17/04/2019
FATHER: Now Amina when you say you won’t be available for a few hours what do you mean? You will close the shop for a few hours?
AMINA: But I have no choice. I was just requesting. Every day I am in this shop; can’t I get a little time off when I want?
FATHER: Okay, where are you going and what is your business there?
AMINA: But father that is my business, do you have to know all of my business? It’s personal and private.
FATHER: Yes. Your business is my business. Look here, how old are you again? Twenty three; now as you know very well girls your age are all married and raising their children. What about you? So let me remind you this; as long as you still live under this roof your business is my business. And if my shop is going to remain closed for a few hours because of your business then I demand to know what that business is.
MOTHER: Amina listen to your father and answer him. What is this personal and private business that warrants closure of the shop for a few hours? Abdi let her tell us what’s this business of hers...
ABDI (FATHER):They all talk that personal and private language till they run into a little trouble and then see them scatter all over the place looking for help, personal and private all forgotten.
AMINA: But sell in the shop is all I ever do! And all for free! All I ever get is denigration and not a show of appreciation. Not even one word of appreciation. Not even one kind word.
ABDI: Appreciation you say! Now you girl let me remind you this; you stay in my house that means you pay no rent. You eat free food here, you wash your c**t here, you s**t here and God knows what else. What appreciation are you talking about? Salma can you believe this?
(SALMA) MA:Girls your age are all married and minding their husbands, not still crowding their parents’ homes whining and complaining about appreciation.
AMINA: (SOBBING) Look at my scarred face; I cannot get a man to look at me twice how am I even to think of getting one to marry me?
ABDI: Those badly crippled and destitute women I see on the streets with children, you want to tell me they are better than you? Where did they get the men to look at them and even sire children with them?
AMINA: I can’t believe that...
ABDI: I am telling you that my shop won’t remain closed even for a few minutes without good reason. It opens at six in the morning and closes at eleven in the night. How do you think this shop and house are going to pay for themselves if we can afford closure for a few hours?
AMINA: This is not fair.
ABDI: You are going to tell me something about fairness? Okay then out with it…
AMINA: (SCREAMING and SOUND OF RUNNING from the room) don’t hit me, don’t hit me!
