Kwasukasukela, kwakukhona ugogo owayehlala nomzukulu wakhe uDemezane. Langa limbe, kusekuseni uDemezane wahamba wayongqongqoza emnyango kagogo wakhe. Ngalelo langa kwakulusuku lwakhe lokuzalwa. Ugogo wakhe minyaka yonke uma nje kulusuku lwakhe lokuzalwa wayemupha isipho.
Wacishe wamelwa inhliziyo umnyango kagogo wakhe uvulwa uchakijane. “Ungubani wena ovula umnyango kagogo, umshonisephi ugogo?” kubuza uDemezane, ngolaka.
“Ngingumfowabo kagogo wakho, ungalinge ukukhahle ngemibuzo mina,” kusho uchakijane ngokucasuka, ebona ukuthi uDemezane akahloniphi. UDemezane avele abone nje ukuthi uchakijane akazimisele ngokumphendula. Wavele waba nokwesaba, ukuthukuthela kanye nokuvevezela. Wayezibuza, ingabe umfowabo kagogo kanjani lona mina engingamazi.
“Ukuphi ugogo wami?” Wabe esembuza okwesibili ugogo wakhe uDemezane. Wayengesenandaba ukuthi umbona njengengane engahloniphi noma cha, into nje ayefuna ukuyazi ukuthi uphi ugogo. “Ugogo wakho usendaweni eshisayo futhi ngeke esaphinde ebuye,” kusho uchakijane, ehlikihla isisu esicwebezela sengathi sizoqhuma.
Wathi engaqeda ukusho kanjalo wabhodla. Wabhodla kwaphuma amathambo. UDemezane wavele wabona kahle ukuthi amathambo kagogo wakhe la awabonayo. Wakhala kakhulu, ememeza ngezwi elinesibibithwane, “Udle ugogo wami!” Waqhubeka nokukhala uDemezane kungekho umuntu ozomthulisa. Wayebonakala nje uchakijana ukuthi ngenhliziyo uthi, “Uzokhala uzithulise.”
Wagijima waya ngemuva kwendlu engafuni ukukhala phambi kukachakide. Wayebona nje ukuthi uyakuthokozela ukukhala kwakhe futhi engahle emudle naye. Ukubaleka kwakhe naye wayesesindisa impilo yakhe kulo malugaju onguchakide. Waya esikhotheni esingemuva kwendlu kaGogo.
“Gogo kanti ukhona!”, kumangala uDemezane efica ugogo wakhe ecashe ehhokweni lezinkukhu. Wathi engamuzwa ekhuluma uchakijane wasondela. Wethuka woma uchakijane ezithela phezu kuka gogo. Uchakide wabe ezitshela ukuthi umdlile ugogo kanti udle imvu ugogo ebeyethwese iduku lakhe. Ugogo wamuzwa ngephunga uchakide wabe esenza iqhinga lokuba aphume endlini ashiye imvu. Imvu wayigqokisa waphinde wayethwesa iduku yafana naye ncamashi. UDemezane wakhohlwa nokuthi usuku lakhe lokuzalwa, wajabulela ukubona ukuthi ugogo wakhe uyaphila. Uchakijane wavele wethuka kakhulu waphelelwa amandla, saqhuma isisu ngoba wabe esesuthi kakhulu.
Cosu cosu yaphela.