Babel Page #13

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MOHAMMED:

I f***ing told Anwar, I told him he

was only going to get us in trouble...

he never comes and when he does he

always brings trouble...god damn

it...

FRIEND 1

Are the Americans going to invade

our country?

MOHAMMED:

I don't know.

116 INT. ANWAR'S HOUSE -- DAY

Susan lies on the floor with her neck shoddily stitched and

a splint on her shoulder made out of a few sticks and some

dirty bandages. She moans in pain and mumbles curses.

SUSAN:

I hate you... I hate you...

She tries to stand, but the doctor impedes it.

DOCTOR:

(To Anwar in Arabic)

Tell her not to move; the bullet's

still inside.

68.

ANWAR:

(To Susan)

Don't move, miss. The bullet is still

inside you.

SUSAN:

I don't give a sh*t...

RICHARD:

My love, don't move.

SUSAN:

I want to call the kids.

RICHARD:

You can't move, calm down.

SUSAN:

I want to talk to them.

RICHARD:

You can't; there's only one phone in

town. I'll call them later.

She seems obsessed by the idea.

SUSAN:

I want to talk to them...

She tries to stand again. As they struggle, the grandmother

takes out a hash pipe form a drawer and lights it. She gives

it two drags and squats next to Susan.

She shows her how to smoke it and hands it over. The old

woman's serenity is such that Susan acquiesces. She takes

four drags and slowly starts to relax.

Susan smokes another three times, relaxes and closes her

eyes. The old woman goes to get the clump of mud and starts

to spread it on Susan's neck. Susan does not protest.

Richard watches the scene in awe.

117 EXT. ANWAR'S HOUSE -- DAY

The bus is still parked outside Anwar's house. Some of the

passengers sit leaning against the wall, scrutinized by some

of the town's children and women who have offered them tea

and dates.

118 INT. BUS -- DAY

The driver sits in the driver's seat and stares out at the

desolate landscape through the windshield.

Several of the tourists nap in their seats. One of them, a

French tourist, Robert (70), starts to breathe with

difficulty. Jane (65), his wife, is alarmed.

69.

JANE:

(In French)

Are you ok?

Robert nods, but it is clear that he is not. Jane shouts at

the driver.

JANE (CONT'D)

(In French)

Could you please turn on the air

conditioning?

The driver shakes his head regretfully.

DRIVER:

(In broken French)

No air condition, no gasoline near.

I'm sorry.

Robert inhales, he can barely breathe.

JANE:

(In French)

My husband is feeling ill. You have

to turn it on.

DRIVER:

(In French)

No possible. No gasoline near. I'm

sorry.

LILLY:

(In French)

Please, it's too hot. We can get

dehydrated.

DRIVER:

(In French)

I'm really sorry, forgive me, but

gasoline finish with air conditioner.

Tom turns to Jane.

TOM:

What is he saying?

JANE:

That he can't turn on the air

conditioning, that it's not possible.

Tom stands up and goes to yell at the driver.

TOM:

F*** you. We're gettin' out of here.

70.

119 EXT. PATIO, ANWAR'S HOUSE -- DAY

Tom resolutely walks up the stairs followed by James.

120 INT. ROOM, ANWAR'S HOUSE -- DAY

Richard is looking out the window while Susan, relaxed,

sleeps. Tom and James walk in making noise.

TOM:

We've gotta talk to you.

Richard, with his index finger, signals for him to shut up

and points at Susan. He gestures for them to leave the room.

121 EXT. ANWAR'S HOUSE -- DAY

Tom, James and others are gathered by the door.

TOM:

We're leaving.

RICHARD:

You can't leave us like this.

TOM:

There are old people here and the

heat is getting to them.

RICHARD:

At least wait until an ambulance

comes.

TOM:

One man almost fainted in the bus

and there's a woman who needs to get

back in time to take her medication.

Richard turns to Anwar.

RICHARD:

Is there anyone around here who can

take them in?

TOM:

It's not about that.

LILLY:

Sir, we can't wait anymore.

Walter an English man, one of the older men, defends him.

WALTER:

We can't leave him here alone.

TOM:

Well let him come, then.

71.

DOUGLAS:

His wife is in no condition to ride

a bus.

TOM:

And lots of other people aren't in

any condition to keep waiting, can't

you see?

RICHARD:

Just wait, the ambulance should be

here any minute now.

TOM:

We're giving you an hour... one

hour...

Richard breathes, relieved.

122 EXT. STREET, TOKYO -- DAY

Chieko walks down the street with Mitsu. They are good-

looking and attract attention. They know this and look back

out of the corners of their eyes.

123 EXT. PARK, TOKYO -- DAY

They arrive at a park with a playground: swings, see-saws,

slides. Several of their deaf-mute volleyball friends are

there.

With them are two young men with hair dyed blond. One of

them, Takeshi (18), has an earring, and the other, Haruki

(19), has several tattoos.

Mitsu and Chieko greet them in sign language. Chieko asks

the slightly chubby Kumiko who they are.

KUMIKO:

They're my cousins.

Chieko turns to look at them, curious. Haruki, the guy with

tattoos, exchanges a look with her. Chieko suddenly feels

intimidated and looks down.

CHIEKO:

Is he deaf-mute like us?

KUMIKO:

No, but he understands some.

Haruki seems to understand what they're saying and leans in

to whisper something to Takeshi, his brother. They both

laugh.

Haruki approaches Chieko and talks to her face to face so

she can read his lips.

72.

HARUKI:

What's your name?

Chieko and her friend smile. Chieko takes out her notebook

and pen and writes her name. Haruki reads it out loud.

HARUKI (CONT'D)

Chieko?

Chieko nods.

HARUKI (CONT'D)

My name's Haruki.

Chieko nods, trying to show she's understood. Haruki takes

out a flask and holds it out to her. Chieko opens it and

smells it. Haruki stands in front of her.

HARUKI (CONT'D)

It's whisky.

Chieko smiles and gives a long swig. Mitsu asks for some

and also gives it a long drink.

HARUKI (CONT'D)

Do the cops come around here?

MITSU:

(Gutturally)

Sometimes.

Haruki takes out some ecstasy and gives it to them. Mitsu

and Chieko look at each other and down the pills with a gulp

of whisky.

124 EXT. PARK, TOKYO -- LATER

Half-drunk and rushing from the pills, Chieko, her friends,

and Haruki and Takeshi, play on the swings and see-saw.

They laugh at almost anything. Haruki and Chieko are on the

see-saw and every time Chieko rises, Haruki looks at her

bush. Chieko knows this sometimes opens her legs even more

so he can look to his heart's content. Hormones float in

the air.

Mitsu also takes advantage of the occasion. She flirts with

Haruki whenever she can. Haruki looks happy to be the object

of their attention.

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