- 1 - Around a big industrial cooker standing free in the middle of the kitchen various people are standing and cooking. DEDDEH, a woman from Zaire and the African mother are cooking rice. Deddeh pours milk into a saucepan, the African mother presses the rice in the saucepan flat with the back of her hand. Africa breaks spaghetti in half and throws them into the boiling water. The young Albanian is frying four eggs. Now he turns the fried eggs. Fat spurts. Africa jumps aside. Hee, Albano. Qu est-ce que tu fais? C est horrible! In the corridor outside the kitchen Cuba is pacing up and down nervously. ILIR, an Albanian intellectual passes him coming from the office of the centre. ILIR Hey, Cuba, che c è? CUBA Piss off. Ilir moves on, grinning, and sees Aziz. Aziz gives a plastic doll to Berivan. Berivan opens her eyes wide and is overjoyed. She runs away with the doll. ROOM KARADAG Berivan shows the plastic doll to her father. Where have you got it from? Berivan is alarmed. Have you stolen it? Berivan looks down sullenly.
Delâl is stirring her rice pot. Africa s water boils over. The young Albanian jumps aside. YOUNG ALBANIAN Heee. Africa! Africa laughs broadly. - 2 - Aziz hears Berivan cry out and Sehmuz scolding loudly. Berivan comes running along the corridor, dashes past Aziz into the kitchen. Sehmuz now approaches, the plastic doll in his hand, goes towards the kitchen. Aziz follows him. Sehmuz, what s the matter? What s the matter? That s the matter. Stolen. Sehmuz holds up the plastic doll. Berivan has hidden under the cooker. The young Albanian walks from the kitchen to the dining room with his fried eggs. Sehmuz enters the kitchen, followed by Aziz. Sehmuz, what s the matter, what s wrong? Here... interrupts him He thinks she s stolen the doll. But I gave it to her. Sehmuz looks across to Aziz in disbelief. You? Aziz? You have... (stolen it)? Aziz gestures vaguely.
- 3 - I don t want my daughter to play with stolen things. Here, take it back. Sehmuz puts the plastic doll into Aziz hand. But it s only a doll. Stolen means stolen. Aziz puts the doll on the working table. Who s saying a thing like that? I am. I am saying a thing like that. Idiot. You won t get far that way. At least I ve come this far. Aahh, negative. Sehmuz, you ll get negative. Aziz shrugs angrily, turns around and walks away. Sehmuz looks at the people in the kitchen. Everybody is staring at him. Why are you staring like that? DINGING ROOM Sehmuz, Delâl, Zelâl, Baran, and Berivan are sitting at one of the dining tables, eating rice with vegetables and bread. Africa, the African mother with her children and Deddeh are sitting at another table.
- 4 - The young Albanian has just finished eating and shoves his plate aside. Berivan does not touch her food. Berivan, eat something. And you, Sehmuz, go on, get him. Sehmuz stands up and moves towards the door to the corridor. Aziz is sitting on the sofa, sulking. Cuba is still pacing up and down nervously. Sehmuz calls: Aziz. Hey, Aziz. Come on. I m not hungry. Now come on. DINING ROOM Aziz sits down and Delâl heaps a plate full of food for him. He begins to eat hungrily. What did you mean by negative? chewing Well, you ve got to have a good story. (chews) Credible. (chews) See what I mean? My husband was tortured. He has got scars. Scars. (chews) Who hasn t. Look.
- 5 - Aziz stand up, awkwardly pulls his shirt out of his trousers and shows his big scar on his left hip. Africa sees this and shouts, laughing: Hey, Aziz. Striptease? No, Africa. No striptease. Aziz proudly shows Sehmuz his big scar. Africa waves it aside. Ah, c est rien. Regarde. Africa bares his right shoulder. A huge burn becomes visible. Mobutu. Ahh... Aziz nods admiringly and in addition bares his appendectomy scar. Doctor. Aziz and Africa laugh. Sehmuz shakes his head. YOUNG ALBANIAN (Albanian) They are so stupid. Ilir moves his shoulders up and down. Cuba watches them from the door and shouts: CUBA Hey... Africa, hey Aziz... look... Cuba drops his trousers and shows them his bare bottom. Delâl shakes her head and puts her hands in front of her eyes, peeping through her fingers. Deddeh and the African mother look away. Aziz and Africa are impressed. Cuba s bottom is covered with big scars. Zelâl stands up and moves from the dining room to the kitchen.