AS A GUEST

Sheikh's wife Fawzia was very worried. She told sheikh, "Both Mother and I are going away. I don't think we should leave you alone in the house,"

"I can look after myself." asserted Sheikh.

"Last time you nearly put the house on fire when you were alone, "reminded Fawzia.

"That is no problem. Irfan often used to stay with us for a long time. I can stay there for a mouth, 'answered Sheikh Chilli.

So Sheikh went to his cousin irfan's house that lived with his wife and two children.

Irfan was very happy to see but his wife was not so pleased.

For the first week she was quiet but after that she wanted sheikh to go away.

So o9ne evening when Irfan returned with sheikhs from the shop, she told them that she had to go as her farther was sick.

Irfan said, "I think we four should go to see him. What will you do sheikhs?

Sheikh answered, "i hope your father gets well soon. You don't worry about the house. I will look after it. I will stay here."

Irfan's wife interrupted him, "But how will you stay here as there is nothing to eat in the house? I had locked the kitchen and now I can't find the keys."

Sheikh could not dream of staying without eating, so he replied, "Then tomorrow morning I will go away. In the night I will think about which neighbors' hose I should go to."

Irfan's wife had actually hidden the key of the kitchen in her room.

The family went away and Sheikh's was to leave the next morning. But sheikh was very hungry the morning. He decided to look for the missing keys.

In the meantime when Irfan reached his in-law's house and found that his father-in-law was well, he got angry with his wife for telling a lie.

Next morning he made his family return home.

They came back to see that sheikh was still there.Sheikh welcomed them and them that he had not gone because he had found the kitchen keys and now he could cook plenty of food to eat. Irfan's wife was dismayed.

Sheikh continued staying with them.

For a week, Irfan's wife kept quiet, but sheikh did not go back to his house.

Then one day she started groaning and shouting that she had a stomach ache.

She told Sheikh, "This pain is like the pain you told me your mother had Can you get me the medicine from your village?"

"Yes, I will get you the medicine," replied Sheikh at once.

Irfan's wife apologised, "I am sorry for giving you this trouble. Your house is so far away,"

"That doesn't matter. I will bring the medicine, "said shekih.

She refused, "No. You live so far away. It will be too much for you. So you tell the doctor to give the medicine and I will send someone to fetch it."

Sheikh said, "I wool go in the morning because in the night might lose my way."

But in the night Sheikh had a bad dream.

Sheikh dreamt that a lion was chasing him. As he tried to save himself, he fell of his bed.

In the morning Irfan came and saw that sheikh was not there. He shouted too his wife, "Sheikh has gone." His wife came running happily.

Irfan said, "It seems that sheikh went away early in the morning."

"That is really wonderful, "Yelled his wife jubilantly.

"See how much he cared for you. He has gone for your medicine, "Irfan pointed out.

"I told him not to come back because his village is so far, "She said.

"Then how will you get your medicine?"' asked Irfan.

"I don't need the medicine, "she replied.

"But you had a stomach ache," interrupted Irfan.

"I am not sick," she declared.

Sheikh got up suddenly from under the bed and spoke up. "And I haven't really gone."

"What!" exclaimed Irfan's wife?

"It good that I didn't go this morning as you are not sick. Now can I have my breakfast please?" asked Sheikh.

Irfan's wife could not say anything. She just looked at shield and nodded her head wordlessly.

Then helplessly, she burst out crying as Sheikh added, "Please I need to have a heavy breakfast as I am very hungry."