Mummy got annoyed when she entered the room to hand her mobile phone over to Zain as his friend had called to talk to him. The reason for mummy’s annoyance was the untidy and messy condition of her twin sons’ room.

She was tired of the careless attitude Zain and Saad. They were in the fifth grade, but their room was always a total mess. The housemaid would clean and tidy the room every morning once they had left for school, but it would remain that way only till their return.

Once back, they would throw their bags, shoes, ties, shirts and other items here and there all over the room. Pillows could be seen on the carpet, socks on the study-table, doormat under the bed, belts hung across chairs, shoes on the window sill and the bedcovers falling down to the floor instead of covering the mattress.

And when, in the evening, they would start doing their homework, books, notebooks, stationery items and empty lunch boxes with remains of food would also add to the above-mentioned mess.

In addition, both brothers enjoyed eating snacks and drinking juices while doing their school work. The obvious result of this habit was that empty juice containers, snack wrappers and sometimes plates and spoons, with bits of the snacks, also scattered around.

From polite advice to scolding and from gentle punishment to imposing fines, mummy had tried every strategy but nothing worked.

On seeing Zain returning the scattered things to their places, Saad first stopped tossing things here and there. Then he also started extending a helping hand to tidy the bedcovers, to clean the table, to put the wrappers in the bin and clothes in the closet, etc.

One day when Zain saw a brand new book of his favourite author in his classmate’s hand during break time. He was awestruck. But Faisal was an arrogant boy and Zain knew for sure that Faisal would never lend him that book for reading. So Zain considered buying his own copy. He could have requested his father to get it, which was the easiest way of course, but with a sense of being grown up now, he wanted to manage it on his own. But how was it possible?

The twins were given only a small amount of pocket money. Their parents thought a bigger amount would spoil them. Being a doctor, their father never allowed them to eat from the school canteen or from outside the school premises. They were given a delicious and nutritious lunch containing balanced food from home, prepared by their mother. Therefore, almost all the kids’ favourite food items were a necessary part of family’s monthly grocery shopping.

Zain went home thinking about how he was going to buy that book and soon enough he had an idea.

The chairs were lying upside down on the floor while all the cushions were tossed around when mummy returned from the shops and headed towards their room to give them the things she had bought for them. But when she saw the mess, she became furious.

“Zain! Saad! How messy and ill-mannered you are! You have disappointed me so much. Faiza’s son is younger than you, but he keeps his room so neat that no one can believe he studies in grade three. He is such a sensible boy even at this early age! But what irresponsible kids I have got!” mummy said sadly, trying to motivate them by giving an example of their aunt Faiza’s son.

“Mummy, I can take the responsibility of keeping our room tidy, but ...” Zain paused.

“But?” Mamma’s question was abrupt.

“But on one condition. Let’s make a deal. You double my pocket money and in return, I’ll keep the room in a perfect state. Done?” said Zain.

“Ummm ...” mummy thought for a few moments and nodded approvingly. “Okay. I agree. The deal starts from tomorrow.”

“And it ends after one month,” Zain added.

Now, Zain began to save the extra amount he got, plus half of his regular pocket money in a box. Saad was unaware of this deal between Zain and mummy, as he wasn’t in the room when it took place and Zain wanted to keep it a secret from Saad.

Saad was surprised by the unexpected, but pleasant, change in his brother’s behaviour. On seeing Zain returning the scattered things to their places, Saad first stopped tossing things here and there. Then he also started extending a helping hand to tidy the bedcovers, to clean the table, to put the wrappers in the bin and clothes in the closet, etc.

After a month, there was enough money in the box to buy the book that Zain wanted. Zain took permission from his parents to stop at the bookstore while coming back from school. Zain bought the novel he was interested in and with the money that was left, he also bought an adventure story book for Saad.

While handing Saad’s gift to him, Zain told him about his deal with mummy. Saad winked at him and said, “Oh, this was why you have been so good lately. I thought mum’s continuous advice has finally worked for you.” They laughed at this together.

During the deal period, the clean and mess-free room gave them such a pleasure that they decided to keep the room tidy in the future.

Zain thanked mummy and said, “Mummy, the deal is over. I’ve got what I wanted and please pardon us for being so messy and not paying heed to your advice earlier. From now on, both of us will keep our room tidy without any terms and conditions. We want to be responsible kids. The deal has taught us what we wouldn’t have learnt otherwise.”

Mamma was so pleased to know about their decision that she announced that their pocket money would be doubled and without any terms and conditions too. Zain’s wise strategy benefited everyone.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 21st, 2019