Down but not out.

Here is a mail from my friend dr. Ramamani. I thought it is worth recording in the blog. so here it is.
Down but not out
My first meeting with Suresh happened about a year back. I have been a regular walker in the morning for the last three years, after my family moved into this new locality. The road I take is a straightroad, two kilometers stretch with trees on either side running parallel to railway track. This road is popular among people walkers as public transport is less in the road. In course of time I have become familiar with many faces. Some people walk, younger people jog and run, old people walk slowly, some sick people walk with stiff gait. Different peoplere act in different ways when I bump into them. Some smile, some say hello, some seem to be eager for a break for a chat, some are indifferent, some walk with a stiff upper lip. It was one of my usual routine walks when I saw a family of three walking fifty meters ahead of me - a boy, a man and a woman walking in the same direction. It was an unusual sight, a teenage boy of 15 or 16years being flanked on either side, what looked to me as a protective gesture, by his parents. No boy of that age likes to walk with elders. He would rather run or play with boys of his own age. As I approached the trio from behind I noticed a slight sway in boy’s hips. Sudden noise from my sneezing, reaction by my nose due to cold wind made them turn towards me . I looked at them as they looked at me. I also noticed the boy. He was not exactly like other boys, may be that explained parent’s protective attitude. The boy had protruding tongue, his teeth were irregular, he had a unusual and funny expression on face. What was striking was his smile. It was different, it was a grin and looked a bit silly. I smiled back at him automatically. My mind went back to similar faces I had seen in a magazine. As I tried to tally the two pictures in my mind I had overtaken them.
I met the same boy again in super bazaar when I went to buy groceries. I was looking for a particular item in grocery section. I felt a purr on my shoulder. I turned back to find out the cause of purring. I saw him looking at me and grinning. He said something like ‘harasaya ’ Apparently he had recognized me. His father standing next to him asked the boy gently to take his hand off me and mumbled something apologetically. I did not know how to react . I simply asked the boy his name. Boy muttered something ‘sayasa’ His pronunciation was too unintelligible for me to understand. His father said that his son’s name was Suresh. When the boy heard his name he understood he was introduced to me and held out his hand towards me. I noticed he had somewhat unusual hand. It was small hand with short fingers, with different type of creases in the palm. We shook hands. That is when I correlated Suresh’s face with the article and the photos in magazine on Down Syndrome. That was the beginning of our friendship. I browsed through internet about Down syndrome. There are 23 pairs of chromosomes in a human cell, 22 of them are called somatic chromosomes and one sex chromosome. Somatic chromosomes are numbered according to their length. Longest one is numbered one and the shortest is numbered twenty two. Somatic chromosomes give particular characters to body such as height, color of skin, eye, facial features etc. Sex chromosome determines the sex of the person. For no particularly known reason, cells in persons with Down syndrome is associated with three chromosomes in position number twenty one instead of a pair. In some persons it may be in position eighteen. This condition is called trisomy. An error can happen during separation of chromosomes during cell division of reproductive cells called meiosis. This anomaly in the separation and resulting altered number of chromosomes in the fertilized cell can cause altered development of the foetus. This aberration happens more often in elderly mothers compared to younger mothers. Children developed from this type of cell with trisomy, have certain common features and they look different from persons with a pair of chromosome. They are usually shorter with typical facial features of slanting eyes, nose with wider bridge, protruding tongue, low set ear, loose body and limbs. Mentally they fall in a lower range of conventional intelligence quotient. Why does not chromosome separate properly in a few cells? Why does nature play havoc on some innocent people? And put the victims and the unlucky parents in trouble for no fault of theirs? I learnt more facts about Down syndrome. Children with this are slowlearners but can be coached to carry on their routine work, to do repetitive job and to become relatively independent. Many have an ear for music. They are also good imitators. In spite of being in the receiving end, they reciprocate affection and bond with people. Children with Down syndrome may be a bit down but definitely not out.
It was not long after that, Suresh became a familiar sight whenever I went out for morning walk. I would watch him struggling often balancing an old cycle as his father would run by his side to support him in the event of any fall. He put more effort to peddle than I thought was necessary. As he peddled his cycle he would shift his body from side to side and shake his head in a particular rhythm. Amidst his practice he would look up sometimes and smile at any person he would see. A few weeks later, I noticed his father was missing by his side. That means Suresh could balance himself! That also meant he had become more independent!! He was also riding a new bicycle. As he saw me he got down from his and held cycle handlebars with aplomb and gave a ‘I cando it myself’ grin. He seemed to be in a paradise of his own. He pointed his fingers to his new bicycle and said something like ‘he he.’ Was he telling me he got a new bicycle? And he could ride by himself? I knew I had to congratulate him for his new cycle and most importantly acknowledge his cycling prowess. I patted him on his back. I pointed my fingers towards his new cycle and held my hands up making a ring out of my thumb and forefinger. He understood my appreciation, for he beamed from ear to ear. After a few unintelligible words and a few minutes later he mounted on his cycle and rode smoothly away from me. I saw his father standing a few yards away and watching his son with pride. I could understand his father’s joy.
As a person with no problem in motor control, I had been a struggler myself, a struggler of a different sort, a middle aged woman with not any brisk reflex, learning to balance a two wheeler – a moped and had taken a long time to pick up.
This October seventh was my birthday. I missed my daughter who would give me a greeting card and a present and make an event out of it. Now she is in Germany doing her masters degree in engineering. But a different thing happened . On the morning of my birthday I got birthday wishes and a surprise gift from my husband. It was my favorite blue colored Bengal cotton saree with white border. I was pleased. I wore the new saree and went to temple. As I stood there folding my hands in prayer I could hear some sound from a familiar voice. I turned back and saw my friend Suresh. He gave a wide grin. He made agesture of appreciation . He pointed towards my new saree and held his hand up making a ring out of right thumb and ring finger. Then he heldout his hands . And said something. His hands looked no different from others. I could hear him saying ‘happybirthday!’ My birthday was celebrated.