhubhu ngamanye amagama.

Yonke imihla xa uTimo wayebuya esikolweni, wayekhulula iyunifomu yakhe aze atye amaqebengwane ahlohliweyo amnandi awayemenzele wona uninakhulu. Emva koko wayesenza umsebenzi wesikolo wasekhaya aze, akugqiba, abaleke aphume ekhwaza, “Khulu, Khulu, lixesha lokudlala!”

UMakhulu wayemkhwaza, “Timo, yima! Awufuni ndikufundele ibali?”

“Hayi Khulu, ndidinga ukudlala kwaye ndihlole iindawo,” uTimo wayephendula, sele esendleleni eyokudibana neetshomi zakhe ezazimlinde esangweni.

“Zininzi iindawo ongazihlola kwiincwadi zamabali, Timo,” uKhulu wayesakutsho. “Iincwadi zingakufundisa izinto ezininzi zikuse kwiindawo ongazange uye kuzo.”

UTimo wayegigitheka aze athi, “Khulu, iincwadi azinakundisa ndawo. Ziimoto kuphela ezinokukwenza oko!” Wayesitsho abaleke ehlise umgaqo esiya epakini nabahlobo bakhe.Ngenye injikalanga, oyena mhlobo kaTimo osenyongweni, uBen wayemlinde esangweni.

“Hee Timo, ukulungele ukudlala?” wabuza uBen.“Ndisoloko ndilungile,” watsho uTimo ehlisa umgaqo nomhlobo wakhe osenyongweni. Bobabini babefuna ukuya kufika kuqala epakini.

Bathi bakufika apho, abanye abahlobo bakaTimo babebalindile. UPamela wayehleli kujingi elila, logama uNoma noSiya babemi ecaleni kwakhe. Babebonakala bekhathazekile.UTimo wasondela ukuya kufumanisa ukuba kwakuqhubeka ntoni. “Kwenzeke ntoni kuPamela?” wabuza.“Ubekujingi waza uSiya wamtyhala ngamandla ngempazamo. UPamela wawa kujingi yaye ngoku idolo lakhe liyopha,” wachaza uNoma.“Owu hayi! Siza kuthini?” wabuza uBen.

“Kulungile, ndiyazi ukuba ndenze ntoni,” watsho uNoma evula kubhaka wakhe ekhupha ingxowana encinane.

“Yintoni leyo?” wabuza uTimo.

“Yikiti yoncedo lokuqala. Ndiza kucoca idolo likaPamela ndize ndibeke le plasta ukuze azive engcono,” watsho uNoma.

Abahlobo babemangele kuba uNoma wayeyazi ncam into amakayenze. Isakuba iplasta ifakiwe, uPamela wathi uziva ngcono kakhulu waye wafuna ukuphinda adlale kwakhona. Bonke abahlobo baziva bonwabbile yaye bekhululekile baza bambulela uNoma.

Bonke abahlobo babaleka baya kwiqonga lokudlala – ngaphandle koTimo. Wayezibuza ukuba uNoma waze njani into amakayenze. Wayefuna ukwazi ukuba ezi zinto zinje wawunokuzifundela phi kuba amaqhawe abalaseleyo amelwe kukwazi indlela yokunceda abantu!UTimo wasondela apho kuNoma waza wambuza, “Noma, waze njani ukuba mawenze ntoni?”

UNoma wancuma waza wathi, “Ndafunda kwincwadi yamabali.”“Wakufunda konke oku ngokufunda incwadi yamabali?” wabuza uTimo. Wayengaqinisekanga ukuba angakholelwa kule nto yayithethwa nguNoma.

“Ewe, Timo. Ndifuna ukuba ngugqirha xa ndimdala ukuze ndincede abantu. Xa ndifunda iincwadi zamabali, ndifunda ngendlela oogqirha abanceda ngayo abantu,” watsho uNoma.UTimo wayemangalisiwe! “Ndifuna ukuba liqhawe elibalaseleyo nam ndincede abantu. Ucinga ukuba iincwadi zamabali zingandinceda ukuba ndikwenze oko?” wabuza.

“Ewe, kunjalo!” watsho uNoma. “Iincwadi zamabali zingakufundisa izinto ezininzi. Zithathe nje kwiithala leencwadi uze uqalise ukufunda.”

Ngosuku olulandelayo, esakubuya esikolweni, uTimo watshintsha iyunifomu yesikolo waza watya amaqebengwane ahlohliweyo amnandi awayewalungiselelwe nguninakhulu. Wandula wenza umsebenzi wesikolo wasekhaya.

Wayesandula ukugqiba xa uKhulu emkhwaza. “Timo, abahlobo bakho sebefikile. Bakulindile ukuba uye epakini nabo.”

“Nceda, Khulu, baxelele ukuba ndiza kuba nabo emzuzwini,” waphendula uTimo.

UKhulu zange abe nako ukukukholelwa oko wayekuva! UTimo wayesoloko engxamele ukuya epakini. “Kutheni ungahambi ngoku?” wabuza.“Ndingathanda ukuba undifundele ibali phambi kokuba ndihambe, ndiyacela,”

watsho uTimo.

UKhulu wancuma onwabile. “Yantsha ke leyo! Kutheni ufuna ukuba ndikufundele ibali namhlanje?” wabuza.“Kuba uNoma uthi amabali angandifundisa ukuba ndingaliqhawe elibalaseleyo ndize ndincede abahlobo bam,” watsho uTimo etsibatsiba yimincili.

“Yinkwenkwana yam ke leyo!” watsho uKhulu njengoko wayethatha incwadi yamabali.

Ngoko ke, uKhulu noTimo bahlala phantsi kunye baza bafunda loo ncwadi yamabali – nenye, nenye. Ngazo zonke iinjikalanga emva koko, phambi kokuba uTimo aye kudlala epakini, wayecela uKhulu ukuba amfundele.