Hanif Kureishi - The Black Album

ChadOur stomach, for instance. How can you deny his skill and power and authority?

ShahidI don’t, Chad, you know I don’t. And you know I respect you as a brother too, that’s why I’m asking you to stop!

ChadWe think we cool but we break our trust with Allah. Listen to Riaz. Don’t he say we becoming Western, European, Socialist? We must not assimilate, that way we lose our souls. Like that blaspheming writer! We are proud and we are obedient. It’s not we who must change, but the world!

ShahidHere — keys to paradise. Have a good meeting.

As he’s about to leave, Tahira enters .

ChadThis wonderful sister is Tahira.

Chad picks up the foil-wrapped parcel Shahid stashed away .

Shahid( to Tahira ) Hi. Did you meet my aunt on her way out?

Tahira( holding his hand ) That air hostess wear sunglasses to hide her evil eye! Don’t worry — we all have auntie problems. One day all aunties will be under our control.

Shahid leaves, as people begin to gather to meet Riaz. Music. Shahid makes his way through night-time London to Deedee’s .

Deedee’s house. Night. Deedee has had a row with

Brownlow. He storms off into the bedroom. Shahid enters .

ShahidThanks for inviting me to look at the Prince videos. I wouldn’t be able to write my Prince paper without it. Where are the others?

DeedeeI’ll heat some soup while you watch.

Deedee goes to the kitchen. Shahid watches the video. He is emulating Prince’s moves, gestures, etc., when Deedee returns .

Find him sexy?

Shahid quickly checks his notebook .

ShahidHis work is … seamless … seamless and not a little cathartic, wouldn’t you say?

DeedeeI hate this fucking house.

ShahidPardon?

DeedeeWe’re trying to sell it. Sorry, what did you say?

Enter Brownlow, putting on his tie. Stops on seeing Shahid. He holds out his hand .

BrownlowH-h-hello, Tariq. I’m Andrew Brownlow.

ShahidI’m Shahid.

BrownlowO-o-of course. Extra lessons, hmm?

Shahid( agreeing ) Prince.

BrownlowCharles?

ShahidNo, the sex symbol.

BrownlowOf course. F. R. Leavis would be reassured and so would Queenie.

ShahidWho?

BrownlowWhat?

ShahidQueenie?

BrownlowIt’s true I’m not feeling that heterosexual at the moment. ( To Deedee .) W-w-well. S-s-see you. B-b-bye.

Deedee( cutting him off ) Yes, all right, see you tomorrow.

He leaves .

‘Yes’ is a lovely word. I love ‘yes’. Yes, yes, yes. No victims, no victors, just ‘yes’.

ShahidMy brother Chili lives by the word –

DeedeeIt was discovered in South America. Chilli only came to India in medieval times.

ShahidI didn’t know that. We’re from Pakistan.

DeedeeOnce, years ago, Andrew came home from a party and described kissing a woman.

ShahidDr Brownlow?

DeedeeI had never felt so let down — couldn’t sleep for two nights. You would hope that intimacy would leave more of a mark. But now I think, who is this person? I want a smoke.

Shahid( apologetic ) I don’t smoke.

She shows him a spliff .

Whoa! I’ve only smoked that once before. In Brighton.

DeedeeEnjoy it?

ShahidThe person who gave it me said I should come and see you.

DeedeeWell …! What do you say? It’ll make you laugh.

ShahidIt’s okay, I laughed earlier. Could you have a look at this?

Offers his rolled-up manuscript .

DeedeeInteresting …

ShahidYou haven’t read it yet.

DeedeeGive me a few years.

ShahidThanks. ( Quickly, referring to the spliff .) I want it.

DeedeeSure?

Shahid takes it, draws mightily and passes it on .

ShahidWhat is this?

DeedeeMoroccan.

Shahid takes his leather jacket off .

What’re you doing?

ShahidFeeling good too.

She starts laughing .

What?

DeedeeIf my friends could see me now …! Kids, mortgages, this would not even register in their dreams! What do you want to do when you grow up?

She turns up the music while Shahid takes another long draw .

Shahid( affecting a Chili-like nonchalance ) Whatever you want me to do, babe.

DeedeeYes, call me baby. Baby, baby, baby.

She starts moving to the music, slowly, while Shahid watches her dance .

Can’t wait to get a place of my own.

ShahidWhy are you splitting up?

DeedeeFor years I was involved with his politics. Too involved. It all makes you feel guilty. It limits the imagination.

ShahidWhat d’you like now?

Deedee( holding up the spliff ) This. Teaching. Music. When I can, I do a lot of nothing. And make stabs at pleasure. ( Pops open a pill box .) Want one?

ShahidWhat are they?

DeedeeE. Ecstasy. It’ll make you see around corners.

ShahidIs this why you invited me over?

DeedeeNo. Because you’re lonely and I like the way you look at me.

Shahid pops a pill. She offers him a bottle of water to swig with the pill and resumes dancing, after popping one herself .

You’ve got café-au-lait skin.

She recites .

A savage place! As holy and enchanted

As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted

By woman wailing for her demon lover!

Shahid( continuing the rhyme from ‘Kubla Khan’ )

And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething,

As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,

A mighty fountain momently was forced!

Deedee, impressed, acknowledges Shahid’s participation. She listlessly flicks through his manuscript .

DeedeeTell me your story …

Shahid draws more on his spliff and pops another pill .

ShahidEverybody’s free, everybody’s free with Prince on the gas!

DeedeeCold, wet and worthy — that’s all Greenham Common amounted to.

ShahidI read Shelley to her, sitting by the pond. Papa was so mad.

DeedeeDress like a punk and leave home …

Shahid pops another pill while Deedee resumes dancing .

Let’s go to the end-of-decade party!

ShahidThe decade hasn’t ended yet.

DeedeeIt will feel like it has! See how the under-classes are fighting back against Thatcher’s greed.

She grabs Shahid and they rush out of the door. Strapper is seen dealing drugs to some students on the road. Shahid and Deedee go along with them, shouting ‘End-of-decade party! ’

Rave music. Shadows coalesce into a rave scene .