Minibasi

Katakwe

Minibasi

Wolemba: Lawrence Kadzitche

 

A Topitopi adafika mtauni ya Lilongwe kudzaona mphwawo Katakwe yemwe amakhala kwa Chinsapo. Adatsikira musiteji yamabasi akulu nkubuthira bokakwera maminibasi. Akuyandikira pokwerera maminibasiwo, adazunguliridwa ndi anyamata atatu.

 

“Bwana mukulowera kuti?”

 

Iwo adayankha.

 

Anyamata aja adayamba kulimbirana chikwama chawo. “Mani, ndine amene ndinayamba kuwaona madalawa,” wina adatero. “Akakwere yanga mashini osati nnagogoda wakoyo.” Wachitatu adati, “Yanga yatsala pang’ono kudzadza, ankolo.”

 

A Topitopi adangoti kakasi. Posachedwa padatulukiranso mnyamata wina. “Mafana, mukuwatani bwanawa? Pondanipondani.”

 

Anyamata aja adachoka. “Big man wamkulu, mbavazi zikuchotsani dola. Tiyeni mukakwere minibasi iyo.”

 

Mnyamatayo adanyamula chikwama chawo ndipo a Topitopi adamutsatira pambuyo. Muminibasi adawathandiza kukwera mwa ulemu. “Ankolo mukakhale kumbuyo kuti ena azikwera mosavuta.”

 

A Topitopi adakakhala mpando wakumbuyo monga adawapemphera. Chomwe adagoma kwambiri ndi ulemu womwe kondakitalayo amapatsa anthu akamakwera. ‘Aunt, chikwama ikani apa kuti mukhale momasuka’, ‘Sister, kwerani mosamala mungadetse zovala’, ‘Biggy, timakunyadirani’. Zidali zochititsa kaso.

 

Minibasiyo idadzadza mochedwa ndipo idanyamuka. Itayenda pang’ono, mai ena adaimitsa. Idaima ndipo idawadikira kuti akwere. Anthu ena omwe adali mminibasimo adang’ung’udza kuti maiyo amawachedwetsa koma kondakitala uja adati, ‘Tizikondana mabwana ndi madona, naye mzathu akafike komwe akupita.”

 

Ulendo apo udapsa. Komatu a Topitopi adayamikira wamoto. Zidayambira atangofika pa Area 3. Msungwana uja pokwera adamutchula ‘sister’ ankachedwa kutsika ndipo kondakitala uja adamulalatira mwachipongwe. “Changu, osamatsika ngati muli mugalimoto ya boyfriend wanu. Kuzolowera uhule eti!”

 

Ulendo udapitirira. Mai uja adali woti atsika pa Lilongwe Water Board. Chifukwa choti adali wonenepa zidamuvuta kutsika mwachangu. “Siteni, muzipita ku gym. Kunenepa ngati nkhumba sikukuthandizani.”

 

A Topitopi adati jenkha. Adafuna kuti amulankhule mnyamata uja koma tsopano minibasi idafika pomwe iwo amatsikira. Poti adali kumbuyo, zidali zosatheka kuti atsike mwachangu.

 

‘Mdala tatsika mwachangu,” kondakitalayo adatelo. “Tikuyendera nthawi.”

 

“Nditsika mofulumira bwanji ndili kumbuyo?” a Topitopi afunsa monyansidwa.

 

“Iwe ngati umadziwa kuti utsikira mnjira umakhaliranji kumbuyo?” adayankha maosasamala kondakitalayo. “Usatichedwetse ife tili pa bizinesi.”

 

Iwo adatsika. Mnyamata uja sadatsike ndi chikwama chija. Adangochipoya pansi minibasiyo nkunyamuka kuwasiya a Topitopi ali kukamwa pululu!

 

End