Summer magic

Illustration: MEDAL

Phuong's family lives in Van Yen village, a purely agricultural village in the Northern Delta. Nowadays, if you only depend on rice and potatoes, you are lucky enough to have enough to eat, let alone her parents who gave birth to four children. Phuong is the eldest. Fortunately, everyone in the family is hard-working and responsible, and under the skillful hands of her mother, they have enough to spend. On the day she graduated from high school, Phuong had no intention of taking the university entrance exam. Behind her were three younger siblings. Phuong felt sorry for her parents who worked hard to provide for their children's education. Phuong wanted to give her younger siblings a chance at university. Now that industrial parks have come to the village. Companies always put up signs recruiting workers, Phuong doesn't have to worry about unemployment. Phuong will go to work to help share the burden with her parents. Phuong talked to her parents about this idea. Phuong's father said: "We thank you for your sacrifice. But if that's the case, it will be a waste of your 12 years of studying. Nowadays, wherever you recruit people, they all require a degree. If you love a job, just apply for that job." Mom and Dad are still healthy and have enough energy to take care of their children's education." Hearing her father say that, Phuong felt somewhat reassured. She took the entrance exam to the teacher training university. That was the major Phuong loved. That year, Phuong passed the exam with just enough points.

While most of Phuong's friends have all the good conditions to focus on studying, Phuong always has a thought in her heart: "How can I both study and work to reduce the burden on my parents?". So from then on, Phuong took advantage of her time to work part-time after school. Having both income and life experience, Phuong understands that earning honest money is not easy at all. Phuong does jobs such as washing dishes, waiting tables for restaurants, refreshment shops... Being healthy, Phuong does not hesitate to do anything. Occasionally, Phuong takes a day to visit her family. The pressure of studying and the pressure of life always weigh heavily on her shoulders. Phuong's mother loves her daughter and says: "You've lost a lot of weight recently. Work less. Mom and Dad will try to take care of you well so you have the health to study."

In the second year, her classmates were in love, but Phuong did not dare to think about it. The third school year passed. Like the previous summers, Phuong did not go home for summer vacation but stayed in the city to tutor. But this year, something different happened. Through an acquaintance, Phuong was accepted by the H. Province Social Protection Center as a teaching assistant for a period of three months. Phuong learned that the center divided the classes into many classes for children with disabilities and intellectual disabilities, so they would teach both literacy and life skills.

Phuong is said to be a teaching assistant, but in fact she was assigned to be in charge of a first grade class. Most of the children have varying degrees of mental disabilities, ranging from 7 to 10 years old. The children begin to learn to be away from their parents and to do the simplest tasks on their own. To put it simply, it is a task for normal children, but for children with mental disabilities, it is an extremely difficult task. From a literacy teacher, Phuong also teaches life skills to the children. She is almost a nanny. Phuong teaches the children to wash their faces, change their clothes, sweep the floor, fold curtains, and put their shoes in the right place.

After teaching for a week, Phuong received a phone call from the center director: “Hello, is this Ms. Phuong? Tomorrow morning, please accept a new student. This is the child of a teacher in the district. He is seven years old and has autism. Try your best, Phuong.” Phuong softly said “Yes.” However, Phuong was filled with anxiety. She had no experience dealing with autistic children. But she knew that teaching a mentally disabled child was difficult, teaching an autistic child was even more difficult. Especially for a student who had just finished her third year like Phuong. Phuong was not afraid of hardship. She was used to it. Once, teacher Phuong said about autistic people: “To know and get to know autistic people requires a lot of time and effort.” What would the days ahead be like? Would Phuong be able to help her child in the three months of summer? It seemed like it was about to rain, dark clouds were swirling, but the heat of the first days of summer did not lessen at all.

“My name is Hai, Nguyen Minh Hai, your son. My name is Lien”. That was Hai’s mother’s introduction. Phuong sat down and hugged the boy: “Hello, son”. Hai was a handsome boy, with a bright face but no expression. His eyes were very bright and clear. But his gaze seemed to be far away. Phuong was drawn into those eyes. Even though his gaze was not directed at her. Phuong kept thinking that if only there was a smile on that face, the boy would be wonderful. Phuong promised herself that she would use her love to transform this little angel. Phuong got acquainted: “What is your name?”. Phuong had to say it a third time before she received the answer: “My name is Hai”. His mother stood next to him and reminded him: “Has Hai said hello to the teacher yet?”. Like Phuong, her mother had to say it several times before he softly said: “Hello teacher”. After saying that, he indifferently turned his face away. It didn't know, didn't realize that Phuong wanted to get close to it, wanted to talk to it more to touch its own world, a world that seemed to be firmly protected.

Phuong led Hai into the classroom and asked the whole class to stand up and cheer to welcome the new friend. The sound of clapping hands rang out. He was bewildered. Phuong used both hands to turn his face so that the teacher and student were facing each other. Phuong said clearly and briefly: "Your friends are greeting you." He nodded. Phuong said: "Say hello to your friends." He said: "Hello." In the following days, Phuong organized games for the children, and he was still the same. Every time he did it successfully, Phuong reminded the whole class to clap, but he went back to his seat quietly. Phuong patted his head and praised: "You are so good." Phuong had to remind him during study time as well as during recess. After ten days of continuous tutoring, Phuong finally received a rare smile from him. That moment of smile seemed to be given to her. In the middle of the cool green school yard, Phuong saw his eyes sparkling with childish joy. Phuong's heart was filled with happiness. Even though Phuong knew that this was only the first step of thousands of steps to come.

Compared to his classmates, Hai's life skills were very poor. He couldn't concentrate, so he couldn't understand what the teacher was saying. He also didn't know how to look at what his classmates were doing and follow suit. He didn't even know how to greet the teacher when he entered the classroom, nor did he know how to thank others. In the first month, Phuong tried to find out Hai's interests. He loved drawing. Every time he finished drawing something, his face showed that he was very happy. Phuong bought a box of colored pencils and a set of A4 paper for him to practice drawing on his days off. "Thank you, teacher." For the first time, Hai could say a sentence of more than three words. Phuong also arranged for a boy of the same age but more agile to sit next to him to tutor him.

A month passed, Hai remembered and practiced some simple tasks. Every time he completed them, his friends clapped and the teacher gave him a red star. He seemed to like it very much. Phuong tried to find all his strengths to praise and encourage him. Every day that passed, he smiled more. Then there were times when he even told Phuong that a friend teased him. Phuong's reminders for him also began to decrease. However, Phuong had never seen him express his feelings first. "Getting to know an autistic person is difficult, raising the level of trust is even more difficult" - the teacher's words to Phuong echoed in her mind. For an autistic person to integrate into the community requires perseverance. You cannot rush the process. Phuong saw that he had made progress, even if it was very little, she was still happy. Since the day Hai appeared in class, Phuong often thought about him. Love, joy and sadness were intertwined in her heart. Accompanying an autistic person was difficult, but Phuong also felt it was interesting, experiencing the things she had learned at school. That joy is accumulated and cherished every minute and every hour.

Ms. Lien understands the hardships of a teacher teaching skills to disabled children, so she often talks with Phuong. Sometimes Phuong takes pictures and sends them to her, the times Hai receives weekly rewards... Ms. Lien is happy and excited. In seven years of giving birth and raising a child, she and her husband have never seen a bright smile on their child's lips. She said: "Every time I look at the picture, I am filled with happiness. Thank you very much."

Phuong's contract was about to expire in a week. Phuong was about to return to the teacher training college to finish her final year. The center's director promised: "If you don't have a job next year, please invite Ms. Phuong to come back here to teach." Suddenly, Phuong felt a pang of nostalgia. Phuong missed her children. Three months was only enough for the teacher and student to get to know each other and their personalities. Now it was time for them to be apart. First was Lien, her voice choked up: "I ask your permission to let Hai quit school. Quit completely. I'll take him back to his paternal hometown to study. His grandparents are also teachers and will tutor him. Thank you for helping me in the past three months. Hai now knows how to smile at his parents, although it's still a little. Goodbye." Phuong felt tears welling up in her eyes: "It's been almost three months. It's so fast. You haven't had time to teach him anything yet." Lien said: "You're too modest. We're very grateful to you."

One evening, Lien called Phuong: "Is that you, Phuong? Are you okay? My son wants to talk to the teacher." Phuong was anxious: "Yes. Yes. Give me the phone. I want to hear what he has to say." Phuong did not have to wait long, Hai's voice rang out on the phone: "Hello, teacher. I miss you so much." Phuong was in a hurry and forgot that Hai was an autistic child: "I miss you so much too. Thank you for giving me a wonderful summer. I wish you a happy and healthy new school year and good studies." The continuous beeping sound announced that the other end of the line had hung up. No problem. That was great. Hai now knew how to express his feelings, to say what he thought, and to say more than three words. His path ahead was still very difficult. Phuong hoped that one day soon he would become a normal child like any other child...

Short story by NGUYEN SY DOAN