Hanif Kureishi - The Black Album

Shahid’s digs. Shahid returns. Preparing for bed, he retches and falls .

Riaz, disturbed by the noise, comes into his room, and is alarmed to see Shahid choking on his vomit. He picks him up and lays him to bed. Pulls down his trousers and covers him with a blanket .

Confused, Shahid calls out Riaz’s name. The latter hushes him to sleep .

When he sees Shahid finally asleep, he recites a prayer, cleans the room and slips out .

Shahid’s digs. Morning. Shahid’s lying on his bed, groggy. Chad enters, excited. Riaz is a pace behind, carrying a folder bearing his manuscript, with Tahira in tow .

ChadYou’re definitely the lucky type. The brother asked for you particularly.

Shahid mumbles incoherently .

RiazHow are you feeling, Shahid?

Shahid continues to mumble .

ChadShahid!

ShahidHuh? What is it?

RiazPlease.

He places the folder in Shahid’s hand .

Chad( bending over Shahid and reading the cover page ) ‘The Martyr’s Imagination’ …?

RiazYes. It is my little book.

Tahira( excited ) It’s finished?

RiazPen-written only until now.

TahiraIs it an attack on that blaspheming writer?

Riaz( continuing, to Shahid ) Please, would you do one thing for me?

ShahidWhatever you want, Riaz.

RiazWill you convert it to print?

ShahidOf course.

RiazMany others have volunteered but you are the right person for this task.

Shahid listlessly looks through the manuscript .

I am from a small village in Pakistan. They are basically … songs of memory, adolescence and twilight. But perhaps they will change the world a little too.

ShahidI didn’t know you –

RiazIt’s God’s work.

ShahidWith your name on the title page.

Riaz( laughing ) Yes, I am entirely to blame.

Tahira( to Riaz ) What message does the book have, brother?

Riaz( holding her face tenderly ) The message — and all good art must have a message — is of love and compassion.

ChadBeautiful.

ShahidBrother Riaz, thank you, thank you for everything!

RiazNo, no.

Riaz and Tahira leave .

ChadWow, that’s incredible! I offer you one warning — you must be strictly confidential about this.

ShahidAre you saying I’m not trustworthy?

ChadNo, no, brother. But many important people in the community wouldn’t like him being too creative. It too frivolous for them. Some of those guys go into a supermarket and if music playing, they run out again. Why don’t you enjoy some rest before you begin such important work?

Shahid lies down, Chad reads the manuscript .

( Reading .) Magnificent, ‘Gibreel’s fragrant green sword will veil the unveiled …’

Shahid sits up and reaches for the bowl beside his bed .

‘Wet bodies and captivating tongues reek of Satan’s hot breath, Gibreel’s fragrant green sword …’

Shahid whimpers .

You know, Shahid brother, there’s something else Riaz wants you to do. He was shy of asking you, I know.

ShahidWhat is it?

ChadHe needs your help to get the book published.

Shahid retches into the bowl .

ShahidHe saved my life.

ChadHe intuitive — you owe him the lot.

ShahidI’ll do whatever I can to repay him.

ChadYou’ll help him find a publisher for the book?

ShahidSure.

Tahira bursts in, followed by Hat and an Old Man .

TahiraWe need clear space here. ( To Shahid .) You going to help or lie there all day?

ShahidWhat now?

Shahid gets up wearily. He is in his underpants. Tahira looks at him, then Hat positions himself to hide Shahid from her view. She seats the Old Man on a chair. Riaz comes in .

Hat( to Shahid ) Now you’ll hear something about how nice your little England is.

Riaz makes the Old Man sit at ease and listens attentively .

Old ManThese boys, please, sir, are coming into my flat and threatening my whole family every day and night. They have punched me in my stomach, spit all the time at my wife when she goes out for shopping, make rude signs at my daughters when they go to school. Five years I have lived there, but it is getting worse. I am afraid.

Riaz( considers ) What do you suggest we do to help, Shahid?

Shahid( offhand ) Teach the beggars a lesson.

RiazExcellent. We’re not blasted Christians. We don’t turn the other buttock. We will fight for our people who are being tortured anywhere — in Palestine, Afghanistan, Kashmir, East End! ( To the Old Man, reassuring, as he ushers him out .) Action will be taken very soon. That is my promise to you.

Old Man exits .

TahiraSelf-defence is no offence.

ShahidWhat are you talking about?

RiazWe want you with us tonight, Shahid.

ChadShahid’s always with us.

ShahidI have to see someone on family business later — after working on your poem …

RiazWork on the poem can wait. It is our duty to make sure this man can feel free again.

ChadNo degradation of our people. Anybody who fails to fight will answer to God and hellfire!

ShahidI’ll be punished if I don’t take part?

RiazPunishment is only for those who degrade our people. I’ve written a poem on this subject. ‘The Wrath’. Have you reached it yet?

ShahidWhich one? Is it at the end?

RiazNo! It’s the second one — ‘The Wrath’. ‘The Wrath’.

ShahidNo, not yet. ( Sarky .) Why not call ourselves the Foreign Legion?

ChadI knew you were with us.

He picks up the holdall .

This is it, brothers and sisters. Grab something warm to wear, Shahid — it be chilly in the East End.

Tahira( chanting ) Foreign Legion! Foreign Legion!

Hat( picking up the chant ) Foreign Legion! Foreign Legion!

As they leave, Chili enters .

ChiliHello — where’s the bad posse headed to?

Chad( to Shahid ) Catch you outside.

Chad, Riaz, Hat and Tahira leave .

Chili( to Shahid ) What shit you getting into, bro?

ShahidNothing.

ChiliWhere’s my Paul Smith?

ShahidWhat?

ChiliThe red Paul Smith shirt I gave you.

Shahid( quickly ) You won’t believe it — coming back from Deedee’s last night –

ChiliYou did her?

ShahidMet some of her students who were off to an end-of-decade party — took me to this rave in a white house out of town. Man, ecstasy was flowing like confetti. I had your famous King’s Road sandwich — shagged three girls who I didn’t even know — puked all over the red Paul Smith I was wearing and had to take it to the laundrette –