Babel Page #2

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Ahmed is aiming the rifle at a rock some two hundred yards

away. He fires a third time.

Yussef runs up to him.

YUSSEF:

What are you doing?

Ahmed doesn't pay attention, and focuses on the rock in the

distance.

AHMED:

Hassan said that it could hit things

three kilometers away, but it can't

even reach that rock over there.

YUSSEF:

That's because you don't know how to

shoot. Give me the rifle.

Ahmed looks at his brother defiantly, then hands the rifle

over. Yussef aims and fires. The shot echoes through the

vast desert; the frightened goats scamper a few yards away.

AHMED:

See, it can't reach it.

YUSSEF:

Give me another bullet.

Yussef aims and fires. The bullet hits the rock and kicks

up a lot of whitish dust.

YUSSEF (CONT'D)

See.

AHMED:

Yeah, but that's not three kilometers.

Ahmed remains pensive and suddenly starts climbing to the

top of the hill. Once at the top, he looks around for a

moment and then calls his brother.

AHMED (CONT'D)

Yussef, come here.

Yussef climbs the slope. Ahmed signals a road that in the

distance cuts across the great desert plain, and points out

a traffic sign that indicates a curve ahead.

7.

AHMED (CONT'D)

I bet you the bullet can't hit that

far away.

Ahmed loads the rifle and aims at the sign. He fires and

nothing.

AHMED (CONT'D)

These f***ing bullets aren't any

good.

YUSSEF:

You're not aiming right.

Yussef points at a yellow car driving along the road.

YUSSEF (CONT'D)

What'll you give me if I hit that

car?

AHMED:

I'll shoot.

Ahmed reloads. The empty cartridge falls to the ground. He

fires again - the car keeps going. Yussef asks for the rifle.

AHMED (CONT'D)

You see? Nothing happens.

YUSSEF:

Let me shoot.

He also drops the used cartridge on the ground, reloads and

shoots the traffic sign. He fires and nothing.

AHMED:

I told you. Hassan's a liar.

A bus approaches. Ahmed points at it.

AHMED (CONT'D)

Shoot at that one...

Yussef loads the rifle parsimoniously, shuts the chamber,

raises the weapon, aims and fires.

The bus drives on. Ahmed turns to his brother.

AHMED (CONT'D)

See:
nothing.

The bus drives on another three hundred yards and suddenly

stops in the middle of the road.

8.

13 INT. T.V. ROOM, L.A. HOUSE -- NIGHT

Amelia (54), a maternal, Mexican woman with a pleasant face,

is playing Monopoly with Debbie (4) and Mike (5). They are

both typically American kids.

AMELIA:

(In Spanish)

I won...

MIKE:

No, I won.

The phone rings and Amelia goes to answer it.

AMELIA:

(In English)

Yes... yes sir... yes sir, Mrs. Rachel

told me...I'm very sorry. How is

Mrs. Susan?... No sir, don't worry...

Amelia turns to Mike.

AMELIA (CONT'D)

Your dad is calling.

Mike runs to the phone and grabs it.

MIKE:

Hi dad... dad, guess what? Today, at

school, they brought some baby

chickens...I held one in my hand. He

was really little and he was all

warm...

(A beat)

Dad, are you ok?...And Mariana wanted

to take one home, but the teacher

didn't let her...

14 INT. CHILDREN'S ROOM, L.A. HOUSE -- NIGHT

Amelia is putting Debbie and Mike to sleep. They are both

lying in bed. Amelia sits next to them.

AMELIA:

(In Spanish)

Did you brush your teeth?

Mike shows her his teeth so she can see he did.

MIKE:

Will you tell us a story?

AMELIA:

One and then you're going to sleep.

Both children nod.

9.

AMELIA (CONT'D)

(Her entire story in

Spanish)

Once there was a hawk who wanted to

fly higher than everyone else. He

trained every day and hunted little

birds so he could eat them and be

strong.

MIKE:

Pajaritos? Little birds?

AMELIA:

Of course, that's what hawks eat.

So, one day the hawk flew so, so

high that it crashed into an airplane.

It fainted and started to fall. And

when it was about to hit the ground,

all the birds flew toward him and

saved him.

DEBBIE:

They saved him?

AMELIA:

Yes, and when the hawk was healthy

again he went to talk to the birds

and said:
I want to thank you for

saving me, but I can't change and

I'm going to keep hunting you. The

little birds answered: we don't care

that you hunt us, because that's who

you are. But we will always save

you, because that's who we are.

The children are silent.

AMELIA (CONT'D)

(In English)

Did you like it?

DEBBIE:

No.

Amelia moves to turn out the light.

DEBBIE (CONT'D)

Leave it on.

Amelia stands still beside the switch.

AMELIA:

Quedamos en que se iban a dormir con

la luz apagada.

DEBBIE:

But I'm scared.

10.

AMELIA:

No pasa nada.

DEBBIE:

I'm scared that what happened to Pat

is gonna happen to me.

Amelia sits down next to her and caresses her.

AMELIA:

A ti no te va a pasar eso...

DEBBIE:

Pat died while she was sleeping.

AMELIA:

That only happens to some babies

when they're really little.

MIKE:

Then why did daddy get so angry at

mommy?

AMELIA:

He wasn't angry, he was just very

sad.

DEBBIE:

He left.

Amelia doesn't know what else to say. She pats Debbie's head.

AMELIA:

Go to sleep. I'll sit here with you,

but you can't talk anymore.

They both nod and snuggle under their blankets. Amelia watches

them silently.

15 INT. AMELIA'S ROOM, L.A. HOUSE -- DAY

Amelia (54) sleeps. The sun is just starting to rise. A

phone rings distantly. Amelia awakes. She sits up, listens

intently and hears the ringing.

She grabs a robe from a chair beside her, puts it on and

gets up to answer the phone.

16 INT. KITCHEN, L.A. HOUSE -- CONTINUOUS

Amelia enters the kitchen and answers a wall phone.

AMELIA:

Yes...

11.

RICHARD (O.S.)

Amelia, it's Richard. We're going to

have to be here a few more days here

in Morocco than we expected and Rachel

wasn't able to find anyone to take

care of the kids.

AMELIA:

Your sister-in-law promised me to

find someone.

RICHARD (O.S.)

Amelia, this is very serious.

Amelia looks worried.

AMELIA:

It's because... I told Mrs. Jones

three months ago that today is my

son's wedding.

RICHARD (O.S.)

Amelia, this is an emergency. Cancel

your son's wedding. I'll pay for

another one.

AMELIA:

Sir, everything is ready. Can't anyone

come take care of the kids? It's

just one day.

RICHARD (O.S.)

We need you, Amelia... hold on.

Richard stops talking. We hear voices in the background.

RICHARD (O.S.) (CONT'D)

Amelia, we're really counting on

you. I have to go. Goodbye.

He hangs up. Amelia stares into empty space.

17 INT. KITCHEN, L.A. HOUSE -- DAY

Debbie (4) and Mike (5) are having breakfast while Amelia

leans on the sink and looks at them, overwhelmed.

AMELIA:

(To Debbie, in Spanish)

Do you want another quesadilla?

DEBBIE:

Mhh.

Amelia turns around to warm up a tortilla. Mike stops eating

his cereal and looks at her.

12.

MIKE:

How many little birds did the hawk

eat?

Amelia turns around and sees Mike, who is truly worried.

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