You can see and listen to me reading “Roja rababa vaBiggie” (from my book, Tudikidiki) to a writing workshop audience on top of Chisiya Hill, Zvishavane way back in 2015, October. The video is here> Roja raBaba vaBiggie - YouTube
++the actual short story: Roja
rababa vaBiggie
Vanhu vose vaiona roja rababa vaBiggie richikwidza nekudzika naKashangura mazuva okutanga vaingoti, “Iri ndiro roja ratiri kutsvaga tichishaya. Baba vaBiggie vakaita zvavo mhanza. Iro ndiro roja rinonzi roja.”
Chinhu chinofadza kuita roja rako rinoshanda, rine mhuri diki, rinogeza, risingadhakwe zvakanyanya, rinodzika naKashangura rakanyarara dakara rasvika pamba.
Mumwe musi takazoona roja rababa vaBiggie richitenga chibage chokugocha richinogara padombo richidya. Takangotiwo ndizvo zvinoita roja kwaro kumbotenga chibage pamusika richidyawo.
Roja riye rakasimuka ndokunotenga mumwe muguri wechibage ndokudzoka padombo kunodya. Takangotiwo ndizvo zvinoita roja kwaro kana ragarisa risingadye chibage chokugocha. Ko, miguri miviri yokugocha yakaipei? Chakaipei chibage chinogochwa nanaamai vepamusika?
Asika roja riye rakasimuka kechitatu, kechina … richitenga chibage richidya rigere padombo kumhiri kwemugwagwa.
Munhu kana achidya chibage chekugocha anoita kunge ari kuridza bhosvo. Roja kana richidya miguri yechibage chokugocha rigere mhiri kwemugwagwa, rinobva ratanga kunakidza.
Mamwe mazuva tairiona richidzika naKashangura richiteverwa mumashure nemukadzi waro mupfupi, mutsvuku akabereka mwana. Vaiteverana vasingataure, vachiita kunge mombe dziri kuenda kunonwa mvura.
Zvavo havo baba vaBiggie.
Tairiona zvakare roja riye rakatakura mwana mumaoko richinotenga muriwo pamusika. Taingotiwo ndizvo zvinoita roja kwaro kumbotakurawo mwana waro wekubereka.
Richingobva kumuriwo, raibereka mwana kumusana rakananga kumagirosa. Taingoti ndizvo zvinoita roja kwaro kumboitawo zvinhu zvatisati tamboona zvichiitwa muno muChipadze.
Richidzika naKashangura riine mwana kumusana, richibva kumagirosa, vakadzi vachiriona vachirovana kobo nepaheji, varume vachitarisana mhiri nemhiri kwaKashangura vachizunza misoro.
Baba vaBiggie vakabva vateverawo mumashure, rimwe zuva, vachimhanya, heti iri muhapwa, vachiti, “Jackson, Jackson!” Asi roja ravo rakanga ratopinda mugedhi kare nemwana waro kumusana.
Vakadzi vakarovana kobo nepaheji, varume vakazunza misoro. Pane munhu mumwechete akangoti, “Baba vaBiggie neroja ravo vari kurasika papi?”
Izvozvo ndizvo zvinoita munhu anonakidza. Musi waunotanga kumuona hapana kana chaunoona paari. Vakawanda vanhu vanonakidza vatinosangana navo mutown, kuChiwaridzo nekuChipindura asi hativazive.
Umwe usiku takamutswa nemhere mhere. Baba vakabuda vakangopfeka chikabudura chavo chete. Takabva tavatevera zvisina kunzi teverai. Takamhanyira kumugwagwa, kutara. Chii? Chiiko chiri kuitika muno muChipadze?
Takanzwa kuti mhere mhere iye yaibva kutower-light. Takawana vanhu vaungana vakatarisa kumusoro soro kwetower-light.
Roja rababa vaBiggie rakanga riri pamunhongonya petower-light! Kuita kunge tsoko iri kuita misikanzwa. Vanhu vainge vachishevedzera, “Buruka iwe! Ukadonha kubva ipapo unofira mahara!”
Roja rababa vaBiggie rakatarisa pasi pataive ndokuseka. Rakaseka asi maziso aro aive nemisodzi. Takasekwa neaichema!
Zvakatinetsa saka takapindirawo tichiti, “Buruka! Unofira mahara iwe-e!”
Roja rakazviramba, “Handiburuke! Handiburuke!” Rakatenderera tenderera pazvisimbi zvetower – light kuita seraive pamasofa.
“Buruka! Buruka!” Chipadze yakaimba. Misodzi yevanhu yakabuda. Chokwadi, chiiko chinoita kuti roja kwaro zvakadaro ridaro?
“Heyi! Murume aita seiko uyo? Anomuziva ndianiko?”
Asi roja harina kupa vanhu mukana. “Ndoda kufa! Ndoda kufa!” Rakabata patower-light neruoko rumwechete, muviri wose uchirembere semuzerere. Takabata matumbu ndokuteterera, ndokuombera. Raigona kuwa kubva kumusoro soro ikoko.
Roja rakazodzorera makumbo patower-light vanhu vakatura befu. Roja rakachema, “Amai! Amaiwe-e-e-e,” zviye zvinoita mushini webhucha kana uchicheka nyama ine bhonzo. “Ibvai pano! Handina kukushevedzai!” Rakatanga kurembera zvekare. Kuita muzurere. Kuita chipepa chiri mumhepo. Kuita kunge chinhu chisiri munhu. Takagwagwadza.
“Munofunga kuti ndakapusa, saka regai ndife! Ndinoda kufa!” Roja rakadzorera makumbo patower-light. Chipadze yakatura befu zvakare.
“Hamudi kubva, ha?” Roja rakabvunza rakatarisa Chipadze. Raive kure, kudenga kusingakwirwe nemupenyu. “Hamudi, nhaika?” Chipadze yakabvunzwa. Roja rakakatanura hembe ndokuikanda pasi. Hembe chena ine dikita nyoro kumusana. Yakakoromoka ndokuti zivha-a kumhara painge pasudurukwa nevanhu.
Taiti zvapera asi roja rakanyatsogara pazvisimbi ndokutanga kukumura bhurugwa!
Vakadzi vose nevasikana vakabva vati, “Yowe-e! yuwi-i!” vachitarisa pasi nokumhanyira mudzimba.
Roja rakatobva rakwamatata, “Mirai! Murikutiza chii? Mirai!”
Hamhenowo mumwe murume asina matyira akati, “Heyi! Zvaita seiko? Unoda chiiko?”
Roja rikati, “Ndinoda kufa nekuti munoti ndakapusa!” Rakatanga zvakare kurembera. Rakati pidigu ndokurembera nemusoro, nemaoko rakabatirira pazvisimbi nemakumbo. Varume vane chitsama vakaverereka neheji ndokuenda vachiti, “Hatichazvigona, tingazonzi taivepo.”
Roja rakarembera, musoro uchiita sewejongwe riri padara refu refu. “Regai ndife! Ndavakufa amai! Ndofira mari yangu, amai!” Roja rakabowa kuita hwemhuru chaiyo. “Ama-a-ai!”
Ndipo pakazosvika baba vaBiggie, vachisimudza heti yavo vachipukuta dikita pamhanza nehengechepfu. Takasuduruka. “Regai zvipedzerane. Nyaya hatiizive. Iwe mudhara, pedzerana neroja rako!”
Baba vaBiggie vaifemereka. Vakatarisa mudenga ndokuti, “Jackson! Jackson! Kana uchida mari yako ndinokupa mhani!”
Roja rakati pidigu ndokugara patower light. Takaombera maoko. Takaridza mheterwa. Takatura befu. “Iri kupi mari yacho? Ndoda mari yangu! Zvisizvo, ndofa nhasi chaiye. Hazvitombonetsa!”
Baba vaBiggie vakadedera. Vakadzikisa ruoko mubhachi ndokuburitsa rumbu remari. “Mari yako iyi mwanangu, buruka!”
“Iri kupi?” roja rakabvunza richitarisa pasi. “Iri kupi? Handisi kuiona!”
“Iyi! Iyi” Takadaro tichinongedzera mari. “Buruka utore mari!”
“Imarii?” roja rakabvunza. “Verengai ndichiona. Verengai ndichiona! Handidi zvokunyeperwa!” Maziso eroja akavaima.
Yakaverengwa. Mazana emazana. Kuita matutu matutu, izvozvo roja rakaringa pasi. Kuita rimwewo zinhu riri pamusoro soro riri kubhadharwa nevari pasi.
Roja rakazoti, “Chisudurukai!” Takaita saizvozvo. Takanomira kure kwazvo, takapeta maoko, takabata hana, tichitura befu. Takaona roja richidzika, simbi nesimbi, richiridza kamuridzo, musana waro - usina hembe – uchipenya muchiedza chetower – light.
+naMemory Chirere
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