[sample translations]go jeonguk, the boy who talks to animals eng by LTI Korea Library

Sample Translations

Jeonguk Go The Boy Who Talks to Animals E ng l i s h

Book Information

The Boy Who Talks to Animals (동물과 대화하는 아이) THE BOOK IN MY LIFE Publishing corp. / 2013 / 7 p. / ISBN 978899798028473810 For further information, please visit: http://library.klti.or.kr/node/772 This sample translation was produced with support from LTI Korea. Please contact the LTI Korea Library for further information. library@klti.or.kr

The Boy Who Talks to Animals Written by Go Jeonguk, Illustrated by Shin Soosung, Kim Hyeonggeun

Table of Contents

First Solo Exhibition – 9

A Mathematics Genius – 21

A Boy Who Can’t Stand the Door Shut – 31

Animal-assisted Therapy – 43

An Honorary Zookeeper – 58

Soosung the Baker – 71

Communication with Pictures – 83

A Dreaming Cub – 93

An Exhibition of Animal Pictures – 107

A Word from the Author

Kids today are afraid to speak to their parents. They say it is because when they try to talk to their parents, the parents only get angry. I don’t think that people talk to each other enough in our society. And as a result, people don’t understand how others feel. So we make assumptions, and those assumptions often lead to misunderstandings. And when the misunderstandings accumulate,the feeling turns to resentment. In the end, people become bitter towards the ones they’re supposed to love the most – like their parents and their siblings. Wouldn’t you agree all this is because of a lack of communication and understanding? The main character in this book is an autistic child named Soosung. He’s considered developmentallydisabled.The Chinese characters used to write “autism” have the meaning of “closing the doors on oneself.” People with autism lack the ability to communicate with others. It must be terribly frustrating. Soosung, however, has found that he can talk toanimals. Animals don’t try to trick you or lie. Animals have found a kindred spirit in Soosung. Soosung can look into an animal’s eyes and know what it is feeling. And he has found a door to the outside world through them. Also, he has shown us his amazing artistic talents. He is an amazing boy. I found Soosung to be a remarkable young man when I met him to write this book. We communicated well with each other, and he made eye contact with me. By communicating with animals, he learned to communicate with people. He shattered the misconception that regular people have about the disabled - that they cannot do most things. He also taught me that people can talk to animals, and that the most important thing in the world is our hearts. After you read this book, talk to the people you love the most. It might be difficult at

first, but keep at it, and soon you will be able to. And communication will lead to understanding, which then can lead to love. Soosung began drawing pictures of animals because he loved them so much.

What we need to do at this moment is love one another. 3 Written by Go Jeong-uk in spring 2013 at the foot of Bukhan Mountain

First Solo Exhibition

People in twos and threes, dressed lightly, walked around under the warm spring sun. Passers-by in this artsy neighborhood looked relaxed. And in front of a small gallery on the corner of the street, you could see a tidy banner hanging. It read: Shin Soosung, the Boy Artist Who Can Talk to Animals There was a poster of a big white owlon the gallery wall. Another poster was full of smaller pictures of different animals arranged next to each other. People passing by peeped in curiously to see what kind of exhibition the gallery was showing. Yes, it was the opening day of Soosung’s first solo exhibition. The pictures that Soosung had drawn up to then weregoingon an outing this warm spring day. It was peaceful inside the gallery, but for those peoplewho had spent a lot of time preparing for the exhibition, including Soosung’s family, it was a very busy day. It hadn’t been easy making invitations, designing posters, and choosing what works would get exhibited. The many floral arrangementsthat had arrived to congratulate Soosung were lined up in front of the entrance like schoolchildrenwaiting to have their homework checked. “It looks interesting.”

Couples passing by walked into the gallery. People who hesitated at first got the courage to go inside also. There were already several people who had come in and were now looking at Soosung’s pictures. In one corner, there was an old gentleman, wearing a beret,who was comparing a Siberian tiger and a white tiger with a magnifying glass. “Welcome.” Every time someone came in, a female guide at the door greeted him or her with a smile on her face. Wearing a suit and a bowtie, Soosung stood in the middle of the gallery space with an awkward expression on his face. He was the star of the show on this day.Although he was in fifth grade, he was as tall as a high school student and was a very handsome young man. As people came in and out of the gallery, Soosung stood still. He was autistic, developmentally handicapped, so it wasn’t easy for him to say hello to strangers. A lot had happened to lead up to exhibition day.

As she watched him standing quietly, Soosung’s mom became teary-eyed. At that moment a few women dressed very elegantly came into the gallery. “Congratulations!” They were friends of Soosung’s mom. She greeted them very happily. “You must be so busy. What are you all doing here?” “What do you mean? It’s Soosung’s exhibition. Of course we came.” “Soosung, congratulations!” “You’re amazing.” The friends of Soosung’s mom approached him and went to reach for his hand as they spoke to him. Soosung hid his hands behind him and awkwardly bowed to them. “Thank you.”

On the opening night of an exhibition, artists usually invite people they know and share refreshments as they talk about their artwork. It was Soosung’s turn to do that. So, there were refreshments prepared for the exhibition. “Come, come this way. This way…” Some of the women followed Soosung’s mom to the refreshment table, and others went to look at the artwork on display. “Wow, was this really all done by Soosung?” “That’s really amazing.” The women made a big fuss as they went over each picture. When they were finished, the women gathered in one corner of the gallery and said to Soosung’s mom: “You put so much work into this.” “You must be so happy with how Soosung has turned out.” “I’m so jealous. Jealous!” “You must be so proud.” As Soosung’s mom listened to the outpouring of compliments, her face turned red. Suddenly, she clearlyremembered all the difficult times she had had raising Soosung.

Soosung’s mom was Korean-Japanese, and she had fallenin love with a handsome young Korean man. He was in Japan as an international student, and afterthey fell in love, Soosung’s mom decided that she was going to marry him. So she traveled to Korea, met his parents, and got their permission to get married.

They married with the blessing of their loved ones. And soon, she became pregnant. “Father, Mother, you’ll be able to meet your grandchild after 9 months.” “I’m so happy for you, honey.”

“You must be our family’s good luck charm.” The grandparents were thrilled to hear that soon they wouldhave their first grandchild. Every day that passed wasa happy one. Soosung's mom was getting bigger, and she was busy preparing for her first child. There were a lot of things she needed for her baby. One day she and her sister-in-law came home after shopping at a department store for baby items. Her sister-in-law said cheerfully: “I think the baby will be so cute. I hope he or she looks like both you and my brother…” “Really? Haha.” As Soosung’s mom opened the door to the house,something big and black was blocking her way. “Ahhh!” Soosung’s mom was completely startled. It felt as if the devil was waiting for her to harm her. She was so afraid that she just plopped down on the floor. “Are you all right?” her sister-in-law said, trying to help her up, but Soosung’s mom was too shocked to get up. She was frightened to death. “I’m so scared!” Soosung’s mom broke down into tears. “Why is this out here?” Her sister-in-law pushed the obstacle out of the way and turned on the light. The thing blocking the way was none other than a mattress. What should have been in the master bedroom was outside. When the two women pushed the mattress out of the way, they noticed someone quickly jumping out of the balcony window. “Who… who is it?” thesister-in-law yelled, but the shadowy figure had already

disappeared. “It’s… it’s a burglar!”they both yelled. The inside of the house was a mess. The burglar must have known that the couple living there were newlyweds and had come to steal the wedding presents. “Are you okay? Please calm down.” Soosung’s mom was still in shock. She felt her stomach tightenand couldn't feel her baby move. Her husband came home immediately after he was contacted, and they went to the hospital. They found out later that burglars like to set up obstacles so that they will have more time to run away if the homeowners comehome suddenly. The burglar had moved the mattress for that reason. “Doctor, the baby should be okay, right?” “I think so.” Soosung’s mom was afraid that something had happened to the baby because of how startled she had gotten. So she felt anxious up to the point of delivery.

“I still think about it, and I really think that incident was not good for Soosung.” “Yes, yes. They say that you should see and hear only good things when you’re pregnant. How startled you must have been.” Soosung’s mom’s friends tried to comfort her. She was convinced that Soosung’s autism was caused by that particular incident. As Soosung’s mom spoke of the past, she was so grateful and so happy with how well Soosung had grown up. At that moment, Soosung was explaining to the elderly man wearing a beret about the polar bear he had drawn. “This is a polar bear. Because of global warming and the ice melting, more and more

of his food supplyis disappearing. That is why polar bears look for food elsewhere and come down to where people live. But people get frightened and shoot them and kill them. Oh, there was a documentary called The Tears of the Polar Bears that was shown on television.” Soosung’s mom’s friends were all very impressed as they watched Soosung give his explanation calmly. “Wow, you’re an expert.” “And you draw so well, too…” “I wish I had your talent.” As his mom’s friends complimented him and stroked his hair, Soosung looked embarrassed.

Mathematics Genius

“Oh my, I’m so tired.” An old woman wearing a red jacket walked into the gallery. She was holding a huge bouquet of flowers. Soosung saw who it was as soon as she walked in, and he ran to her. “Grandma!” “Oh my boy, my little puppy.” She ran her fingers through Soosung’s hair. His grandmother had takenthe subway from far away to see her grandson’s exhibition. When she came in, the friends of Soosung’s mom all stood up to greet her. “Hello. How are you? “Hello.” Soosung’s grandmother thanked the friends for coming. “Thank you so much for coming.” Soosung’s mom took her over to the most comfortable seat in the gallery.

“Please have a seat here.” “Oh my, yes.” She must have been tired from the trip. As soon as she gave Soosung the flowers, she sat down. “These were all drawn by Soosung?” “Yes, Mother.” Soosung’s grandmother looked around the gallery from where she was sitting and started to tear up. “Why are you crying? This is a good day.” “I’m just being silly. It’s because I’m happy. I can’t believe Soosung is having a show… it’s making me feel so emotional.” When Soosung’s grandmother went to wipe away her tears, the other women started tearing up as well. They could all imagine how she was feeling as she looked ather grandson whom she loved. “I want to take a look at the pictures,” Soosung’s grandmother said after a brief rest. She placed her hands on her knees and got up. “Are you going to be all right?” Soosung’s mom said, helping his grandmother up. “Of course, these are Soosung’s paintings. I have to see them.” When Soosung’s grandmother approached the pictures, Soosung became excited and began to explain. “Grandma, this turtle is the green turtle that we used to have in our home a long time ago.” The grandmother remembered. She had bought two green turtles that she had planned to release on Buddha’s birthday. But because Soosung liked them so much, the family kept them and raised them in a fish tank. Soosung had drawn those green turtles that

he had had back then. He had even drawnthe red dot that was next to each turtle’s cheek. Soosung’s grandmother said: “You’re excited today, aren’t you?” Soosung looked very energetic as he explained the pictures. His grandmother listened to him patiently. But standing for so long was difficult for her. “Oh, I’m so tired. I’ll have to rest and then come back to look at the pictures.” Soosung’s grandmother sat down again. At that moment, the friends of Soosung’s mom were saying their goodbyes. “Call me later.” “Congratulations for today!” “Thank you for coming.” After the women all left, the only people remaining were Soosung, his mom, his grandmother, and several people looking at the artwork. “Soosung’s father isn’t here, yet?” “No, he’ll be here a little later… he said he would be a little late because of work.” “Honey, you’ve worked so hard, all by yourself.” “Not at all, Mother.” Soosung’s grandmother watched Soosung interact with the people in the gallery and carefully opened her mouth to speak. “I thought that because all the kids in our family learned to speak late, Soosung wouldn’t be any different. I’m sorry.” “You don’t have to be sorry. Everything happens for a reason.” “I would never have dreamt that Soosung wouldn’t be like other children.” Soosung’s grandmother gently closed her eyes. Soosung’s mom must have been thinking about the past also, as she stared into space for some time.

After the wedding, Soosung’s mom lived in Korea for a little while before going back to Japan, where her family was, to have her baby. When Soosung was born after nine months, he was a big, handsome boy and his appearance prompted everyone to say: “Look at how handsome he is. Presidential material for sure.” To everyone’s eyes, Soosung was a healthy boy. Soosung lived in Japan for about a year and a half. His father was studying in Japan at the time. Everything was new for Soosung’s mom, and it took some getting used to, but she did her best to care for her lovable first son. Strangely, however, Soosung’s development was slow. Other children crawled in no time and wereable to grab things early on, but not Soosung. From time to time Soosung’s mom would ask her mother-in-law who was in Korea: “When do kids start walking usually?” Her mother-in-law would reply: “I don’t remember exactly. There’s a saying that kids who grow up fast serve the guests themselves at their first birthday party. But Soosung’s dad and his siblings were a little slow. Why do you ask?” “Soosung seems very behind other children. He’s now one, and he still doesn’t walk…” “Wait a little while. He’ll walk soon.” “Okay.” Soosung’s mom was aware that every child develops at a different pace. So she thought Soosung was just a little slow, but soon wouldcatch up with other children. Fortunately, he developed well physically; he was healthy, was taller than most kids his age, and weighed a good amount. After a year and a half in Japan, Soosung and his family

returned to Korea. Soosung began to talk when he was about three or four. But he only spoke in short phrases. When other kids began talking in sentences, Soosung would utter only a few words to express what he needed. Surprisingly, when it came to numbers, he excelled. He learned how to count from one to ten immediately. “Oh my goodness, Soosung is gifted.” As soon as he learned to count, he started to read big numbers and memorize them easily. Whenever he saw anything outside that had numbers in it, he would read and memorize them. Soosung’s mom couldn’t contain her excitement when her husband came home from work. “Honey, honey! I think our boy Soosung might be a genius.” Soosung surprised his dad too with his ability to memorize numbers. “Hey, little rascal. You’re so smart! Only geniuses can study mathematics.” “Maybe later you’ll become a mathematician or a scientist.” Soosung’s parents were on cloud nine after seeing how Soosung took to numbers. Soosung’s mom was surprised again when she took Soosung on the bus or the subway. Soosung had memorized the numbers of all the buses and subway trains. If you asked him about anything involving numbers, he quickly gave you an answer. Word began spreading about Soosung and his talent with numbers. “Heard Soosung is a super smart boy.” “Really?” “He just can’t talk very well, but he’s unusually bright.” “I see. I’ve heard that geniuses are a little bit like that.” “I’m so envious. I wish my son learned numbers that fast. He just barely finished

learning the alphabet…” Around this time Soosung’s sister was born. Soosung’s mom was at her wit’s end raising both Soosung and his sister. She was worried about Soosung and his late development, but took comfort in what her mother-in-law said: “All of my kids were a little slow. They all ended up excelling later, so don’t worry.” Soosung’s mom never thought that Soosung would be different.

A Boy Who Can’t Stand the Door Shut As Soosung’s grandmother talked about the past, she became teary-eyed again. Soosung’s mom brought her a glass of juice. “Let’s forget about the past now. Look at what a fine boy Soosung has grownup to be, holding his own exhibition. We should all be happy today.” “You’re right. Who knew that Soosung could draw so well?” Soosung’s grandmother settled down as she drank the juice. As it neared time for people to finish work, more and more people began to show up at the gallery. The elderly man in the beret was now sitting, and he was looking sideways, but you couldn’t tell if he was sleeping or looking at the pictures. Then a woman wearing a pretty red scarf came in through the entrance. “Soosung! You’re so big now!” Soosung didn’t know who it was right away. “Who… who are you?” Soosung’s mom recognized her first. “Oh my goodness! Welcome! Soosung, she was your teacher at Ria Kindergarten.” Soosung blinked for a second. Maybe it was because he had been so young at the time, but he couldn’t remember her very well. He politely greeted her anyway.

“Hello.” “I’m so happy to see you.” After Soosung’s kindergarten teacher greeted Soosung, she gave his mother a bouquet and a cake. Soosung’s mom said: “Please have a seat here. Would you like a drink?” “Congratulations.” “Thank you. This is Soosung’s grandmother.” “Oh, hello. I was Soosung’s kindergarten teacher.” “Oh, yes, hello! You were the first person who told us that Soosung needed special attention. Thank you so much.” “Oh, please, not at all. I’m just so happy to see that Soosung is such a talented artist,” Soosung’s kindergarten teacher said as she hugged him. “I’m so proud of you. I had no idea you could draw so well.” “Would you like me to tell you about the pictures?” “Yes, please tell me.” Soosung became excited and began giving his explanations. His grandmother and mother watched him and said: “It’s all because of his teacher that we realized he was different. If it hadn’t beenfor her, we would have found out even later.” “Yes, we owe her a lot. Betweenthe two of us, how did we not know?” “I don’t know.” For Soosung’s mom, it felt like she was back again at the same timewhen she had found out that Soosung had a disability.

When it came time for Soosung to start kindergarten, his dad said to his mom:

“Once he’s in school, he’ll make friends and start talking more.” His mom thought that was possible. She thought he didn’t have enough stimulation when he was home just with her. Also, Soosung’s mom was from Japan, so her Korean was not fluent. So she thought that that must be why Soosung wasn’t learning to speak very fast. Soosung got ready for school. He wore his cute uniform, his beret, and his backpack. “Have a good day, Soosung.” Soosung had to take the school bus. But getting him on the bus was impossible. Soosung began resisting and crying loudly because he didn’t want to part with his mom. But his kindergarten teacher was experienced. She had seen a lot of children who did not want to part with their moms at first. “Soosung, when you go to school, you’ll meet so many friends and have so much fun. I bet tomorrow you’ll beg your mom to send you to school.” His teacher smiled and spoke softly, but she firmly took Soosung away from his mom. Once his teacher put him on the bus, she said to his mom: “Don’t worry. He’ll do great.” It was the first time that Soosung had been away from her, so his mom spent all day feeling anxious and restless. She remembered him crying as he left, and she was worried about how he would get through the day. “I hope he adjusts okay. What if he cries again?” She couldn’t do anything all day. She felt edgy. She looked at the clock and waitedfor the time when the bus was supposed to drop Soosung off, but she couldn’t believe how slow the handsmoved. It was time for the bus to come. She went outside to wait twenty minutes before the scheduled time. All she could do was wait for the bus to arrive. Finally, Soosung’s mom could see the yellow school bus turning into her street.

When the bus stopped, Soosung’s teacher got off first. “Soosung!” Standing and holding onto the seat, Soosung looked like all the energy was zapped out of him. As soon as the bus doors opened, he jumped out and ran to hug his mom.Looking unworried,his teacher said: “I think he had a bit of a hard time because it was his first day. He’ll get better little by little.” “I hope he didn’t make things difficult for you. I’m so sorry.” “That’s all right. There are a lot of kids like Soosung who have a hard time the first day. He was a bit shy today, but you shouldn’t worry. After some time, he’ll be fine.” “Okay, thank you so much.” But, in reality, Soosung did not play with the other kids at all. His teacher still wanted his mom to give him more time because she had had experience with kids like him before. Things didn’t change at all for Soosung. The next day, and the next day, he was afraid to go to school. While other kids were chattering away on the bus, Soosung was still crying, not wanting to part with his mom. When his mom asked others for advice, they all said: “He’ll get better soon. He’s just really shy, that’s all.” “It’ll get better. That’s why we send them to kindergarten to begin with.” When Soosung’s mom heard these words, she thought they were right, but she still didn’t know what to do. “I shouldn’t be sitting around feeling nervous. I should go to the school.” She thought she should see for herself how Soosung was doing at school, so she made up her mind to go see him.

When she arrived at the school and approached the classroom, she saw that the door was open. “Why is the door open?” she wondered. When she looked inside, she saw that the kids were learning to dance and sing from the teacher. Soosung’s mom saw that there was one child who was holding onto the teacher. It was Soosung. He looked like a baby monkey holding onto his mother’s chest. The teacher didn’t really know what else to do and continued to teach the other kids with Soosung holding on. Soosung’s mom’s heart sank to the floor. She had no idea just how much he was not adjusting. She was standingfrozen in place when Soosung’s teacher noticed her. “Oh, hello. When did you get here?” Soosung’s teacher rushed over to her. “Just now. It’s a bit cold out. Why is the door open?” “Oh, that… well, actually…” Soosung noticed his mom, came running towards her, and climbed onto her back. His mom could sense that he was trying to find a sense of security. “If I close the door, Soosung can’t stand it.” “What?” His mom came inside the classroom and closed the door. Soosung ran to the door and opened it again. He couldn’t stand the feeling of being closed-in. “Soosung isn’t getting used to playing with the other kids. I think that there might be a problem with him.” When his mom heard this, she felt like she had just been punched in the stomach. “Pro…problem?” “I’m just speaking from experience. When I ask him to play with the other kids, he just attaches himself to me. And he can’t make eye contact.”

“I see.” Soosung’s mom felt like the sky was falling. “I think you should go to the hospital and get him examined. I think he might have a disability of some sort.” Soosung’s teacher spoke very carefully. His mom agreed with his teacherafter seeing that he panicked when the door was shut, couldn’t mix with the other kids, and was constantly attached to his teacher. “I think he wants to play with the other kids, but he just doesn’t know how. His social skills seem behind. If there is a problem, it’s better to find out soon so that he can get treated.” “I understand. I will take him to the hospital. Thank you.” Though realizing it a bit late, it was Soosung’s teacher who made his mom see that Soosung needed help.

Animal-assisted Therapy

“Guess who?” As Soosung was busy explaining his pictures to his kindergarten teacher, someone came by and covered his eyes. Startled, Soosung turned around. He saw a middle-aged woman whom he recognized. “Hello, Doctor!” When Soosung bowed to greet her, she gave a big smile. “Wow, look how mature Soosung’s gotten. You look great.” “Thank you.” Soosung’s mom rushed over. “Oh my goodness! You came. Thank you so much.”

“Of course. I had to. It’s Soosung’s show. He’s improved so much.” “Soosung is working really hard these days. He drew all of these pictures.” “Wow! I’ll have to report this to the medical journals.” The doctor sat with Soosung’s mom. She was the first doctor Soosung’s mom had seen when she realized that Soosung was different. The doctor took Soosung’s mom’s hands and said: “You’ve done a great job.” “It’s all because of you. You steered us in the right direction.” “I didn’t do anything. I just did my job. In any case, it makes me feel so good as a doctor to see Soosung doing so well. Oh, and I brought a present for him. I hope he likes it,” the doctor said, giving her a box of nice colored pencils. “Wow! He uses colored pencils like these to make his drawings. He’s going to really love them.” “Really?” “Yes! He uses markers and colored pencils to draw.” Soosung, too, was thrilled to see the colored pencils. “Thank you, Doctor!” “You’re welcome. I hope you draw many more great pictures with these.” Soosung’s mom brought over some refreshments and said: “It’s all because of your help that Soosung is holding an exhibition today.” “No, I knew that animal-assisted therapy was effective, but I never suspectedto this extent. This has all been very rewarding for me as well.”

In the end, Soosung couldn’t make friends at the regular kindergarten and had to leave. But Soosung’s mom didn’t want him to be at home all day, either, so she decided that it

would be best to find out what the problems were first. “Honey, there is something wrong with Soosung for sure. I need to take him to the hospital. Please come with me. I’m afraid.” “If you think that’s best.” Soosung’s father wanted to take time offfor his son, but he just couldn’t during the day. He always had people to meet for work. “Honey, I’m worry. I just can’t take any time off. I know it’s hard, but you’ll have to take Soosung to the hospital alone.” “There could be something very wrong with him. Is your business more important than your son?” “If there is something wrong with Soosung, then we’ll need money for his treatment. I have to work so that we will have that money.” Soosung’s mom didn’t say anything else. She thought it would just lead to an argument. She was afraid of hearing from the doctor something beyond her wildest imagination.

A few days later, Soosung’s mom got the courage to take him to achildren’s psychiatric hospital. She felt a little better when she learned they would be seeing a female doctor. She thought the doctor would understand her as a mother. Soosung’s mom told the doctor everything that had happened. She told her about the burglar who had frightened her when she was pregnant, and told her about Soosung. Most of all, Soosung’s mom wanted to know why Soosung couldn’t make eye contact with people and why he looked as though he was in his own world. The doctor did various tests and examinations on Soosung, and afterwards said: “After looking at all the different possibilities, I think Soosung is autistic.”

The doctor proceeded to tell Soosung’s mom about autism in detail. “To simplify, autistic children will withdraw inwards much more so than others. That is why it is difficult for them to communicate or make friends with other children. But there’s also no definitive test to say whether a child has autism or not. More precisely, we can categorize it as more of a developmental disorder. He appears to be developing physically, but not behaviorally. “What is the cause? Is it because I was startled when I was carrying him?” “We don’t know the exact cause of it yet. Psychosocial factors are considered important, but recently we’re seeing that maybe it’s a problem of the central nervous system.” “Could genetics be a reason also?” “Yes, genetics could play a role. Things like infections, or environmental toxins in the early phases of fetal development, can damage or abnormally affect the baby’s neural development. It is possible that when you were startled by the burglar, it had a negative effect on the baby.” When Soosung’s mom heard this, she felt like she heard what she had always feared. But she stayed strong, raised her head, and asked: “Doctor, if there is a problem, it’s fixable, right? If we do a lot of research and try to figure out what’s wrong, we can treat it, right?” “Yes, it’s important that you have that kind of positive attitude. Don’t ever lose that hope. Children with disabilities occasionally do get better. If you look at the big picture, who is to say who’s normal? Everyone has something that is not quite right, whether it is physical or mental.” The doctor continued her explanation ofdevelopmental disorders. “There are four main issues for a child with a developmental disorder. The first is behavioral, which can bea safety issue. For example, the child could act in an unpredictable

manner or pull out his or her own hair. Next is a socialissue. The childcould isolate himself or herself by not interacting with anyone. Then there are learning disabilities. A child could have problems processing information, but could be great when it comes to numbers. That’s a classic symptom in autistic children. And the child could also have issues with speech development. Soosung’s mom started to feel faint. “What should we do with Soosung?” “For someone like Soosung, he could feel at ease with animals and open up to them,even though he can’t make eye contact with or open up to people.” “Animals?” “Yes. Do you, by any chance, have a pet dog?” “No, his sister is still quite young…” “Oh, is his sister okay?” “Yes. Now that I think about it, she was quick with everything. She started talking early and became social very fast.” “Yes, I’m sure you can see the differences if you compare the two. Kids like Soosung think of animals as their friends. In some kids, their condition improves if they care for pets. So, it could help if you raise a pet. Or you can take him to the zoo and let him interact with the animals there.” “Ah, I see. I can take him to the zoo.” “It would be better for him to feel safe and secure by looking at the animals thanto feel hurt because he can’t make friends in his kindergarten class. Then, slowly, he’ll start talking to the animals and naturally learn to communicate with them. Also, he could develop patience and perseverance as he develops expectations of how the animals should behave.” “I see.”

“Animals can’t hurt people emotionally. You should see if Soosung takes to them. Sometimes, animals are better than human beings. Animals don’t make judgments or discriminate. And they won’t cause pain for someone like Soosung. That is why animalassisted therapy is being used in other countries in many different ways. There’s even a program where children read to dogs, which then motivates children to read themselves. When children read without feeling any pressure, they gain confidence. Animals could be used to treat Soosung’s condition.” “I understand, Doctor.” After the visit to the doctor visit, Soosung’s mom believed that Soosung would get better and took him to visit the zoo. Soosung’s mom felt encouraged at the zoo. Soosung showed interest in the animals. As soon as they arrived at the zoo, Soosung went over to the nearest cage, where Woori, the Japanese monkey, was kept. He squatted, made eye contact with Woori, and watched him for some time. The other monkeys with red faces and long fur also watched Soosung. At a quick glance, it seemed like the monkeys were observing him. But Soosung and the monkeys also seemed like they were communicating. This sight made his mom’s heart beat fast. She had never seen Soosung focus on one thing like this before. She waited until Soosung wanted to leave. After awhile of looking solely at the monkeys, Soosung turned to look at his mom. She could see that he looked calm. And it was the first time Soosung made eye contact with his mom,so she was thrilled. “Oh my goodness, Soosung! Are you looking at me?” Soosung turned his gaze away again as soon as she reacted. His mom would forever remember that split second when Soosung looked into her eyes. His eyes looked like beautiful islandsin the middle of the clearest lake. Soosung’s mom didn’t realize that she was

crying as she prayed to thank God. “Thank you. Thank you for letting me look into my son’s eyes…” After sitting and looking at the monkey Woori for a while, Soosung got up and moved to the next place. As Soosung studied each animal one by one, his mom was still feeling emotional from when he had made eye contact with her for the first time moments 24

before. “Was it a coincidence?” she wondered. “Was it a mistake? No, he definitely made eye contact with me!” When they returned home, Soosung’s mom told his dad what had happened at the zoo. “Honey! I made eye contact with Soosung for the first time today! He looked at me!” “Really?” “Yes!” “Then you should take him to the zoo often. He might respond well. Just like the doctor said.” “Okay.” Because of his business, Soosung’s dad couldn’t take time off for Soosung. But he always did his best to help his wifefind treatment for their son. Soosung’s mom took Soosung to the zoo the next day, and the day after that. It seemed as though Soosung felt at home the most when he was at the zoo. Every time he made eye contact with an animal, his mom wanted to cry. “I see now. He just couldn’t make eye contact with people because he wasn’t used to doing so. But he considers the animals his friends.” A little while later, during a hospital visit, Soosung’s mom told the doctor everything that had happened with him.

“Soosung made eye contact with the animals. And he looked into my eyes, too. He gets along very well with the animals.” “Oh great. Then there’s hope for Soosung. You should create more opportunities for him to spend time with animals, and he’ll improve even more. He’ll eventually start communicating with people, too. You should increase the time he spends with animals.” After that, one by one, more and more animals began appearing in Soosung’s home. Julie, a type of poodle, was such a glutton that she would snatch food, like ham and sausages, out of Soosung’s hands. The family raised chicks and ducks, too. A rabbit became part of their family as well. Soosung was at peace when he spent time with the animals. It was the doctor at the children’s psychiastric hospital who made it possible for Soosung to feel understood via animals.

Honorary Zookeeper

As the sun slowly set, a zoo vanstopped in front of the gallery. A few people got out of the van and came inside the gallery. “Soosung, congratulations!” The group who came in hurriedly were zookeepers from the zoo. “Oh, hello!” Soosung regarded them as his teachers. The zookeepers gave Soosung flowers and then greeted his mom. “How are you? We’re a bit late, aren’t we?” “How did you swing it? You must be so busy.” “How could we miss Soosung’s show? Plus, he did use our animals as his models! Hahaha!”

After they exchanged greetings, the zookeepers separated to look at Soosung’s pictures. “Hey, this is our elephant Samba!” “That's right. And here’s our giraffe Giffie.” “He looks exactly like that!” The gallery had quieted down, but became lively again with the zookeepers making their boisterous comments. Soosung looked really happy, too. The zookeepers sat together near the refreshments table. “We brought some of Soosung’s friends today to make him happy. Would you like to see?” “Really?” The zookeepers brought out a cage from the van. Inside the cage were a lion cub and a baby desert fox. “Wow!” Soosung had a hard time containing his excitement. The other visitors at the gallery gathered around the baby lion and desert fox. Suddenly, the art gallery hadturned into a zoo.

Just as the doctor prescribed, Soosung went to the zoo everyday. Slowly, the zookeepers began to take notice of Soosung. “Have you seen the little bug? I think he comes here everyday.” “Yup, his name is Soosung.” The zookeepers talked to each other about Soosung. “How do you know his name?” “I asked his mom. She said he is autistic. His doctor said that his condition could improve if he looked at animals.”

“Ah, I see. Then we should help him.” Some of the zookeepers had kids themselves, so that was onemore reason they wanted to help Soosung get better. They appreciated Soosung’s affection for the animals, and they admired him also. Soosung felt calm when he watched the animals. So naturally, over time, he started conversing with the animals, something he wasn’t able to do with people. He would occasionally lock eyes for a long time with the orangutan that recognized him.

It seemed

as if Soosung were asking:“Where did you come from, orangutan? Aren’t you feeling stuffy in there? I feel like I’m trapped inside, too, so I understand.” The orangutan knew what Soosung was feeling deep inside. People say that there’s another person living inside an autistic person. That is why most people see the autistic person as having a problem, while some experts say that the autistic person is merely interpreting reality as if it were a dream. That means that the world seen through the eyes of an autistic person is much more different from reality. “Soosung, it’s time for the zoo to close. You should go home.” When the zoo closed, Soosung had no choice but to go home no matter how much he loved the animals. Soosung’s mom would come to pick him up when closing time approached. She saw that there weren’t any problems when he was at the zoo, so she would run her errands while he was there. Every time he had to go home, he felt sad. He thought to himself: “I wish I could take them home…” Even when he was at home, he thought about the animals. He knew all their movements and what they were feeling. Soosung’s mom sympathized with him. “Soosung, you want to see the animals?” Soosung nodded. He now made eye contact with his mom frequently.

Soosung’s mom looked through the books the family had in their study. There were books she used to read as a child in Japan and books that belonged to his father. Luckily, amongst them was an illustrated guidebookto animals. Soosung’s mom had brought it from Japan. “Here, look at this.” When Soosung saw the book, his eyes twinkled. All the animals he saw at the zoo were illustrated in the book. Soosung didn’t even eat. He would just study the book. Soosung’s mom had to force him to sleep. He was incredibly focused when he read the book. After the day his mom gave him the book, he would always look at the book when he was at home, and when he was at the zoo, he would talk to the animals in his heart. Soosung’s surprising transformation continued. He tried to learn the words written in the illustrated book little by little. As he memorized the animal names, he slowly started to learn how to read Korean. Not only that, he learned how to say the animal names in Japanese as he listened to his mom say them, and in the end, memorized the Japanese words as well. It was incredible. Soosung achieved what most children couldn’t do. He was an extraordinary child. Before you knew it, Soosung had memorized the names of all the animals in the book, in Korean and in Japanese. It didn’t stop there. “Soosung, it’s time to eat!” When his mom opened the door to his room, she became speechless. There were pictures of animals spread out all over the room. “Oh my God, did you draw all these?” Soosung nodded and just stared at the pictures he had drawn. His mom was shocked. She had just found out that Soosung had a talent for drawing. “Wow, you draw so well.”

After that, Soosung would look at the animals in the zoo even more closely. When he came home, he would draw the animals he had seen that day at the zoo. Sometimes, he took pictures at the zoo, or he would refer to the animals in the illustrated guidebook. What was most important was that Soosung began talking to the animals he had drawn. Whereas the conversations had previously taken place only inside his mind, they were now being sounded out. Though he would whisper the words, it was huge progress. When Soosung’s mom heard him talk quietly to the animals, she cried. Just as the doctor had said, Soosung was getting better every day. Then it became winter. Most of the animals were moved indoors because of the cold. Soosung couldn’t go to the zoo as often and began spending more time at home. It was because of the cold and the icy road. But Soosung continued drawing pictures while looking at the illustrated guidebook, just as before. One day it snowed a lot. Soosung couldn’t go to the zoo and stayed home and drew his pictures. He drew a Siberian tiger, which he had not done before. It had thick legs with a long tail and black-striped fur. “Why did you draw a tiger today?”Soosung’s mom asked him carefully. “It’s a Siberian tiger. It snows a lot in Siberia. That’s why I thought of the Siberian tiger.” “But how come this tiger doesn’t look scary at all?” “Because the Siberian tiger lives in a cold place, it has a hard time finding food. That’s why it doesn’t look scary. It’s hungry. It doesn’t have any energy. I feel sorry for the tiger.” It turned out that he had captured the emotions of the tiger as he drew it. “Can you tell me more about the Siberian tiger?” “A Siberian tiger is also known as an Amur tiger, Korean tiger, and Baekdu Mountain

tiger. It is the largest type of tiger. Male tigers measure between 2.7 and 3.3 meters, and female tigers measure from 2.4 to 2.75 meters. The male tigers weigh between 160 and 360 kilograms, and the female tigers weigh between100 and 282 kilograms.” When Soosung was in a good mood or feeling at peace, he would draw small, cute animals like rabbits or turtles. But if people pointed at him or looked at him suspiciously, he would express his anger by drawing ferocious animals like lions or wolf. Soosung’s mom knew how Soosung was feeling just by looking at his drawings. She figured out another way of conversing with Soosung: through pictures. Soosung’s mom drew pictures, the best that she could, of animals like a cute chick, a parrot, or a rabbit, and tried to communicate to Soosung how she was feeling.

[Below are captions under Soosung’s drawings.] Hello, hippopotamus. Did you eat a lot today? You looked mad just a while ago. Are you okay?

Hello, night owl. You look like me. In fact, you are me. I’m so happy to meet you.

How are you, chimpanzee? You were so funny when you were playing around with the zookeeper and took his hat. I wish I could swing from branch to branch like you.