Wathi xa uSibu esiza kuhlala kwisitalato iLanga Avenue, uNkosikazi Magona waxelela bonke abamelwane ukuba baze nentwanana yale nentwanana yaleyaa, ukuze bamamkele ngoko. Ngoko ke uSibu wafumana abahlobo abaninzi bokwenene. Babemthanda naye ebathanda.

Ngelishwa kwakukho into enye kuphela eyayingonwabisanga wonke umntu. Ngamanye amaxesha uSibu wayethimla. Kwaye ke ukuthimla kwakhe kwakukokona kubi akwakhe kwabonwa kulo lonke ihlabathi. Xa emi kumnyango wendlwana yakhe aze athi fixi, fixi, fixi, … itsi, itsa … wonke umntu wayefikelwa lixhala.

Ngenye intsasa uSibu wavula ucango lwakhe lwangaphambili. Kwaphuma ikatana encinane emnyama waza walandela noSibu. Waqethula intloko yakhe, waza wavula umlomo wathi, “Itsi, itsa …”

“HAYI!” kwakhwaza uNkosikazi Magona. “Musani ukumvumela athimle. Kwilixa lokugqibela ethimla, waphaphathekisa impahla yam yaya kutshona emgxobhozweni. Mnqandeni ngoku!”

“HAAAYI!” kwakhala uMnumzana Samson. “Kwilixa lokugqibela ethimla uSibu wazivuthulula zonke iintyatyambo zam ezibomvu. Zazintle kwaye zazisele zilungele ukuba ndizithengise. Mnqandeni ngoku!”

“IH, IIIH, IIIIIIH …” watsho uSibu

“Haaayiii!” kukhwaza uJabu noNozi. “Kwilixa lokugqibela ethimla waphaphathekisa umsebenzi wethu wesikolo owenziwa ekhaya. Utitshala zange akholelwe xa simxelela ukuba kungenxa yokuthimla.”

“Khawulezani! Siza kuzama intwanana yale nentwanana yaleyaa ukumnqanda angathimli,” watsho uNkosikazi Magona ephethe unominxa-mpahla wokuxhoma impahla elucingweni. Waminxisela impumlo kaSibu.

“Ih, iiih … Kubuhlungu! Nceda uyisuse lo nto,” watsho uSibu.

UMnumzana Samson waphathela uSibu iglasi yamanzi. “Vala impumlo yakho uze usele la manzi,” watsho.

Gongqo, gongqo. Waginya uSibu waza waqalisa ukukhohlela.

“Khawulezisa,” watsho uJabu ephethe isitya esinepapa. “Yitya le papa.”

“Iza kuwugcina uxakekile umlomo wakho,” watsho uNozi, “kwaye shukushukumisa impumlo yakho.”

“Iiiiiii …” watsho uSibu esityhalela kude isitya. “Ih, Iiiih …”

Kuthe ngoko wonke ubani wema bunxe, wabukela elindile.

Ikatana encinane emnyama eyayihleli edongeni yayibukele ilindile. Yayisazi kakuhle ukuba kuza kwenzeka ntoni na. Impahla esecingweni yayiza kuphaphatheka, iintyatyambo zaziza kuvuthuluka, umsebenzi wesikolo owenziwa ekhaya wawuza kuphaphatheka, kuze emva koko kwenzeke izinto ezintathu ezibalulekileyo. Uboya bayo kunye namabhovu ayo ayeza kuphephezela aye ngapha nangapha kulo moyakazi mkhulu. Intlabathi yayiza kuphaphatheka ingene kwiintanda zodonga … kuze emva koko … eyona nto imnandi kunazo zonke … iimpuku ziza kuphuma zibaleka. Kwaye nayo yayilambile.

“Haaaat … tshSSHH …” Wonke ubani wagoba wazama ukuzimela. “… HHUUUU!” watsho uSibu.

Nantso iphaphatheka impahla ebisecingweni. Nazo zivuthuluka iintyatyambo, zisiwa emhlabeni. Nanko uphaphatheka umsebenzi wesikolo kaJabu noNozi. Kwaze ke, okwavuyisa unokatana omnyama, zaphuma zibaleka iimpuku eludongeni.

“Akunakuqhubeka kusenzeka oku. Kufuneka sizame icebo. Ingaba kukho into oyityileyo ekwenza uthimle?” kubuza uNkosikazi Magona

“Hayi,” waphendula uSibu

“Ingaba kukho into oyijojileyo?” wabuza kwakhona uNkosikazi Magona.

“Hayi,” waphendula uSibu.

“Ingaba yintoni ke kanye? kubuza uMnumzana Samson.

“Ndenze zonke izinto endiqhele ukuzenza ngoMgqibelo kusasa,” watsho uSibu. “Ndivuke ndahlamba. Ndatya isidlo sam sakusasa. Ndahlala esitulweni sam ukuze ndifunde incwadi yam, kwaze, njengesiqhelo, kwangena laa katana incinane imnyama ize kundibulisa.”

Wonke ubani waguquka wabheka efuna ukubona ikatana encinane emnyama.

“Ingaba yikati yakho?” wabuza uNkosikazi Magona.

“Owu hayi!” watsho uSibu.

“Yekabani ke?” wabuza kwakhona uNkosikazi Magona. Wonke umntu wahlunguzela intloko.

“Kuza kufuneka siyisukele imke apha. Jonga ijezi yakho inoboya obumnyama,” watsho uMnumzana Samson esolatha.

“Impilo yakho iyalana neekati, Sibu,” kutsho uNkosikazi Magona. “Yiyo loo nto uthimlayo. Kufuneka siyisukele laa kati imke.”

“Hayi bo,” batsho bobabini uJabu noNozi. “Siza kuyithatha sigoduke nayo. UMama uthe singayifuya ikati.”

“Nize nenze njani ke ukuze ingasondeli endlwini kaSibu?” wabuza uNkosikazi Magona.

“Kulula,” watsho uJabu. “Siza kwenza kanye oko usoloko usixelela kona.”

“Inene? Ibe yintoni ke leyo?” wabuza uNkosikazi Magona.

“Siza kuyinika intwanana yale nentwanana yaleyaa ukuyamkelela ekhaya,” baphendula abantwana.

Wonke umntu wancuma.

Ngako oko ke uJabu noNozi baya kwikatana encinane emnyama, baza bayiphulula, belalisa uboya bayo, bethethela phantsi. Wonke umntu wamangaliswa kukubona ikatana iphakama ibalandela ukugoduka.

“Aaaaha,” watsho uNkosikazi Magona ngokuzingca. “Licebo eliphumelela ngalo lonke ixesha eli.”

“Ngoku ke,” watsho uSibu, “Ndiza kwenza isityu sam senyama yenkomo ndibhiyozele UKUNGAPHINDI NDITHIMLE.”

Ngoloo njikalanga abamelwane bahlala ecaleni komlilo besitya isityu sikaSibu esimnandi.

Ikatana encinane emnyama ke yona yaphelela phi? Owu, yayihleli ntofontofo kakhulu, ifudumele kamnandi ukuba ingakhathazana noSibu. Yayisazi ukuba kuloJabu noNozi, iza kusoloko ifumana intwanana yale nentwanana yaleyaa, kunye nothando oluninzi.