24-26
As soon as the water was
cool enough for Seri to drink,
Abdul added a level teaspoon
of sugar and a pinch of salt.
He stirred the drink and
offered it to Seri. She was so
thirsty that she gulped the
whole glass! Abdul made
her another glass, adding the
right amount of sugar and salt
again. Grandma watched with
surprise as Seri drank the
whole second glass as well.
Suddenly, Seri vomited and
Grandma looked as if she
were about to scold Abdul.
“My teacher says not to
worry if the child vomits in the
beginning. Just try again,” he
said. He mixed a third glass
for Seri, but this time he urged
her to drink it more slowly.
When the glass was finished,
Seri clapped her hands and
began to squirm, trying to get
off Grandma’s lap. Burbling at
Abdul, her eyes darted after
him as he got out a biscuit.
Finally wriggling off Grandma’s
lap, Seri walked toward
Abdul with arms out to take
the biscuit. Suddenly, much
to Grandma’s dismay, Seri
made another watery bowel
movement.
“Don’t worry. Grandma, she’s
already so much better,” said
Abdul. “Look how eager she is
to have the biscuit. And she’s
still thirsty! She’s trying to
reach the glass.”