446 chapter 47
ZAKI AND NASIR
A Story From Pakistan
This is the story of 2 brothers, Zaki age 9, and Nasir age
7. Their father was a shopkeeper in Peshawar, and their
mother was a teacher. They had a big brother and a big
sister who were both students, living away from home.
Zaki was doing well at school but Nasir had never even
started school. There was something different about Nasir
from other children. Nasir was mentally disabled. His
brain did not work properly. He could only say a few odd
words. He could not dress himself, and he made a mess
at mealtimes.
Zaki felt ashamed to have such a brother. Neighborhood
children made fun of Nasir. They called him nasty names
and pushed him about. Nasir would get angry and try
to hit them, and then fall flat on his face. Some of the
grownups would shake their heads and say Nasir had an
evil spirit inside him.
The worst of it for Zaki was that he had to take care
of Nasir a lot of the time, when there was nobody else
at home. It meant that he could not go out to play with
his friends from school. And there was nothing to enjoy
in looking after Nasir. He could not talk. He did not know
how to play any games
Zaki felt very sorry for himself, and used to hate Nasir
for the times he had to stay in the house looking after
him. It was so unfair! He had never done anything wrong,
so why should he have to have a brother like that, who
stopped him from going out and playing with his friends?
One day a visitor came by their house, looking for
Zaki’s father. It was his cousin, Dr. Daud. Zaki’s parents
were out. Only Zaki and Nasir were in the house. Dr.
Daud noticed that Zaki had been crying. “What’s the
matter?” he asked. Zaki told Dr. Daud all about his
brother Nasir and how his own life was spoiled by having
to look after him.
Dr. Daud listened carefully.
Then he said, “Yes, you’ve
certainly got a problem. But
tell me, what are you doing
about it?” “What can I do?”
cried Zaki. “Nasif’s just as
bad now as he was 2 years
ago, and he’ll be twice as
stupid in another 2 years
time.” Dr. Daud looked
thoughtful. “Well, he might
be,” he replied. “But that
depends on how clever you
are.”
“What do you mean?” asked Zaki. “I’m getting good
marks at school, while he can’t even start” “Well,” said
Dr. Daud, “if you’re clever enough for 2 then you could
really help Nasir to change for the better. Then you’d both
be happier and you’d get more free time to go out and
play.” “How can I do that?” asked Zaki. Dr. Daud said,
“First, I’ll have a talk with your father and mother.”
That evening Dr. Daud called again and had a long talk
with Zaki’s parents. “I can’t give you any medicine for
Nasir,” he said, “because there isn’t any that will cure
him of mental disability. Not even the best surgeons can
do anything. But you have the answer right here in your
own home. If you have enough time and patience you
can teach Nasir to do a lot more than he can do now.”
But Zaki’s father said, “That’s just the problem! We don’t
have enough time at home. I can’t have Nasir in the shop.
He pulls everything off the shelves. And his mother is
teaching at school and then has to get our food, and then
gives private lessons. We can’t stop working, or we’ll
never eat and pay the rent.”
“But Zaki has the time,” said Dr. Daud. “He could do
a lot to teach Nasir. Why not try it for a month. I’ll show
you where to start.”
So Zaki became Nasir’s teacher. But he also learned a
lot of things himself. He started teaching Nasir to dress
himself. Of course, Zaki knew how to put on a shirt. You
just pick it up, and put it on! But he soon realized that
there was more to it, when teaching Nasir. First you had
to find which was the back and which was the front of
the shirt. Then you had to find the main hole and get the
head through it. Then one arm went into the right sleeve.
Then the other arm into the other sleeve. Next you pull
the whole thing down over yourself.
Then there was teaching Nasir to feed himself. You
would think it was obvious, how to eat! But Nasir had to
find out step by step how to pick up a piece of chapati, get
some curry on it, put it into his mouth and remember to
chew and swallow. It took dozens of repetitions and lots
of encouragement and rewards before Nasir learned each
step. Zaki began to realize what Dr. Daud had meant. He
needed to be clever enough for 2 in order to puzzle out
how to teach Nasir. But when Nasir succeeded in some
small step, they were both so delighted that it made all
the effort worthwhile.
A few months later Dr. Daud was passing Zaki’s house.
Zaki came rushing out, “Quick, Doctor, you must come
in!” Dr. Daud hurried in, thinking he would find someone
at the point of death. But all he saw was Nasir, grinning
broadly in his chair. “What is it? What’s the matter?”
demanded the doctor. Zaki was so excited he could hardly
speak. “He said a whole sentence, Doctor. Nasir did. He’s
never said more than 2 words together before now. He
just said, ‘Zaki give sweets to Nasir’. I’ve been trying for
months to get him talking. He did it! He did it!”
Doctor Daud
smiled. “I think you
like your brother
better than you used
to,” he said.
Disabled village Children