The Visitor Page #5

Here.

Thank you.

Have a safe trip.

Thanks.

Good-bye.

Good-bye.

Good afternoon.

Hi, Mouna. It's Walter.

Uh, no. I was, uh, just checking in

to make sure everything was okay.

Okay. Oh, good.

Uh, you know... working.

Okay. So... good.

Good night.

Walter.

Hello.

I didn't expect you so soon.

Um, I just was cleaning a bit.

I love this CD.

Is it your wife?

Yes.

She was beautiful.

Thank you.

These are different glasses?

Mm-hmm.

They're new?

They are, yeah.

They're nice.

Thank you.

I was going to cook some lunch.

Are you hungry?

Yes. That would be nice.

Okay.

Mouna?

Yes.

Mmm, I was wondering.

Um, uh, Thursday night.

Do you have any plans?

No, Walter. I have no plans.

Okay. Well, then, I thought...

maybe we might do something.

Okay.

Okay.

- They keep moving people.

- To where?

I don't know. I think

to other detention centers.

Two Moroccan guys were just moved.

They had no idea.

Suddenly, they were just gone.

Has anyone said anything to you?

No. No one in here knows anything.

This is not fair.

I am not a criminal.

I have committed no crime.

What do they think?

I'm a terrorist?

There are no terrorists in here.

The terrorists have money.

They have support.

This is just not fair.

- I know.

- How do you know? You're out there.

I'm sorry. I... Um...

I sit in here at night, and...

I keep thinking about Zainab.

I just want to live my life

and play my music.

What's so wrong about that?

Okay.

Okay. Please do.

Yeah. Thank you.

Okay. Bye.

What did he say?

That he'd make some calls,

but they can move him

to another facility at their discretion.

What facility? Where?

He said it could be anywhere.

Upstate Pennsylvania.

There's even one in Louisiana.

Louisiana?

Where they had the floods?

Mm-hmm.

But that's too far.

Yeah.

Did the lawyer say anything else?

No. He didn't know anything else.

It's just like Syria.

Okay.

Bye, habibti. Good-bye.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

That's okay. How is he?

He says hello.

He wants to make sure

you're practicing your drum.

I am. So...

You look very nice.

Thank you.

You, too.

Thank you.

Okay. That's good.

Thank you, sir.

You ready?

For what?

Well...

uh, I thought we'd go see this.

Really?

Yeah.

Now?

Yeah. Is that okay?

Yes. That's wonderful.

Thank you.

I'm so excited.

Okay. Don't move.

You know...

I think that show

was really kind of scary.

It was a little scary. Yeah.

Yeah.

Are you finished?

Yes. Thank you.

How was everything?

- Great.

- Very good.

Actually, I think

I'd like a glass of wine, please.

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't even think to ask.

It's okay.

It's not every night

that you see The Phantom.

I'll have a Cabernet.

Cabernet.

Two, please.

Excellent.

Well, I haven't been to the theater

in a long time. Me, neither.

There's a place in Syria called Malula.

It's a very big outdoor theater.

It's beautiful.

We used to take Tarek there

to see concerts.

- Here you go. Two Cabernets.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

- You're welcome.

Well.

Cheers.

Mmm.

Mouna. Um...

I'm taking a leave of absence...

uh, for the rest of the semester.

Ahem.

Really? Why?

Well, I thought I might

spend some more time in New York.

Walter, you don't

have to do this. You're busy.

No, I want to.

But you have to be in Connecticut.

You have your teaching, your book.

No, it's fine. Really.

This is not your problem, Walter.

It's okay that you're busy.

I'm not busy.

Not at all.

The truth is I haven't done any real work

in a very long time.

But you just

presented your paper at the conference.

No. No. No, I didn't even write it.

I just read it.

I've been teaching

the same course for 20 years,

and it... doesn't mean anything to me.

None of it does.

I pretend.

I pretend that I'm busy,

that I'm working, that I'm writing.

I'm not doing anything.

I'm sorry.

Don't be.

I really appreciate you telling me this.

Um, Walter.

What would you do if you didn't teach?

I don't know.

It's kind of exciting not to know.

What time is it?

Uh, 12:
30.

My God. Is it?

Yeah. I think that happens

a lot in New York.

It's...

Thank you, Walter.

It was a lovely evening.

It's the most fun I had in a long time.

Yeah, I told Tarek

I was taking you tonight, and I did.

I think he was happy about it.

Thank you.

Good night.

Good night.

There's a message from Tarek.

Something's wrong.

What did he say?

He said they were moving him.

He didn't know what it meant.

We should go.

Okay. When do you expect him?

All right. When he gets in,

could you have him

call me as soon as possible?

Uh, please.

It's an emergency. Thank you.

God, he's still in court.

Come on, come on,

come on. Can you hurry?

Sorry, sir.

I hate this feeling.

Um... I'm here for bed 38... Tarek Khalil.

Visiting hours start at 5 p.m.

What? I'm sorry. Excuse me?

- Visiting hours are at 5 p.m.

- Oh. Um,

it... I... I understand.

But this is e... extremely urgent.

Could you please check for me?

Thank you, sir. I appreciate it.

He is no longer with us.

Well... wh...

What does that mean?

I'm not sure.

What do you mean you're not su...?

I mean was he moved to another facility,

another state, what?

I don't know.

I just know that that detainee

is no longer at the facility.

Well, coul... could you please find

someone who... who does know?

I would appreciate it.

- Hold on.

- Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Yes. Khalil. 38?

Okay.

Yes.

- Sir?

- Yes? Did you find him?

He's been removed.

Removed to where?

Deported.

Deported?

When?

He was deported this morning.

How can that be?

No, he...

Um... sir, is, uh...

Is there any way that I could contact him?

I don't think so.

You don't think so.

What kind of an answer is that?

I'm sorry, sir.

That's all the information that I have.

Okay.

Now, please step away from the window?

You can contact I.C.

if you have any further questions.

The number's on the wall.

Sir?

Step away from the window, please?

Sir. For the last time,

step away from the window.

You can't just take people away like that.

Do you hear me?

He was a good man, a good person.

It's not fair!

We are not just helpless children!

He had a life!

Do you hear me?

Do... I mean do you hear me?

What's the matter with you?

Walter.

What?

Let's go.

Let's go.

There is nothing we can do.

Let's go, please?

He did nothing wrong.

Are you okay?

Walter, I need to go back to Syria.

I should be there for Tarek.

When are you going?

Tomorrow.

It's best for me to be there

as soon as possible.

You won't be able to come back.

I know.

Good night.

Mouna?

I'm sorry.

I am so sorry.

Yes?

It's my fault what happened to Tarek.

We did receive the letter

telling us to leave.

I threw it away.

I never told him.

We were here for three years

before the letter arrived.

I had found a job.

Tarek was in school.

Everybody told me not to worry...

the government didn't care.

And it appeared to be true.

And then...

after a time...

you forget.

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