Ubhayi-bhayi wokugqibela
Ndandifunda unyaka wam wokuqala esikolweni apho utata wam, owaye sebenze njenge tishala, wasweleka. Ndandiyazi ukuba uyagula, kodwa ndingayazi ingxaki yakhe. Ndinenkumbulo enye qha yanga loxesha. Ngalemini wabhubha ngayo, wacela umama wathi: ‘Ndicela undiphekele ukutya endingazukulibala.
Futhi ubize intombi yam ibuye ekudlaleni ukuba izotya nam.’ Wamphekela ukutya okune nkukhu, imifino ephuma egadini – amazambane, iminqatha kunye nekhaphetshu. Xa ukutya kuphambi kwakhe, umama wandibizela ngaphakathi. Utata wathatha icephe elinye nam ndathatha elam, sakutya sobabini ukutya kwakhe. Uye wasishiya emva kweyure nje ezimbalwa.
Ngoku ndingumfazi omdala, ndiyabona ukuba wayenzela ntoni lonto. Wasibhabhayisa. Emva kokuba eswelekile, ndandimane ndisiya ekhaya ndiyothatha oonodoli bam, ndihambe ndiye emagcwabeni ndiyodlala ngabo engcwabeni lakhe. Ngendlela ekhwanqisayo,indlela yokuba ngumtana, ndandonwabile pha.
‘Ibhedi yam yokundithuthuzela,’ ndandilibiza ngelo gama ingcwaba lakhe, futhi bendihlala pha iyure ezininzi. Ngeloxesha ndandingayazi into endiyenzayo. Ngoku ndiyabona ukuba yayiyiqha indawo ebendiziva ndisecaleni kwakhe.
Isiko lwaka Xhosa
Indlela ebendiziphatha ngayo kwingcwaba likatata, yamkhathaza kakhulu umama. Mhlawumbi ibimvisa ubuhlungu lonto. Futhi, wayekhathazekile ngam. Emva kwalonyaka nam ndapasa unyaka wam wokuqala esikolweni, wandithuma ukuba ndiyokuphila nomakhulu wam kwilali yase Tsolo eMpuma Koloni.
Kweyam imeko umama wayesebenza emakhitshini, kwaye kunzima ukundinakekela emini. Ngesiko lethu lakwa Xhosa, izinto bezisebenza kanjalo – xa umama esebenza, ebethumela abantwana kumakhulu, apho bazokhulela khona.
Ndahamba ndayohlala nomakhulu eTsolo, kwaye ndafunda kwapha, Kulapho ndafunda khona ukuba yimbongi –lo ngokwe sintu sethu sokubalisa amabali, onxiba kakuhle atsho izibongo ebonga isibonda sendawo okanye isinyanya. Pha eGapa, ndim ohlale ebonga oomakhulu, ndicula, ndibhonga, ndixhentsa ngenyawo zam ngevuthe lomfana osemncincane. Wonke umntu ebesothuka xa ndisenza njalo.
Imini ezimnandi esikolweni
Utishalakazi wam waseTsolo, uAgnes kenu, ebemana esenza ingathi useqongeni, acule adanise, abe esixelela amabali. Bendivuya kakhulu xa ndimbukele futhi waqala nokosola ukuba nam ndinale talente yakhe. Uqale wandibiza ukuba ndime phambi kweklasi, ndimlinganise.
Bendiphumelela kwizifundo zam xa bendithathela ingqalelo, ndifunde msinyane kakhulu futhi ndade ndafaniswa nabanye abantwana. Ndandingeyiyo ingelosi; bendimane ndigeza nam ngalominyaka.
Ndikhumbula ngenye imini, xa utishalakazi wethu ephumile eklasini, ndahamba ndayo hlala kwidesika yathi, ndiziva ndibalulekile kwaye ndigcwele isigezo. ‘Ngoku sizofunda izibalo,’ ndatsho njalo kwiklasi, ndaqala ndabhala ebhodini.
Bonke baphela yintsini. Wabuyela utishalakazi. ‘Oh, ndiyaxolisa – ndiyaxolisa kakhulu sobe ndiphinde ndiyenze lonto,’ ndatsho ngokuzithoba, ndisuka edesikeni yakhe. Ndandisile kodwa ndandingekho krwada kwaye notishala wam waqhubeka ngokundithanda.