Here's my creative adaptation of "A New Life" by Rukhsana Khan
I see Hamza in the
school’s hallway this morning. He looks like as he was thinking about
something. He gives no response when I wave my hands at him. I want to ask him
what is wrong, but Rada grabs my hand because classes are about to start. So I
run to the classroom instead.
After school, Hamza and
I walk home together.
I ask Hamza, “What is
troubling you?”
Hamza does not even
look at me.
He says, “Nothing.”
But it must be
something! I think to myself and say, “I saw you walked like a zombie in the
hallway!”
My friends and I just
read a book about zombies in one class this afternoon. Ms. Thomson took the book
away as she found out that we were reading such book. She said that the librarians
must have made mistake and we shouldn’t read that violent book.
Hamza gives me a
confused look. I doubt he doesn’t know what a zombie is. I’m ready to tell him
but I see the sandbox, as we pass by, and I recall those bully kids. I cry,
“Did those bad kids come back for you?”
“No,” he says, “Even if
they came back, I would have beaten them for sure.”
“Hmm,” what could that
be then? I keep guessing, “Oh, are you in love with someone?”
Hamza rolls his eyes.
That’s a No, I guess.
“Did you make mistakes
in the school?” I ask.
Hamza stops and does
not answer my question. I think I guessed it. So I comfort Hamza, “It’s ok,
Hamza. They wouldn’t beat us. You know that.”
“What did you say?”
Hamza turns towards me. He isn’t paying attention.
“What were you looking
at?” I watch over Hamza, and then I see a group of kids playing baseball. I
continue on, “I asked, if you made mistakes in the school.”
Hamza shrugs, “I told
you nothing. Let’s go home.” And then he walks away quickly from that baseball
field.
·
Another day, in the schoolyard,
I notice Hamza sits on a bench alone watching his friends playing baseball.
“Hamza!” I yell and run
to him, “Why don’t you playing with your friends?”
Hamza looks at me for a
while and says nothing.
“What’s going on?”
Hamza kicks the rocks around
his feet. He looks annoyed, “Stop
asking.”
“But…”
“Just go away and play
with your friends!” Hamza yells at me.
I have an urge to sob;
so I run away.
Hamza thinks I’m
annoying. I don’t want to speak with him anymore.
We do not speak when we
walk home.
We do not speak when we
do homework in our bedroom.
We do not speak when we
eat dinner together.
During dinner, Abugee
notices the weird flow between Hamza and I.
He coughs and says,
“How was school?”
Hamza answers, “It was
fine.”
“Nothing; fine; you
always say that.” I whisper to mock Hamza.
“I can hear you.” Says
Hamza as he throws away his spoon.
“Hamza!” Abugee growls,
“You are the older brother; you need to take care of your sister; and watch
your behaviour!”
Hamza stays silent and
stands up to head back to our bedroom.
“I am full.” He says as
he walks away from the dining table.
Abugee turns towards
me, “What happened?”
I don’t want to tell
Abugee about Hamza’s weird behaviour, because Hamza apparently doesn’t want anyone
to know whatever it is about. And I don’t want to betray Hamza.
“Nothing Abugee. We’re
fine.” I look away.
I don’t even believe
what I say.
Abugee signs and says,
“Khadija, each of you two should be the closest person to another in this
world. You should support each other.”
“Now finish your dinner
and go do your homework.”
Abugee looks tired. I
feel sorry.
Hamza had already gone
to bed when I come into the room.
I head towards my bed
in the dark and lay on my bed too.
A moment later, I hear
Hamza asks, “Awake?”
“Hmm.” I respond.
“I heard what you said
outside.” He says.
I almost think he means
my whisper on the dining table.
“I am sorry.”
“I am sorry.”
We almost apologize simultaneously.
We laugh out after.
“Do you want to know
what bothers me?” Hamza offers.
“Would you tell me?”
“Don’t tell Abugee
though.”
“Of course.” I reply.
“They got new gloves
for baseball and I didn’t.”
“Why don’t you tell Abugee
and he would buy one for you.” I suggest.
“I know he would; but
he is very tired for our family. I don’t want to be extra burden to him. Khadija,
don’t tell Abugee.”
“Hmm.” This is my
response and we both stay silent afterwards.
Soon I hear Hamza’s
heavy breath, though, I am still trying to think what I can do for Hamza.
Hamza has changed. He wouldn’t
be so considerate for Abugee when we were back in Pakistan.
I want to do something
for him, but I just promised him not to tell Abugee.
Hmm, maybe I can hint to
Abugee about Hamza’s interest in a baseball glove when Abugee is about to pick
a birthday gift for Hamza.
****************************
This is a scene between
the original scenes when Hamza and Khadija’s parents found out Hamza had a
fight with other kids, and when Khadija visited Margarita’s home and Rata’s
home, in chapter four. Because there is a gap between these original scenes, there
is a flexibility to add something. I choose to write such a scene because there
are not too many conflicts between Hamza and Khadija in the original story. I
think Hamza and Khadija would become closer as they go through these conflicts.
Also, I want to show that children are worried for their parents too. In my
scene, Hamza does not want his family to know that he is bothered about not
having a new baseball glove. My scene also helps to understand that it is
normal to have fights and arguments between siblings, since the author did not
emphasis on siblings’ conflicts in the original story. Arguments between
siblings could make the story more real. Also I want to show that immigrant
families’ children became more considerate for their families, such as how Hamza
does not want to give Abugee extra burden.
I made several choices
to ensure that the characters remained faithful to the characters in the
original story. Firstly, Hamza does not let his family know his troubles often.
I tried to remain his personality as the original story does. Secondly, Khadija
shows her love and care to her family directly.
She worries about that Hamza would get beaten after he pulled the alarm
in the original story. She also helps Hamza to think positively. In my scene, Khadija
finds out Hamza’s weird behaviours and shows her care for him. Thirdly, Abugee
loves his kids and he notices the weird interaction between the two kids on the
dinning table. I tried to keep Abugee’s different attitudes to each child. He is
more strict to his son and gentle to his daughter. The family loves each other
but they show their loves in different ways. My scene resonates with the
siblings’ bed conversation from the original story. In my scene, they have a bedroom
conversation in the end too. I think it is very common that siblings, who share
one same bedroom, to have conversation after the lights are out. In the book, his
parents scolded Hamza, partly because he did not tell his parents that the
fight was for Khadija. In my scene, Khadija does not want to “betray” Hamza as
well. Khadija’s recall about the bully kids as they pass by the sandbox is also
my choice to connect original scenes and the new scene together.
When I write my
adaptation, I tried to follow the author’s writing style by using a childish
tone. The sentences are short. It is a first person’s view from Khadija and I
use present tense mainly, just like the author did in her story.
