The Journey is the Destination Page #4

But there's always something

that forces you deeper,

further in search

of whatever it is

you believe will be the truth,

an unspeakable act

of evil or horror

that you can take back

to the real world...

And say, there it is.

I found it.

But then you realize there's

always something else...

And it always brings you back.

Perhaps let's put them up

a bit higher.

Oi. Okay.

Got it?

Dan!

Aah!

My boy! Hello!

Somalia. For how long?

Two days.

Oh, you have no idea.

I mean, nobody does.

The place, it's in chaos.

There's people starving

to death, and nobody knows.

I'm sorry. I'm still...

Still absorbing it, you know.

I'm still just not sure

what to do with

these things in my head.

Well, there's a civil war

there, darling.

You don't want to just

go and throw yourself

into something like that.

I was with other journalists.

Journalists who are probably

a lot more experienced than you.

Mom, I'm 21, okay?

Some them are 28, 29.

They all started somewhere.

It's still too crazy, Dan.

Exactly. And, look,

you've already been there.

You've done it.

You've had the adventure.

I'm so glad you're home.

Take a shower.

I'm gonna feed you.

It won't be a real home

for much longer, will it?

Open this one.

Okay, you're going to love this.

Karibu, Habari.

Asante.

Everyone, this is Abdul.

Abdul, this is everybody.

Make way for the band, please.

Thank you for coming.

Thank you.

Hey, I met him at the Maasai

market yesterday, okay?

I think he brought some friends.

What was I gonna do?

He's living out of his car.

I couldn't do nothing.

He brought how many

friends exactly?

Yes, well, I love that

charitable side of you, Mike.

We need music, he needs

a place to play music,

and so...

I said all right.

It's perfect. Perfect,

perfect, perfect!

Yes! Abdul and the gang!

Whoo!

Cheers, Kathy,

to new beginnings.

London!

To London.

To London!

To London!

Oh, thank you, Judy.

Thank you all so much!

Kathy has always been

one for an adventure.

Well, Dan's just been on

an adventure, right, Dan?

Mogadishu.

Just a little jaunt

to the famine?

He went with the press

corps actually.

The first ones in.

I was talking to your grandpa.

He's so excited about

your coming to London.

He's gonna take you around

to see all the schools.

He'll help you to choose one.

That's actually not really

my plan for the moment, mom.

You've changed your mind

just like that?

Well, a lot of things

have changed.

Oh, you want to take a year off.

I totally get that.

No, no, no.

I want to take a year on,

or two or three.

I don't know.

A year on doing what?

Doing what I've been doing.

Okay, the good news is,

you don't have to make

this decision right now.

You're not listening to me.

Dan.

There are other ways

to get an education.

Yeah, but you can't live

your life on safari.

Well, it's my life, mom.

I mean, it's my life.

No, tell me, tell me.

What could I possibly learn

that I'm not learning now?

I've walked around places

these professors have only

read about in geography books.

So what? Business?

Economic theory?

Try and negotiate

your way around a souk.

Social studies?

Give me a break.

Well, you have to consider

the cost of missing out.

Well, you should have

thought about that

before you planned to leave us.

Dan.

Dan, don't go!

I'm so sorry.

Cheers, cheers.

Does it tickle?

Yes.

What?

Do you like it?

Very much.

You can't do it that way.

You can't do it that way.

What's wrong, Saba?

When I was five,

a neighbor came by our house.

He touched me.

I told my grandmother,

and she was so angry.

She yelled at me

for the shame of it.

I think she was ashamed.

And then one day

she took me to a fancy house.

People came by

and brought me flowers.

I thought it was

some kind of party.

Then they laid me down.

I was crying for my mother.

They held me...

And they cut me down there.

There was blood and pain,

burning hot.

I still feel it sometimes.

Is that possible?

Scarred.

I was stitched up.

Totally?

No, not totally.

Do you think I am

some kind of freak?

You're not a freak.

So, well...

Are there things that,

you know, feel good?

Who cares what I like?

I do.

Hmm.

All right.

Zone number one.

Dan?

Yes?

Um, you missed a bit.

Where are you going?

They sent us on our way.

So why do you want

to go to Somalia?

I think I can sell some photos.

No. Why do you

want to go?

It's hard to think

about going back

to just scratching and doodling

on pictures of my friends.

Dan:
And you?

Is it decided?

I have the chance

to go to the Sudan

with people I've been

working for, an ngo.

I'd be part of the start-up

of the program up there.

Or I go to Cambridge

because that's what's expected

of me, demanded of me.

That's an easy one.

I can hear it in your voice.

But then I start wondering

if school might do more

good in the long run.

Right, but you have the chance

to do something direct,

now, firsthand, like I'm doing.

Maybe I could make

some kind of change

that won't change back

once we're not around.

Right, but how can you

possibly be good at something

that you're not

passionate about?

That's crap.

That's compromise.

I'd be disowned.

They're not joking.

That's bullshit.

Not everyone is like you.

You see, I can't

send a staffer out

on full pay for more

than a few days.

I need all the help

I can get in the office.

All hands on deck.

But you.

I need a beach bum,

a backpacker like you, lad.

You're young and hungry

and won't bleat

about working too hard.

You're a man who actually likes

the sh*t holes of Africa.

Nobody'd miss you,

except perhaps your mother.

I'm gonna give you a chance.

50 bucks every shot we run.

Just run everything past

a second set of eyes.

Make me look good.

Warm beer and smelly p*ssy.

Keep feeding the beast.

"The United States government

is set to announce

"a non-aggressive

military operation

"to establish

a secure environment

for humanitarian relief

to Somalia."

The Americans are coming.

Well, because of our stories.

Bush says they're coming

for one reason only.

"Once the corridors of famine

relief have been established,

we will depart."

Operation restore hope.

President bush:

I have given the order

to secretary Cheney whoo!

To move a substantial

American force into Somalia.

The people of Somalia,

especially the children

of Somalia, need our help.

We must give them hope.

America must act.

Let's go through here.

If there's shooting,

find out where the shots

are coming from,

what kind of weapons.

Don't trust the locals.

Misinformation

is their favorite weapon.

And, Dan, don't think

for a second

that looking through that camera

is any kind of protection.

Little overdressed for the

weather, aren't you, soldier?

Regulation brain bucket.

What's your name, soldier?

Master corporal Charles Marazzo.

Female soldier:

Aka Chuck.

Who's the enemy, corporal Chuck?

Hunger, sickness, starvation.

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