Wadjda Page #8
WAJDA:
Really?
She acts out a big explosion.
37.
WAJDA (CONT’D)
Boom! Seventy bicycles!
Abdullah leans his bicycle against the wall and runs towards
a small grocery store. He shouts back to her.
ABDULLAH:
It doesn't work that way. Stay with
the bicycle so no one steals it.
Wajda leans on it and strikes a pose ala Marlon Brando in the
"The Wild One.”
55 INT. COURTYARD OF WAJDA'S HOUSE - DAY 55
Wajda looks through the window at her Mother, lying on the
couch. As soon as she gets up, Wajda ducks down quickly. She
waits for her Mother to go to the bathroom and then sneaks
inside.
56 INT. WAJDA'S ROOM - DAY 56
Wajda lies on her bed, exhausted. She looks over at her
savings chart and sorts her money again.
WAJDA:
60, 70, 80, 85, 86, 87 riyals…
Her Mother pokes her head inside and Wajda shoves the money
under her pillow, feigning innocence and repentance.
MOTHER:
Had enough?
Wajda nods.
MOTHER (CONT’D)
Tomorrow you can return to school,
but you are joining that religious
club, like you told Ms. Hussa.
57 INT. THE MOSQUE - DAY 57
Wajda's black converses dangle above the floor while she sits
at a row of desks with twenty other girls. On the blackboard
the KORAN TEACHER writes "The Religious Club: Agenda" then
turns to the class.
38.
KORAN TEACHER:
Let's compile all the stories we
know about torment in the grave and
make a pamphlet for the whole
school. Any ideas?
NOURA:
(raising her hand)
I want to tell the story of the
giant snake from Hell that was sent
to torture the girl that did not
pray after she died.
Wadja is busy drawing a picture of a bicycle when she hears
Ms. Hussa’s high heels approach. Behind Wajda, Yasmine
whispers to Noura, giggling.
YASMINE:
There was a thief at Ms. Hussa's
house…
NOURA:
It was her lover, not a thief! Her
Father thought it was a thief and
called the police!
A conservative older girl, SALMA, shushes them.
SALMA:
If she said it was a thief, then it
was a thief.
NOURA:
(rolling her eyes)
Of course you would think that,
Salma. The only man that would ever
speak to you would have to be a
thief.
Salma looks down, eyes watering. The girls giggle then
compose themselves as Ms. Hussa enters.
KORAN TEACHER:
Girls, Ms. Hussa is here to explain
the Koranic competition rules. It's
only five weeks away. I'll pass
around a sign up sheet.
The teacher hands out the sheet as Wajda tuns the page to
hide the bicycle drawing. Ms. Hussa glances at Wajda, then at
the class.
39.
MS. HUSSA
First, we've increased the amount
for the prize. It is now 1,000
instead of 800 riyals. You'll have
to learn all the long suras (the
first 4 chapters of the Koran).
Wajda raises her eyebrows. She flips through the Koran on
her desk and measures the amount of paper she would have to
learn.
MS. HUSSA (CONT’D)
The competition is two parts:
you’ll to study the associated
vocabulary along with the reasons
why the verses were descended from
heaven. You also have to learn the
verses and the proper recitation.
The correct tone, rhythm and pacing
are very important.
Wajda sneaks a look at her bicycle drawing and watches the
sign up sheet as it passes from one girl to another,
nervously. Salma is the first to sign up followed by Noura
and then Yasmine…
The sheet finally comes to her and Wajda scribbles her name.
Noura raises an eyebrow and looks to Yasmine as Wajda smugly
brings it up, hands it to intrigued Ms. Hussa and smiles.
58 EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF THE TOY SHOP - DAY 58
Walking home from school, Wajda stops, checks out the bicycle
and then walks inside with determination.
59 INT. TOY SHOP - DAY 59
She exchanges a glance with The Owner as he counts his
receipts. He flips over a record on the player.
WAJDA:
Do you know they invented a new
thing called a tape player?
TOY SHOP OWNER:
Do you plan on buying anything?
WAJDA:
How would I know? People need to
browse, don't they?
40.
Nonchalantly, she walks around in the aisles pretending to
look at other toys. Her eyes stay focused on the bicycle
section. She looks up to see The Owner looking at her as he
organizes his records and she quickly turns away.
She heads to the computer game section and looks at one that
says "Learn the Koran the easy way." She studies it,
thinking.
TOY SHOP OWNER:
You won't find any tapes back
there. We only have CD's.
He smiles, mockingly. Wajda looks back, suppressing a smile.
WAJDA:
Thank you very much! See you
tomorrow
On her way out the door Wajda slowly passes by the bicycle
and runs her fingers through the ribbons on the handlebars.
TOY SHOP OWNER:
Can you even ride one?
WAJDA:
(confidently)
Ride? I race the wind.
Wajda trips as she exits. The Owner laughs in amusement and
turns up the record player.
60 INT. PHOTO SHOP - DAY 60
Wajda walks up to the counter and pulls out a photo.
WAJDA:
Can you put this picture on a mug?
The picture shows a veiled woman holding a smiling baby girl.
61 EXT. THE NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS - DAY 61
As Wajda waits for her mug, at the front of the store, she
throws her rock idly up in the air, keeping an eye on the
bicycle next door.
Abdullah rides up on his bicycle, which is loaded down with
rolls of lights and extension cords.
41.
ABDULLAH:
Hey, where's your bicycle? I
thought you're getting the nice
green one! HA!
WAJDA:
(furious)
I will, I have a plan.
ABDULLAH:
(laughing)
I'm sure you do, but it doesn't
seem to be working.
As he pedals away, the shopkeeper comes out and hands Wajda
the mug. She takes 15 riyals out of her pocket, looks at the
money, sighs and reluctantly hands it to him.
Wajda runs after Abdullah, determined to catch him. He laughs
and tries to pedal away, but is weighed down by the lights.
Wajda closes in on him, and pulls him down to the ground by
grabbing the string of lights over his shoulder.
WAJDA:
(breathing heavily)
I just signed up for a Koranic
recitation competition. I'll get a
thousand riyals by the end of the
semester. I'll buy a bicycle and a
helmet like people on TV. I will
race you and win!
ABDULLAH:
Yeah… Race me and win… In your
dreams, little girl!
He laughs again, gets back on the bicycle and pedals off.
WAJDA:
(yells)
I caught you didn't I?
ABDULLAH:
I let you catch me!
Wajda counts her remaining money.
WAJDA:
57, 58, 59, 60, 61...62 riyals.
42.
She sighs, picks up the mug, and stares at the picture on it.
The TV is on, muted, in the background. Wajda lays on the
floor. She looks up at the TV and sees a commercial for the
movie the “Matrix”. Wajda's Mother, holding a phone to her
ear, looks at her disapprovingly. Her Mother collects herself
and turns away from Wajda. Her hair is up, with a few curls
dangling seductively on her neck. She smiles, flirtatiously.
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"Wadjda" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/wadjda_575>.
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