SANANDIKONDE

*CHAPTER 1: TSIKANA OKONGOLA MMU BARBER SHOP* Dzuwa la 2 koloko ku Blantyre linali lotentha. Blessings anali mu shop yake yaing'ono ya barber pafupi ndi msika, akudula tsitsi la client. Mwadzidzidzi, khomo linatseguka ndipo mphepo yozizira inalowa ndi fungo lokoma. Anakweza maso. Pakhomo panaima tsikana. Wamtali, wokongola mopitirira. Anavala dress ya blue yomukwana bwino, tsitsi lalitali lakuda, ndipo kumwetulira kwake kunawala shop yonse. "Moni," anatero ndi mawu ofewa. "Kodi mumadulanso tsitsi la akazi?" Blessings anakhala chete kwa masekondi. Mtima wake unagunda mofulumira. M'zaka zake zitatu akugwira barber, anali asanaonepo tsikana wokongola chonchi m'moyo wake. "Eh... eya, timadula," anayankha movutikira, manja ake akunjenjemera pang'ono. Tsikanayo anakhala pampando. "Dzina langa Tiyamike." "Tiyamike," Blessings anabwereza dzinalo ngati nyimbo. "Ine ndi Blessings." Pamene ankakonza tsitsi lake, manja a Blessings ankagwira mofatsa. Ankamuyang'ana m'galasi, ndipo Tiyamike nayenso ankamuyang'ana. Maso awo anakumana m'galasi, ndipo onse anamwetulira. "Mumakhala ndi manja ofewa kwambiri," Tiyamike anatero. "Ndi chifukwa cha... cha ntchito," Blessings anaseka manyazi. Ata maliza, Tiyamike anaima kutsogolo kwa galasi, akudziyang'ana. "Mwaluso kwambiri. Ndibweranso." Anatulutsa K5,000 ndikuipereka. Manja awo anakumana. Panali magetsi. "Zikomo Tiyamike." "Zikomo Blessings." Anatuluka, koma fungo lake linatsalira mu shop. Blessings anayima pamenepo kwa nthawi yayitali, akumwetulira yekha. Sanadziwe kuti tsikana ameneyu asintha moyo wake wonse. Kuyambira tsiku limenelo, Tiyamike anayamba kubwera tsiku lililonse. Nthawi zina kudula tsitsi, nthawi zina kungocheza. Blessings anamukonda. Anamukonda ndi mtima wake wonse wosauka wa barber. Koma Tiyamike anali ndi chinsinsi. Chibwenzi chake chinali mwana wa olemera, wamphamvu, wamagalimoto... Ndipo Blessings anali barber chabe. *Kodi chikondi cha barber wosauka chingapambane chikondi cha ndalama?