A New Friend English Story By Hassan Zakki Kazmi translated by Hassaan Ahmad Awan

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A New Friend

by Hassan Zaki Kazmi

When Hamza rang the bell of the room’s door, a stranger boy opened it who seemed older than him.
Looking at him with slight surprise, Hamza asked:
“Is Mr. Mason not in the room?”

The young man replied:
“Yes, he’s in the washroom. Please come inside and have a seat.”

As Hamza entered the room, he said:
“Is your name Pinto?”

Pinto nodded in agreement and said:
“Yes, I am Pinto. And you must be Hamza?”

Hamza also nodded, smiled, and replied:
“Not ‘must be,’ surely.”

Mr. Mason came out of the washroom, and seeing Hamza, became very happy and said:
“Well, good that you both introduced yourselves, so I didn’t have to. Oh, where are Shehla and Doctor Kohi? They still haven’t arrived today?”

While he was saying this, both of them also arrived. When everyone sat together, Mr. Mason said to Pinto:
“Son, please give Hamza a glass of juice and pour me a little too. If you feel like it, you may also drink some yourself.”

Then something occurred to him and he added:
“Oh, I’m sorry… I forgot that—”

“No,” Shehla completed his sentence, “robots don’t eat or drink.”

Mr. Mason only nodded and smiled, but Doctor Kohi spoke:
“Well, since we’ve come this far, the day will also arrive when they’ll eat and drink. Right, Hamza? I mean, what do you think?”

Hamza was busy examining Pinto from head to toe with amazement, secretly admiring the creators who had made him so human-like. Doctor Kohi’s question startled him. Collecting himself, he replied:
“Yes, yes, that day will surely come when I’ll be standing before you with trays of sweets and fruits. But Doctor Kohi, tell me—what was the result of that operation you performed?”

Doctor Kohi said:
“Yes, yes, good that you reminded me. Well, I would say the experiment was very successful. I am satisfied, and so are my team members, which includes two humans and two Robo-Docs—that is, robot doctors. The patient’s memory has returned considerably. That means the chip we implanted in his brain is functioning properly. And yes, we have called a press conference tomorrow to tell the newspaper reporters about this operation. You must read its report or listen on radio and TV.”

Mr. Mason listened intently to Doctor Kohi’s words. He warmly shook his hand and said:
“Doctor Kohi, many congratulations to you and your team for this success. Truly, in the field of surgery, you people have accomplished a great achievement.”

Then Mr. Mason thought for a moment and said in a slightly disappointed tone:
“Perhaps someday scientists will also find a cure for my illness.”

Saying this, he fell silent. Shehla sensed that Mr. Mason was becoming sad, so quickly tried to cheer him:
“Oh Mr. Mason, what do you have to worry about? You live a life of luxury. Whenever you like, you become a child; whenever you like, an old man. Whenever you like, you remain human; whenever you like, you turn into a robot. You can change so many forms, which is not within anyone else’s power.”

A faint smile appeared on Mr. Mason’s face, but he stayed quiet. Doctor Kohi quickly said:
“Mr. Mason, I think the way medical science is progressing rapidly, soon they will find a cure for your illness too. A lot of research is being done these days on genes. Astonishing facts are being discovered. Who knows, perhaps soon they will identify a gene connected to your disease, and then its cure will be discovered.”

Hamza nodded in agreement and said seriously:
“Indeed, the way science is advancing at lightning speed in every field, it’s astonishing. What seems impossible today becomes possible tomorrow, and the day after, ten steps ahead. Take this very operation you performed just a week or ten days ago—could anyone have ever imagined that parts of the brain would be replaced like machine parts? Oh yes, I forgot to ask—who is the person that underwent the operation? And what memories has he regained after it?”

Doctor Kohi suddenly looked startled. Then, softly repeating Hamza’s question, he said:
“Who is that person, and what memories has he regained after the operation?”

It seemed as though Hamza had touched upon a secret of his. Avoiding Hamza’s eyes, he stood up and said:
“My son, don’t be impatient! When the time comes, you will know everything. We won’t even reveal this in the press conference—who he is, where he came from, and so on. But I will surely tell you soon. Not today. Alright, I’ll take my leave now.”

Saying this, Doctor Kohi left the room. No one had noticed that Pinto was also there. When he opened the door for Doctor Kohi and bowed respectfully to bid him farewell, everyone’s eyes turned to him.

“Oh my friend, where were you hiding?” Hamza asked, walking over to him.

Pinto smiled and replied:
“I was sitting in the corner here. I really enjoyed your conversation. Some things I understood, and some I will understand later.”

Mr. Mason gently called Pinto closer and said to Hamza:
“You both have been introduced, but let me give you a detailed introduction. Well, the matter is this—Shehla was already worried because of my MPD disease, and when I suffered a heart attack recently, she became even more concerned. She began to worry that I might collapse alone somewhere. So, she arranged for an attendant from the Robots Hostel. This attendant is Mr. Pinto, who will stay with me like a shadow. Wherever I go, he will accompany me. In the room, he will remain by my side at all times. He has been trained in first aid and taught how to handle emergencies. He also carries a special phone at all times, through which he can directly contact an ambulance and my doctor. He has also been instructed about the medicines I take, and he has been told that I sometimes change forms.”

Mr. Mason paused, as if tired, and then said:
“I’ve told you enough about Pinto. Now, hear about his talents from Shehla.”

Shehla smiled at Pinto and said:
“The thing is, if I were to name one talent of Pinto, I couldn’t. Because from head to toe, he is full of talents.”

Pinto bowed his head and thanked Shehla, then sat on a nearby empty chair. Shehla turned to Hamza and began:
“Hamza, I think I should first tell you a little history of Pinto. You already know about Asimo robots—that the first model was made in Japan by the Honda Company around twenty years ago. Then better and better models kept coming, becoming more and more human-like—in appearance, intelligence, and movements. And now the time has come when robots work alongside humans in every field. I, Doctor Kohi, and Pinto belong to that same fraternity.”

Hamza couldn’t control his patience and interrupted:
“Sister, all this has been said before. Something new I just read is that the first bipedal walking robot was built in 1971 by Japanese scientists at Kato Laboratory. It took forty seconds to take a step of seventeen centimeters. Then in 1983, in the same lab, a new robot was built which could take a fifty-centimeter step in just four seconds. The first model was called 5-WL, and the second 10-WL.”

Pinto said with surprise:
“Oh! You really know a lot about our fraternity.”

Shehla affectionately ruffled Hamza’s hair and said in her special way:
“Oh, this boy is an encyclopedia. Be careful when you talk to him. Anyway, Hamza, now listen to Pinto’s talents. His work is not just to look after Mr. Mason but also to entertain him so that he doesn’t feel lonely. Pinto sings very well, talks very amusingly, and can read newspapers and books aloud to Mr. Mason.”

The room became a little quiet, and soon Mr. Mason’s gentle snoring could be heard. He had fallen asleep in the chair. Shehla and Hamza began communicating in gestures. Shehla signaled:
“Let’s go.”

Hamza replied with a gesture:
“You go ahead, I’ll chat with Pinto for a while and then go home myself.”

Shehla left, and Hamza sat in the lounge with Pinto. As soon as they sat, he eagerly said:
“Yaar Pinto, do you really sing that well?”

Pinto smiled and replied:
“Brother, I don’t know about good or bad, but yes, I can sing. I even trained under Master Melody for a few days. Do you know Master Melody? Ever heard the name?”

Hamza happily exclaimed:
“Of course I’ve heard the name! Oh brother, I’ve even attended Master Melody’s concert at the Robots Club. He’s an amazing artist. He belongs to the family of Ustad Gama-3, who stunned the world with his art in Paris in 1921. It’s a very famous family!”

Pinto said with great amazement:
“Oh Hamza, you really are… what did Sister Shehla say? Yes, you are a complete encyclopedia!”

Hamza replied:
“Oh no, I just read a little here and there. Sister Shehla just teases me like that. Anyway, leave that—sing me a little song.”

Pinto burst into laughter but controlled himself. Then, chuckling softly, he said:
“Is this really a place to sing? You’ll make a spectacle of me. What will people say—who is this?”

“Alright then, let’s go outside into the garden. We’ll hold a gathering there,” Hamza interrupted.

Pinto shook his head:
“No, no. Yes, a gathering would be held, but then I’d be in real trouble. You know I cannot leave this lounge or Mr. Mason. I’ve been instructed to remain with him at all times.”

Hamza looked at Pinto thoughtfully and said:
“Yes, that’s true. It’s really good that you’re so conscious of your duty.”

Pinto lowered his gaze, stayed silent for a few seconds, then said:
“Hamza, duty is one thing, but there’s another. I’ve only been here for two or three days, but believe me, I’ve begun to feel deep affection and sympathy for him. He is a very sorrowful man, but so courageous. When he told me his story, I couldn’t help but cry. And see, what beautiful conversations he makes.”

Hamza nodded in agreement:
“He’s a scholar. He has studied so much. How fortunate his students must have been, those whom he taught—how many lives he must have shaped.”

Pinto smiled and asked:
“Are you also his student?”

Hamza replied seriously:
“Oh, I’m not that fortunate. I’ve only known him for a few months.”

“Oh wow!” Pinto said excitedly, “So in just a few months he has made you a little Plato!”

Hamza laughed and said:
“Oh, so you also know this nickname? Sister Shehla must have told you. She’s the one who gave it to me.”

Pinto nodded, and suddenly something struck him. He asked:
“Oh Hamza, do you know Wasu Bot?”

Hamza looked a bit surprised and said:
“Wasu Bot? No brother, such a name doesn’t exist in my encyclopedia.”

Pinto, with a show of pride in his knowledge, said:
“Yes, very few know about Wasu Bot. He has a very interesting story. Let me tell you… he was a musician.”

Just then, the locket-like device hanging around Pinto’s neck started beeping—bleep, bleep! He grew anxious and said:
“Oh no, Mr. Mason has woken up. He’s calling me. Well, Wasu Bot’s story will have to wait until our next meeting.”

Hamza said with great irritation:
“Everything until the next meeting! Doctor Kohi will tell in the next meeting who the patient was and what memories he regained? You will tell in the next meeting who Wasu Bot is? And until the next meeting, I’ll keep wondering what this mystery is? Anyway, what can be done now.”

“Be patient,” Pinto laughed and said, “As Doctor Kohi says: Don’t be impatient!”

Saying this, Pinto went toward Mr. Mason’s room, and Hamza left for home.