Mwi tauni lya Nairobi, ukutali nendupwa, kwaleeikala abalumendo abaabula indupwa. Baaleeikalafye cikulu bwaca. Uluceelo lumo, abalumendo baaleelonga impasa shabo panuma yakulala mumpepo mumbali yanshila. Ukubomfya ifisooso, baalikoseshe umulilo pakutamye mpepo. Pali ili bumba paali Magozwe. Ewaali umwaice saana.

Ilyo abafyashi bakwa Magozwe baafwile, aalifye neemyaka isaano. Aile mukwikala na banalume. Banalume tabapooseleko amaano kumwana. Magozwe tabaaleemupeela ifyakulya fyakumanina. Baaleemupupeela incito shakubomba ishingi.

Nga Magozwe ati epushe neelyo ukuilishanya, banalume baaleemuma. Ilyo Magozwe aipwishe palwa kuya kusukulu, banalume baalimumine nookutila, "Iwe taumfwa. Tapali ico wingasambilila." Panuma yamyaka itatatu iya kumusunga ifi, Magozwe aalibuutwike ukufuma pang'anda yabanalume. Aambile ukwikala mumusebo.

Ukwikala pamusebo kwali ukwayafya kabili abalumendo abengi baaleecuula cila bushiku pakusanga icakulya. Inshiku shimo baaleebooma, shimbi baaleebeekata kuli bakapokola. Nga baalwaala takwaleeba aba kubaafwa. Ulupiya baaleesanga mukulombalomba, mukushitisha amapulasitiki nafimbi elwaleebaafwilishako. Ubuumi bwalyafisheko pantu amabumba yambi aya balumendo yaaleefwaya ukupoka incende shapusanapusana mutauni.

Bushiku bumo ilyo Magozwe aleefwayafwaya mufisooso, asangile ibuuku ilyakale ilyalepauka. Afumisheko ifiko aalibikile namwisaaka. Cila bushiku, aleefumya ibuuku nookwamba ukulolesha pafikope. Taishibe ukubelenga.

Ifikope fyaleelanga umulumendo uwaishileba kensha wandeke ilyo aakulile. Magozwe aleeloota namukasuba palwakuba kensha wandeke. Inshita shimo aleemona ukuti emulumendo wine uwa mwibuku.

Kwalitaleele kabili Magozwe aiminine pamusebo aleelombalomba. Umwaume umo aishile mupeepi napo aali. "Uli shaani? Nine Thomas. Momba mupeepi napano, pancende wingapoka icakulya," efyo atiile. Asontele kung'anda yayeelo noomutenge wabuluu. "Ninjishiba, walaayapoka ifyakulya?" efyo aipwishe. Magozwe aloleeshe umwaume elyo aloleeshe kung'anda. "Limbi ndeeya," efyo aaswike afumanapo.

Imyeshi yakonkelepo, abalumendo baalibeeleshe ukumona Thomas. Alitemenwe ukulanda nabantu makamaka abaleeikala mumusebo. Thomas aleeumfwa amalyashi ya bantu aba. Aali uuposa amano kufintu kabili uwacikuuku noomucinshi. Abalumendo bamo, baambile ukuya kung'anda yayeelo nabuluu mukupoka ifyakulya akasuba.

Magozwe aikele mumbali yanshila aleetamba ifikope mwibuuku lyakwe ilyo Thomas aishileeikala mupeepi nawene. "Lileelanda pali cinshi ilyashi?" efyo Thomas aipwishe. "Lileelanda pamulumendo uwasangwike kensha wandeke," efyaaswike Mazongwe. "Naani ishina umulumendo?" Thomas aipwishe. "Katwishi, nshaishiba ukubelenga," efyaaswike Mazongwe panoono.

Ilyo baakumeene, Magozwe atendeke ukweba Thomas ilyashi pa buumi bwakwe. Amwebele ifyo abuutwike ukufuma kuli banalume. Thomas taalaandile ifingi kabili taebele Magozwe ifyakucita leelo aleeumfwikishafye. Limolimo baleelanshanya ilyo baleelya mung'anda yamutenge wabuluu.

Ilyo Magozwe aali nemyaka ikumi Thomas alimupeele ibuuku. Ibuuku lyali pamulumendo wamumushi uwaleeteya umupila uwalumbwike saana. Thomas alimubelengele Magozwe ili lyashi imiku iingi mpakafye bushiku bumo atiile, "Ndetontonkanyefyo ulingile ukutampeesukulu pakuti usambilile ukubelenga. Uleetontonkanyapo shani?" Thomas atiile alishibepo incende uko abaana benga laala nookuya kusukulu.

Magozwe atontonkenye pancende ukwakulaala kabili nookuya kusukulu. Nga limbi ifyo banalume bamwebele ati toomfwa teeti asambilile icili conse fyaciine? Nga cakuti kulya kuncende bamuuma? Alitiinine. "Limbi cawamapo ukutwalilila ukwikala mumusebo," efyaatontonkenye.

Aebele Thomas ati aali no mwenso. Thomas alimwebekesha ati akeekala bwino kuncende ilya.

Lyene Magozwe aile mukwikala mumuputule mung'anda yamutenge wagilini. Aleeikalamo na balumendo babili bambi. Bonse pamo abaana baali ikumi abaleeikala muli ilya ng'anda. Elyo naba Baamaama Cissy nabalume baabo neembwa shitatu, puushi elyo neembushi iikote.

Magozwe alyambile isukulu kabili lyalikosele. Fingi ashaishibe ifyo aalingile ukwishiba pakuti alingane nabanankwe. Limolimo aleefwaya ukuleka. Leelo pamulandu weetontonkanyo pali kensha wandeke nakateya wamupila abamumabuuku yakwe, taalekele nga filya fine nabo bashalekele.

Magozwe aikeele panse mulubansa lwang'anda yamutenge wagilini, aleebelenga ibuuku lya kusukulu. Elyo Thomas aikeele mupeepi nankwe. "Lilelanda pali cinshi ilyashi?" Thomas aipwishe. "Lileelanda pamulumendo asangwike kafundisha," efyaaswike Magozwe. "Naani ishina umulumendo?" efyaipwishe Thomas. "Ishina lyakwe ni Magozwe," efyaaswike Magozwe aleemwentula.