Mirza:
Mirza Ibrahim Ghazali is a 17 years old Pakistani-Italian who comes from one of a few renowned families of Pakistani origin. His father who recently had an epiphany regarding patriotism has decided to return to Pakistan for good as soon as Mirza graduates. Mirza just graduated high-school from the American Overseas School of Rome. At the evening of his graduation day, he is having coffee with his friends at Caffè Sant'Eustachio. Where this song is playing in the background. Joining him at the table are his freinds: Adelina, Helga, Rob and Arbab and the topic is the future.
Rob: Is it just me or are do these coffee's need more sugar?
Adelina: Why are we even drinking coffee... they're for old people.
Helga: Enough with drinks you guys. I just got a call from Berlin, I`ve been selected to Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
Rob: Big deal. You Europeans will always stay the same place. You people need to see the New World.
Arbab: You Americans, always imposing your superiority.
Rob: Well it's not my fault if we got the best universities in the world wait what..more than the entire world combined.
Adelina: Guys, focus. Gin or Whiskey?
Helga: Shut it, Adelina.
Mirza: Where's the God-damn lighter?
Adelina: Here.
Arbab: U.K. dude. That's where you need to be. Ever heard of Cambridge? It kicks the shit out of your Harvard.
Rob: Yeah? Call me when you get an admission there.
Arbab: The only person whose proposition I`m interested in right now is Adelina. Let's move.
Helga: Mirza... you coming?
Mirza: Yeah, you guys go. Me and Rob will catch up.
As the rest walk towards the parking lot, Rob and Mirza light up a cigarette.
Rob: So, what is it. What's bothering you.
Mirza: I`m moving to Pakistan.
Rob: Vacations. Homeland's good.
Mirza: Fo sho, bro.
Rob: What? Are you fuckin' kiddin me?
Mirza: I don't know man. Dad's made up his mind. He won't listen to anybody.
Rob: Man.. fine we didn't give a shit about studies.. we ain't got good grades, but do you know what we have here?
Mirza: *takes a puff*
A girl passes and gives the boys a wink.
Rob: ciao, è bella ragazza. Now, whose gonna take care of these poor girls?
Mirza: *Laughs*. I`m gonna miss the ladies.
Rob: Forget the ladies, A damn certificate from one of the finest schools in Italia. People go back to the my country, Europe of where the hell they want... not to a third world country. No offense.
Mirza: None taken. Dad keeps talking about this guy.. what was it.. yeah, Jinnah. He says even he left the best of life and went back to his people.
Rob: So let him go back. Why you, man?
Mirza: *Presses the cigarette under his shoe*. Screw it. Lets move, before those douches leave us here.
Before the night of their flight, Mr. and Mrs. Ghazali have a talk on the dinner table.
Mr: I`m going to miss the weather of Rome.
Mrs: Are you sure you want to do this?
Mr: Our bags are packed. Our flight is tomorrow. I think its a little late to ask me that.
Mrs: This is the life you chose when you left Pakistan. Look what you have achieved. Now you want to leave all this?
Mr: You know exactly why I`m doing this. Apart from that we have friends and family there.
Mrs: I do. You believe in democracy.
Mr: The people need their well-off's to do something for them. That's all.
Mrs: This is only your decision. Not mine. Not Mirza's.
Mr: I know what is good for us. And Mirza's just a child. He needs to know where he came from.
Mrs: He can read history books then. Why do you have to drag him there?
Mr: Pass me the salt.
Mrs: I will stand by you as I have always did, Ibrahim. But think about his future. Things are not as they seem.
Mr. Ghazali hold's his wife's hand.
Mr: Let him make his own future. Like I did.
Heer:
Heer Rehman is a young girl that studies in the F.G. School for Girls in the city of Rawalpindi. While most of the girls in school dream of a perfect husband, Heer however is driven by values of ambition, independence and self-sufficiency. She believes in having a name for herself. She lives in a small house in Banni with her parents and her younger sister. But all that is about to change. Her father, Mr. Rehman has been promoted from General Manager Billing to General Manager Finance & Regulatory Affairs at the Sui Northern Gas Pipe Lines Ltd. head office in Islamabad. Mr. Rehman can finally move to a better neighborhood, which he has found in the name of Westridge. Mr. Rehman has gone through the finances and can't wait to shift his family to his new house. The only concern is though that Heer's Matriculation Board exams are clashing with the same date.
After two days is her first exam, English. While she tries hard to concentrate in her room, load-shedding strikes. Mrs. Rehman has invited the housewives of her street for sweets and tea. The noise of the conversation is hard to ignore for Heer.
Mrs. Fauzia: bera-gark ho hakumat ka. Chain se khushi b nahi manane dete.
Mrs. Hafza waves a plastic fan on her baby who just started crying.
Mrs. Fauzia: Mrs. Rehman will probably forget us the moment she reaches Westridge.
Mrs. Rehman: If that was the case, I wouldn't have invited you for tea. Hafza, you're not having anything. Here have some gulaab-jamon.
Mrs. Hafza: I would have, but my sugar... it would get high, and then I still have to wash clothes when I get back home.
Mrs. Fauzia: No more chores for the Queen, from now on. I heard maids take fifteen hundred in Westridge?
Mrs. Rehman: Stop it, Fauzia. I believe people should take care of things by themselves.
Mrs. Hafza: I went to Saddar the other day, and I saw this army wife, probably my age. She was not even wearing a dupatta.
Mrs. Rehman: We all have to go in our own graves, Hafza.
Mrs. Fauzia: I bet your new tailor in Westridge will charge you 3 times more. And give you less quality clothes than that Nazir from down the street.
Mrs. Rehman: Heer! Come and say hello to your aunties.
Heer to herself: Goodbye Miss Heer.
The afternoon before the big shifting and Heer's second exam, Biology, Mr. Rehman is checking all the things that are to be shifted and the transportation details. He walks up to the rooftop to catch some air. After a few minutes, he is joined by his wife.
Mrs: So here you are. I thought you left with those people.
Mr: No, just going through all the details again. Are we taking that old crockery?
Mrs: That old crockery was given by my father.
Mr: I guess we are, then. I just hope the Shehzore reaches on time.
Mrs: What are we paying them for? If they don't, tell them you'll cut Rs. 500.
Mr: *smiles* Life's getting better. We can afford more than Rs. 500 now. Its about time you stop worrying.
Mrs: My only worry is our daughter.
Mr: Don't. She knows exactly what shes doing. And now we can send her to the finest school in town.
Mrs: Nazia's son goes to Froebels.
Mr: Even better. Beacon House.
Mrs: And she`ll even get better marriage proposals.
Mr: She's just a child.
Mrs: I don't need to tell you that girls grow earlier than boys.
Mr: Let her focus on her studies for now. And let us focus on shifting for now.
Mrs: You know, the other day she told me that her dream was to get an admission in King Edward. We don't have any relatives in Lahore. I wont let my child stay in some hostel.
Mr: When the time comes, God will take care of everything.
Mrs: Fine.....So should I cook daal chawal or rajma chawal?
Late that night, Mr. Rehman goes through the store room, he finds an old audio cassette that he bought from Raja Bazaar when he was recently married. He lights up a candle, goes to the living room and inserts it on his Sony audio cassette player at low volume. Just when he presses play, Heer enters the room.
Mr: There's my beautiful princess. Come here.
Mr. Rehman kisses Heer's forehead and asks
Mr: You have an exam tomorrow right? Why are you still up?
Heer: I couldn't sleep.
Mr: Is everything okay? I can tell something's on your mind.
Heer: Its nothing, father.
Mr: Your first exam didn't go well?
Heer: It was okay. I improvised on the poetry section.
Mr: I should have met those people outside. They must have disturbed your concentration.
Heer: Mom's friends, why do they have these people talk so loudly.
Mr: Your mother should have known better.
Heer: It's fine, father. I could have worked harder.
Mr: Hey...look at me. One question doesn't make a difference. Are you prepared for tomorrow?
Heer: I am. Its my biggest paper. My life depends on it. Maybe that's why I can't sleep.
Mr: Come.. sit with me.
They both sit down.
Mr: When your mother was pregnant with you. Everyone in our extended family wanted a son. I prayed to God, to give me a daughter. Do you know why?
Heer: I read this hadith in the book of Islamiyat, for every daughter, God builds a palace for the parents in the after-life.
Mr: Yes, I always wanted to live in a palace.
Heer: God's giving us one in this life.
Mr: He is, because you made my life worth it. Heer, the moment when I first saw your face... is when I realized the value of life. God gave me another chance to make it right. Whatever I have taught you is no different than what other parents teach their children, the reason you are special is because you chose to write your own destiny. I always treated you like a son, is not because in this world you have to act like a man, but because I never missed having a son.
Heer: But father, life is so tough. Sometimes... I just can't take the pressure.
Mr: Heer, your life doesn't depend on these exams, your life itself is an exam. Life will always pressurize you, its how you handle it will define who you really are.
Heer: All I want is to make you proud. To be someone, who people look up to.
Mr: I already am, my angel. I will always here for you... but one day I wont be...
Heer: Don't say things like that, father.
Mr: ...but my love for you will always be. I have no doubt's in your decisions and your abilities. I know in life whatever decision you make will be well thought off.
Heer: How can you have so much belief in me.. when I can't.
Mr: Its natural to doubt yourself once in a while, but remember God has whispered His soul in us... the day you realize that is the day you will understand how.
Heer: Thank you, father. You.... are a good man.
Mr: I know. Now its time for my Heer to sleep, and don't expect me to sing you a lullaby. Wake your mother up for that.
After praying Fajr, Heer opens her book for final revision. As she walks out of the main door and steps on the bus, she takes one final glance at her house, the life shes leaving behind... and thinks that after her exam she will be going to her new house in Westridge, the life she is about to enter.
No comments:
Post a Comment