Ezi Leta is the story of Jack and his devious ways. Jack is accused of impregnating a daughter of the Seyibhokhwe family. The Seyibhokhwe family decides to write three letters to Jack’s wife, exposing the scandal. Jack is advised of these plans by his friend, Leta, who tells him to stay home in order to intercept the letters and destroy them.
He stays home the whole week, but the letters never arrive. The following week he goes to work, but is sharply warned by his friend and advised to go back home and stay there until the letters arrive.
When he gets home, he finds that his wife has already received the letters. They enter into an argument and his wife starts packing her suitcases in order to leave him. He is unable to stop her and he feebly objects to her leaving him. It is at this stage that Leta’s wife telephones Jack’s wife and warns her against making hasty decisions. She tells Jack’s wife, “Be what your heart desires you to be. Do not be what someone else wants you to be, someone with his/her own agenda.”
‘Makhe ndiqhawulise le foni eyasoloko yenze isimbonono, ngakumbi xa singathi siyazincokolela ...’
Eneneni esuke uJack etsho ngaloo madolwana abonakalayo ukuba ngasebhulukhweni ende; akhutshwe nje kuba unkabi ezivelela emsebenzini eziphumlele. Uhleli nonkosikazi wakhe uNancy, kutyiwa amagaqana eziqhamo awathenge endleleni ebuya emsebenzini.
‘Tyhini! Nguwe, Leta, ... besendishwabula ngoku kukhala le foni ... (Itsho intsini kwelaa cala.) Yakuba impilo ishwatyanisiwe ngesirhumsha, uwe emcimbini uLeta.
‘Ndiyile phaya njengokuba ubundithumile. Ize kakubi laa nkunkuma yeMfengu ... Ungaphaphazeli ke ... uze wenze ngolu hlobo ... usekhona phofu? ...’
‘Ndimamele ... (Intliziyo kaJack yayimana ukusijekha isifuba esi.)
‘Ndizenze oyikhumbuleyo laa nkunkuma kunye nalaa nkunkumakazi nalaa nkunkumazana bakutyhola ngayo. ... Uza kufumana iileta ezintathu ezivela kwezi nkunkuma zontathu zikutyhola ...’
Uthe uJack akunyeka ngakuNancy waxhalaba ngokungathi uNancy uyaziva ezi ndaba. Wayengaziva. Kodwa wayeziva engonwabanga ncam. Wayesuke wasesikrokrweni oko. Uthe kanti noJack usesikrokrweni sokuba owakhwakhe usesikrokrweni. Icebo alisebenzisileyo ke ibe kukuba makazame indlela yokumana evuma ngendlela eza kumlahlekisa uNancy lo koku kumamela kwakhe. ... Ukuba kusuke kulahlekiseke uLeta kweliya cala. Icebo lakhe ke ibe kukuba makamane ekhuza esithi: ‘... Aba beLung’ aba ... umLungu ...!’ Ezi zikhuzo zimlahlekise mpela uLeta, ede amane esiba nomsindo kwezinye iindawo. Uqhubile ke kodwa ezithatha ukuba umelwe kukunyanzelisa nakuba uJack lo esuke wanga azithi dadobawo kwasentloko.
‘Iyileyo kwezi leta ithetha into enye nenye nenye ngokobuciko bombhali wayo. Linye. Umithisile. ...’
‘Njani ...’ Akhuze.
‘Uz’ ubuze kum ... Njengokuba besazi ukuba uNancy akaphangeli nje baza kuzikhupha apho endlwini ezo leta. Laa Mfengu ithe iza kuzithi mpa ngokwayo iye kuziposa edolophini eBhofolo. Ithi ifuna ukuziposa kwindawo enomLungu ukuze iqiniseke ukuba ziza kufika. ... Ayifuni tu ukuziposa kwindawo enomntu oMnyama kuba thina booMnyamana sasoloko siseqhingeni. (Ngawo wonke lo gama ujekhe, intliziyo kaJack iman’ ukusijekha isifuba esi sikankabi.)
‘Eyona njongo yabo iphambili yeyokuzingenisa apho endlwini iindaba zinjalo. Kaloku xa zikhutshwe kuwe emsebenzini usenokuzingoqa ube nguNgoqolo negama ...’
‘Akunamnantsika omaziyo na eposini apho ... kwakhu abeLungu ...!’
‘Kutheni wafuna amatyala amaninzi, mfondini ...’
‘Seyikukuthetha nje, yihlo ...’
‘Ndikucebisa ukuba uthathe iveki yonke ungaphangeli ulinde ezaa leta zifikele kuwe, zingafikeli kuNancy le nto bayifunayo. UNancy akangeni ndawo kuyo yonke le nto, ngakumbi utyholwa yiMfengu. ...’
Emveni kwala mazwi isuke yona ifoni yaqhawuka, wasabela uhalala omnye kwelakhe icala, nomnye kwelakhe icala. Usabele kwambonono uJack kwelakhe icala kwangathi kukho nto iluncedo eza kumphosa ngokuqhawuka kwale ncoko phakathi. Ukuba lusizi. Nanko ekhokelise amadolo ebhulukhwe ende esiya kuthi folokohlo esofeni yakhe. Yamjonga inksosikazi yakhe uNancy inxubile. Ukuba lusizi. Iindaba ezikwezaa leta zisesepokothweni yeMfengu zasezifile kwaJack. Loo nto nalo mntu kufunwa azifumane kuqala kusuke kwangathi uzibhalelwe apha ekolweni kuJack.
‘Kutheni na, Jack, u-unfit olo hlobo ukuba ungaholiswa kukuthetha nje efonini imizuzu elishumi elinesihlanu ...?’ Uthe khona ukuba abhaqwe ukuba uyahola, akahola nje uJack, isifuba sijekhwa liphaphu.
‘Hayi ndikhathazwa zezi nkathazo zikaLeta andiphathele zona. Ukuba ubuqaphele bendithule ubukhulu becala. Ndisuke ndamvela.
‘Yhazi umntu endisuke ndamvela mna nguwe lo. Ngowukhe usele nokuba ngamanzi. Asikokuphefumla oku. Uyagula inene. Iyinto ebuntoni le uyixelelwe nguLeta ide ikuholise olu hlobo xa iyekaLeta?’
‘Kanene wena uza kundifaka enkundleni ndingenatyala. (Azihlekahlekise.)
‘Phofu ke nokuba akundixelele ezakwaLeta, mini kukho into efuna mna kuzo akuyi kundibhalela leta, kuya kufuneka undixelele ngokwakho ... Phofu uza kusophola ngantoni namhlanje ndipheke ...’
‘Hayi noko nokuba akuzixhamlanga besisandula ukutya ezi ziqhamo sazigqibela kudala. Andifuni ukuba sawumosha umlomo wam kude kube ngomso.’
‘Hayi ke xa ungasafuni kumosha umlomo wakho, uya kuthi akuphinda aphumele uLeta ngefoni ndisese ndikumamelela ...’
Uthe ukuba atsho uNancy waxakeka uJack. Igubu lephaphu lenze imvuselelo kwacaca ukuba liza kusisa kunjalo nje. Nefoni imane ingathi seyikhala ingakhalanga.
UNancy noJack bahleli iintsuku ezisixhenxe nqu uJack engaphangeli. Wabetha uMvulo, imini yeposi. Ayafika iposi yaseBhofolo. Wabetha uLwesibini, imini yeposi, nya iposi yaseBhofolo. ULwesithathu wenza esezolo nezolelinye. Nako noLwesine elinganisa, exel’ ilanga likaNongqawuse. Wathembis’ uLwesihlanu kanti zezamatyala nje kamasipala nawefenitsha. Itsasa yoMgqibelo ikhe yafuna ukukhupha isidumbu ngokuthi uJack ebiwe bubuthongo ingekafiki iposi yangoMgqibelo. Uze kothuka xa uNancy obeye kuchitha inkunkuma sele ezirhola iileta phaya kwibhokisi yazo. Oko angapholanga! Uze weza uNancy ezijonga nganye, wenza isaziso: ‘Hayi ithe kanti zezam zonke ...’
‘Hayi kungathini ... kutsho uJack empatshampatsha ...’
Eneneni kanti noko kunjalo. Iposi ayihanjiswa ngeCawa. Eneneni ke zange kubekho posi ngeCawa.
UMvulo umkhombe emsebenzini uJack enakekile. Ufike kuloo msebenzi wafonela kwa-uLeta exela uNongqawuse wokungafiki kweeleta zaseBhofolo. Uthe ukuba awuve lo mlomo uLeta wafuna ukuqonda ukuba ungenwe yintoni na uJack.
‘Ungenwe yintoni kodwa, Jack? Ufuna ntoni kodwa apho" Ndandingatshongo ukuba uze uzilinde de zifike? Ufuna ntoni apho? Uyaboyika abeLungu hi? Ubunani ungabafoneli unefoni nje ubaxelele ukuba usenengxakana. ... Iposi yenu ifika nini? Goduka iposi ingekafiki. ... La Mfengu ibidlisela izolo eli isithi yaposa kwangosuku olulandela oluya ndandiphaya ... Goduka.’
Eyifumene imvume yokugoduka emLungwini uJack wenjenjeya ukuya kurhawula ngaphambili, iwu-u-u!
Ukuba makathi sewubona umzi wakhe abone ngonoposi sethutsule ebhayisikilini yakhe ephethe ikhoba lengxowa yeposi. Kanti inene iileta zaseBhofolo zifikile zontathu zafundwa zagqitywa zaphindwa zagqitywa kwalindelwa yena aze kufunda naye igem yakhe.
Ubonwe esengaphaya komgubasi wakhawulelwa. Kwafikwa. Wagangwa.
‘Abantu bakwaSeyibhokhwe babhalile, khawufunde.’
‘Kunini wemkayo naloo mtatsalalana wabo apha; kukhona babhalayo ...’
‘Usadlal’ undize nangoku nje iileta zona zichaza lowa wenu nalaa ntombazana kaSeyibhokhwe undize ...’
Uthe ukuba athi gelekeqe eyokugqibela ileta kwezo leta wayezifunda esemi ngasemnyango esaphethe ibhegi yakhe yomsebenzi wagangwa kwakhona.
‘Khetha ke ngoku phakathi kwam noZine.’
Uthethe eyakhe yena uJack: ‘Akukhonto ingumntu. Umntu umncede umncede kanti uzithezela olunenkume ...’
Aphendule kweso sithuba uNancy: ‘Uhlale uhlale nomntu kanti uhleli nolunkume ...’
UJack uthe kwesi sithuba wacela ukuba khe kuhlaliwe phantsi kuxoxwe ngalo mcimbi. Ucebise ukuba makuqalwe ngokuliwa utshaba luphele. Uthe ekwimbiba wabe ekwibuzi. Uthe umlomo wakhe uzele zizikhanyelo neziphikiso wabe uzele nangamagqwetha nangoogqirha bamagazi nangamaxhwele ezulu nazizithunywa zezulu. Wesuka umntu wazizinto ngezinto emnye.
‘Hi wethu, ezi zinto uzithethayo zininzi. Kanti ke mna inye into endiyithethayo yile inye ikule leta, nale leta, nale leta. Qha ke!’
Emveni kwale nquleqhu bahlukene qhusaa uNancy noJack. UNancy uqubule okuziisutikhesi neebhokisi wazivula zavuleka kakhulu zonke nje neewodobhu zangathi zonke ezi zinto zithi ha ha ha kuyahlukwana kweli khaya ha ha ha .... Ubomi kweli khaya busuke banobuze. Wazibetha zaze iiwodobhu uNancy. Wazibetha zee mome iisutikhesi uNancy. Wawuqutha waqulungana nomlomo uNancy. Wawukhamisa waliqolomba umlomo uJack emana eza kuvela. YayinguJack neewodobhu abakhamisileyo kweli khaya. YayinguNancy neesutikhesi abanokuqulungana. Zisuke ngoku neehengari apha eziwodobhini zamana ukukhenkceza ngeengonyana ezingaqhelekanga ngokuya bekusekho iimpahla. Ube ngazama ukuthetha uJack noNancy akahoywa tu. Emke kuNancy aye kuqala ekuqaleni ukuza kwakuNancy; angahoywa nguNancy; abuye emke kwakhona esimkela ukuba aye kuqala ekuqaleni ukuza kwakuNancy.
Uthe kwelinye ithuba uJack waqubula ezaa leta, waqubula namaphepha okubhala iileta. Wabhala wabhala wabhala wabhala esithi upendula la mabhedengu amhlanganyeleyo. Uthe esekoko kubhala weva ilizwi elingaqhelekanga liphuma kuNancy ahleli naye iminyaka lisithi, ‘Nangale mvakwemini usathe phithi ngumzi wakwaSeyibhokhwe. Ndilindele inkcazo kuwe ngezi leta. Into yokuqala efikayo kukuba mawuphendule iileta zomzi wonke wakwaSeyibhokhwe. Isibhanxa esi singakhe sibe silinda ...’
‘Hayi wena ...’
‘UHayi unqanda abalwayo ...’
‘Ewe, siyalwa, Nancy, xa uqhuba ngolu hlobo ...’
‘Andilwi, ndifuna ukuba ucacelwe ukuba ndifuna ukucaciselwa ...’
Kuthe ukucaca kwenyanga neenkwenkwezi esibhakabhakeni yahlahlamba laa foni. Uthe xa esathi nwayi nwayi uJack wanqandwa kwathiwa yena umsebenzi wakhe mnye kukuqhuba ephendula imbalelwano yakhe nomzi wakwaSeyibhokhwe. Iifoni zizakube ziphendulwa nguye yena Nancy; kaloku ukuphendula iileta ezintathu eziya kumtshakazi nabakhwekazi asindlwana iyanetha. Kutshiwo ukuphoxisa ngoJack. Wathula uJack ephelelwe bubudyaki tu. Nokuthabatha ubuvolufu babungayi kumlungela kuba zonke izinto zazimng’ong’ozele.
Kanti le foni ikhala nje ngumkaLeta. MkaLetandini uthi ususwa sisithukuthezi ngenxa yeendaba azive ngoLeta. IsiXhosa besimbetha kunene umkaLeta lo kodwa ke uzamile ngaloo nketshenketshe anayo.
‘Andizi kubuza nempilo namanxezeni entoba sagqibelana kudala. Ninjani pho ngempilo?’
‘Itheni na le mini isuke yagqwetha zonke izinto? Nawe, sisiLizzie uqala ngokuthi akuzi kundibuza mpilo, uyibuze. Kutheni na ingathi kanti ndim ndiza kuphambana? (Kuhlekiwe kancinane loo ntsinana kwangenwa emxholweni.)’
‘Ndisuswa bubugqwirha endive ngoLeta ukuba buqulunqwa kwaSebhokhwe. Bayinyani ababiyonyani uze ucinge ngesiqu sakho kuqala. Ungakhe uvume bakwenze isebhokhwe yabo bakutyhalele kumadlelo akhethwe ngabo. Uze wenze into ngokukhokelwa yingqondo yakho nekamva lakho. Yena uJack lowo andikabi nayo ne-lus yokuthetha naye ndive ubunyani. Ndiseza kukhe ndibambelele kulo mletyana ndiwufumene apha kumyeni wam uLeta. ...’
‘Le nto seyisaziwa phi naphi na ndisayiphanda nje apha kumniniyo?’
‘Hayi kaloku mna oko wathi uLeta wafonela uJack ayiphindanga yonwabe intliziyo yam kuba ndibona ukuba ubona iyelenqe nelifu elimnyama. Ndacinga ngawe. Yiba yinto efunwa yintliziyo yakho. Ungabi yinto efunwa ngomnye umntu one-ajenda yakhe.’