Katakwe
Kutengeka
Wolemba: Lawrence Kadzitche
Katakwe adali paulendo wokagula zinthu mtauni ya Blantyre. Adaimitsa galimoto yake ndipo atangotsika mgalimotoyo adangomva mau akuti, “Katakwe!”
Potembenuka, adapeza kuti wakumbatiridwa ndi msungwana yemwe adamupsopsona patsaya. “Wandikumbukira?”
Katakwe adamuyang’ana msungwanayo. Adali wamsinkhu wapakatikati, wodera ndi wokongola motukwanitsa. Mutu wake wooneka ngati mtima udafololedwa ndi tsitsi lalifupi lomwe adalilocha mtundu wagolide. Mmaso mudali magalasi akulu akuda. Adavala dilesi lomwe linkaoneka ngati alisungunulira pathupi pake ndipo lidaonetsa bwino thupi lake loumbidwa mwa dasadasa.
“Wandiyiwala?”
Katakwe adali atasanduka chulu chamchere ngati mkazi wa Loti. Adangoti kukamwa yasa, maso tuzu akumuyang’ana msungwanayo ngati sadaonepo munthu wamkazi.
“Ndine Rhoda. Tidali limodzi ku sekondale,” namwaliyo adamukumbutsa.
Apa mpamene Katakwe adamukumbukira msungwanayo. Iye adali kalasi imodzi patsogolo pa Rhoda. Mwana wamkazi adali mbambande ndipo Katakwe ankafuna atamufunsira. Koma chifukwa chouma pakamwa, awiriwo adangosanduka pachinzake. Chichokere ku sekondale adali asadaonanepo.
“Pepa, sindinakuzindikire,” adapepesa Katakwe. “You’re looking great.”
“Nawenso. Ukutani tsopano?”
Katakwe adayankha kuti tsopano adali mkulu wakampani ina yake yaboma. “Panopa ndidakwatira ndili ndi ana atatu. Nanga iwe?”
“Ife banja lidativuta. Banja langa lidatha chaka chatha,” adayankha mwana wamkazi.
Apa Katakwe adaona kuti akhoza kupeza mwayi womwe adaulephera kusekondale. Iye adamupempha Rhoda kuti akadyere lunch limodzi. Msungwanayo adati padali zomwe amafuna kugula. Katakwe adzipereka kuti amuperekeza.
Adapita mu sitolo ya zovala. “Mwina mutigulirako,” adatero Rhoda moseka.
Pofuna kumugometsa msungwanayo, Katakwe adati alipira zonse zomwe ati agule. Ndiyetu adangokhala ngati walowetsa khoswe mnkhokwe yamtedza. Rhoda adasankha zovala zodula moti mmene amalipira Katakwe amakaika ngati atsale ndi ndalama zokwanira zokakamugulira nkhomaliro adamulonjeza ija.
Komabe poti adalonjeza, adalephera kusintha. Rhoda adapempha kuti apite ku resilanti ina yake yodula kwambiri. Katakwe adangovomera mwa mmwemo. Ukonso adasankha zakudya ndi zakumwa zodula. Koma Katakwe sanadandaule. Msungwanayo adali mbeta. Uwu udali mwayi wake wokonza kapansi.
Akumaliza kudya, mu resitalantimo mudalowa mnyamata wina yemwe adafika pomwe iwo adakhala. “Wafika, wachikondi,” adatero Rhoda. “Meet my secondary school friend, Katakwe,” adadukiza natembenukira kwa Katakwe. “Meet my new husband, Phillip. Ndi amene akundisunga after the end of my first marriage.”
Katakwe adangoti maso tuzu!
End
