Chapters (109)
- Part One
- ONE
- One day earlier
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- PART TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- EIGHTY
- EIGHTY-ONE
- EIGHTY-TWO
- EIGHTY-THREE
- EIGHTY-FOUR
- EIGHTY-FIVE
- EIGHTY-SIX
- EIGHTY-SEVEN
- EIGHTY-EIGHT
- EIGHTY-NINE
- NINETY
- NINETY-ONE
- NINETY-TWO
- NINETY-THREE
- NINETY-FOUR
- NINETY-FIVE
- NINETY-SIX
- NINETY-SEVEN
- NINETY-EIGHT
- NINETY-NINE
- GLOSSARY
- Acknowledgments
- Continue reading
- Part One
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
Before Kojo’s mother, Abena, left for the Autism center to pick up her son at the end of the day, Auntie Rose called her. “An important visitor will be here when you arrive. We have some great plans to discuss with you.”
“Is that so?” Abena couldn’t imagine what she could mean, but it sounded exciting.
“We’ll see you when you come. Hurry!”
When Abena arrived, Grace and two other staff members were outside in the yard holding an arts-and-craft session with the children.
“Hi, Abena,” Grace said. “They are waiting for you in the playroom with Kojo.”
“Ah, there you are,” Auntie Rose said, as Abena entered. “Come in.”
Sitting with Kojo at her side was Josephine Akrofi in the most beautiful pale pink dress Abena had ever seen. She had met the IGP’s wife now again during her visits to the center.
“Good afternoon, madam,” Abena said.
“Hello, Abena,” Mrs. Akrofi said with a welcoming smile. “It’s nice to see you again. How are you?”
“I’m fine, please,” Abena said. “Thank you, madam.”
Kojo was rubbing thumbs and fingers together, but was otherwise calm.
“Have a seat, Abena,” Rose said, indicating one of the two empty chairs at the table.
Abena noticed a Samsung tablet on the table. She wondered if Mrs. Akrofi had brought it just for Kojo.
“Abena,” Rose began, “I invited Mrs. Akrofi here today and she has been very kind to join us to talk about your Kojo.”
“Oh, okay,” Abena said. “Thank you, madam.”
“He is a special boy,” Mrs. Akrofi said, her voice warm. “I know how amazed and happy you were when he drew the picture of Rose on the tablet. This kind of ability in an autistic child—well, any child, really—is not a small thing.”
Abena glowed.
“What we want to do from now on,” Mrs. Akrofi continued, “is collect as many of Kojo’s drawings and make videos of him while he’s doing it. I know so far he’s drawn only one, but I’m sure more will be forthcoming. We want to bring world attention to his talent. In turn, that will raise awareness about the Autism Center and attract funding. This is the most important thing right now—the survival of the Center.”
Abena nodded. “Yes please. I think that will be a very good plan.”
Rose was elated. “Yes, yes, it’s wonderful. So, Abena, we want to get your permission to make a documentary about Kojo. One day next week, some people will come to film the Center and what we do here, but they will be concentrating mostly on Kojo.”
“Okay, madam. No problem.”
“Also,” Mrs. Akrofi added, “we will have a section showing you and Kojo together and include a short interview with you and me. The interview with me might be done at my home, but I will let you know.”