I dont think you know the definition of pain unless youve witnessed the pained expression on an ex-schoolmates face (who through some inexplicable bout of amnesia suddenly forgot how to speak IsiZulu and is now Coloured) when you walk up to them at Woolworths and casually say, Hhola Walter, hhey selokhu sagcinana eHighlands Primary ngo-93 ndoda, ugrand mata? He assumes that rabbit caught in front of headlights look. His two Indian friends also appear perplexed. It seems they didnt know that Walter understood IsiZulu. I chuckle inwardly and think: Wabanjwa feleba, khaladh eliyi-fong kong! I continue with my line of inquiry, Hhi, udlalise ne-ring, sewafasa tsotsi? Hhayi salute kuleyondawo. Walter finally gets his tongue back and says to his friends (in that distinctly Wentworth accent which places added emphasis on the pronounciation of the letters T and S) Lets vai gents, I dont think this ou is talking to me. Hhabe! Nangu uWalter eziphika iqhude lingakakhali ngisho kanye nje vo! I persist. Hhawu Walter. Udala ngaziphi manje? Sasigeleza ndawonye nje, wena ufundiswa uMr. P Ramdin ustd 4 mina ngifundiswa uMrs. G Pillay ustd 2. Sasingasazi sobabili isingisi, siduzuleka kuze kukhulunye nathi ngesifanakalo, manje wena sewakwitiza wakhohlwa ngisho olukaMageba? Musa nje mfowethu ukungiphezula ngiwulova ngizibhekile. Wena wawuhlala KwaNdengezi uhlaba ibus i-Olympic, mina ngihlala eFolweni! Walter is defeated. He no longer feigns ignorance of the language of the people of Heaven. Yebo Comfort, uthini - ke? Khuluma usheshise kumele ngibuyele emsebenzini! I sense a mild irritation in his voice. Hhayi angisho fokol gazi, benginyusa isingili nje njengomjita. Besengithukile ngithi awusasicavi IsiZulu...zicwebezela kamnandi izinwele zakho, uzigcobani vele? Lapho bese ngimrhwayela, ngibuza nje vele sengiflathele ngiyahamba ngale kokulinda impendulo. Ehhe. Angazi nami uchaze wathini koshomi bakhe laba akade ehamba nabo. Bhaasteedi!!
Posted on: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 13:33:09 +0000
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