Ngolunye usuku umbhangqwana weza kimi: wayengudokotela futhi umkakhe engumhlengikazi. Babekhathazeke kakhulu ngendodana yabo eneminyaka eyisithupha ubudala, eyayiwumlutha wokumunca isithupha.
Uma eshiya umunwe wakhe wodwa, waqala ukuluma izinzipho zakhe. Abazali bakhe bamjezisa, bambhaxabula, bambhaxabula, bamshiya engadlile, abamvumelanga ukuba avuke esihlalweni ngesikhathi udadewabo edlala. Ekugcineni, basabisa ngokuthi bazomema udokotela owelapha abantu abahlanyayo.
Lapho ngifika lapho ngibizelwa khona, uJackie wangibingelela ngamehlo acwayizayo nezibhakela. “Jackie,” ngathi kuye, “ubaba nomama wakho bacela ukuba ukwelapha ukuze ungamunyi isithupha sakho futhi ulume izinzipho zakho. Ubaba nomama wakho bafuna ngibe udokotela wakho. Manje ngiyabona ukuthi awukufuni lokhu, kodwa lalela lokhu engikutshela abazali bakho. Lalela ngokucophelela.»
Ngiphendukela kudokotela nonkosikazi wakhe ongumhlengikazi, ngathi, “Abanye abazali abaqondi nje ukuthi izingane zidingani. Wonke umntwana oneminyaka eyisithupha udinga ukumunca isithupha sakhe futhi alume izinzipho zakhe. Ngakho-ke, Jackie, ncela isithupha sakho futhi ulume izinzipho zakho uze waneliseke. Futhi abazali bakho akufanele bakuthathe kancane. Ubaba wakho ungudokotela futhi uyazi ukuthi odokotela abalokothi baphazamise ukwelashwa kweziguli zabanye abantu. Manje usuyisiguli sami, futhi akakwazi ukungivimbela ekuphatheni ngendlela yami. Umhlengikazi akufanele aphikisane nodokotela. Ngakho ungakhathazeki, Jackie. Ncela isithupha sakho futhi ulume izinzipho zakho njengazo zonke izingane. Yebo-ke, uma usumdala umfana, cishe iminyaka eyisikhombisa ubudala, bese ukuncela isithupha sakho futhi ulume izinzipho kuyoba amahloni kuwe, hhayi leyo minyaka.
Futhi ezinyangeni ezimbili, uJackie kwakufanele abe nosuku lokuzalwa. Enganeni eneminyaka eyisithupha, izinyanga ezimbili ziyingunaphakade. Luzoba nini lolu suku lokuzalwa, ngakho uJackie wavumelana nami. Kodwa-ke, yonke ingane eneminyaka eyisithupha ifuna ukuba umuntu omdala oneminyaka eyisikhombisa ubudala. Futhi emasontweni amabili ngaphambi kosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa, uJackie wayeka ukuncela isithupha sakhe kanye nokuluma izinzipho zakhe. Ngamane ngathinta ingqondo yakhe, kodwa ezingeni lengane encane.