UMary Allen
Sesiphenduke inja yokuboleka. Kodwa unento eyodwa ngempela ngesidladla sangemuva, ucabanga ukuthi yimina enginqumayo ekhaya.
Ihora lesine kuya kwelesihlanu ekuseni futhi ngihamba epaki ngigqoke ibhulukwe lesudi, ingubo yokulala, isokisi elilodwa (elinemibala), nezigqoko zomklami ezivela e-Palermo. Ukube bekuyiminyaka engu-15 edlule, futhi ngimuhle kakhudlwana, ngabe ngenze iphutha njengomuntu opholile onemikhuba ephuze.
Phambi kwami kugijima iwashi elizulazayo elinezidladla ezithambile ezifudumele, amehlo ansundu ngokujulile, kanye nekhala elizwakala ngemuva. Yebo, bafundi abathandekayo, sesiphenduke inja ye-timeshare, i-bastard yaseCypriot emangalisayo (ngokungazi ngokuphelele, ngingacabanga) ebamba iqhaza emnothweni wokwabelana odumile. Ngakho-ke uma othile ebuza ngohlanga lwakhe, ngiphendula ngokuthi “trendsetter”, (kodwa ngaphakathi kuphela, awukho kahle kåsör ngesikhathi sakho esikhululekile).
Kunoma yikuphi, manje, cishe njalo ngemva kwamasonto amane, sesibane emkhayeni. Isethi yokuqala enoMnu. B, Nkk. B, kanye no-Little B iqiniswe nge-B-Dog - okumanje uzungeza indlu yakhe ebolekiwe epaki eliseduze lekhaya. Empeleni siyidlanzana lapho, kodwa ngimubi kakhulu ekugqokeni.
Izaba zami? Sekuyimizuzu eyishumi kuphela ngilele kamnandi ngiphupha ihhotela elisezintabeni lapho okwakudingeka khona ukuze kuhlanganiswe uhlelo lwasehlobo kwakuwukushintsha enye yemithambeka ephakathi nendawo. Bengisazothumela umdondoshiya wase-Argentina u-Federico Fazio lapho ukuphawula kwezidladla ku-parquet kulandelwa amehlo aqaphile nezindlebe eziphaphazelayo idecimeter ebusweni. “Cha,” ngasho ngokunganaki, “namuhla kusihlwa” – ngethemba! – “Kufanele” – ngethemba! - "Eqinisweni lala."
Ngiyethemba.
Ngiyethemba.
U-Jahapp uvele abambe intambo bese ephuma ekuseni.
UB-Dog uyinja ehlakaniphile, ecacile ngalokho ekufunayo - ukudla, ukudlala, nokuklwejwa kuyintandokazi - kodwa unento eyodwa ngodladla lwakhe lwangemuva. Ucabanga ukuthi yimina onqumayo ekhaya. Futhi kukhona okuthile kulokho, kodwa kuphela emibuzweni eqondile, mhlawumbe ikakhulukazi uma kuziwa kulokho izingubo zangaphansi okufanele sizigqoke.
Ukukhonzwa kwezithombe okungafanele kungenza ngicabange ngomugqa ka-Aldous Huxley: “Enjani yakhe, wonke amadoda angamaNapoleon, okuchaza ukuthandwa okuphikelelayo kwenja.” Futhi, yebo, ngiyabona ukuthi ngingumuntu wezigidigidi ukwenza lelo hlaya. (Uyamuzwa u-B omncane kanye noNkk. B? Phezulu ne-laurel wreath kanye nesigqila se-memento mori ngesonto elizayo!)
Kodwa ngifuna ukucabanga ukuthi kungokunye, into engeyona nje yobugovu, eyenza indoda ekhathele yasentwasahlobo ihambe phakathi kwabantu angabazi ngaphambi kwehora lesihlanu ekuseni ngoLwesine futhi icoshe indle - futhi icabange ukuthi kuyamangalisa impela.