Characters:
ADAM: A writer
MAGDA: His mother, an old woman.
NADIA: His fiancé and childhood friend.
ACT 1
The Livingroom at Adam’s house, a ground floor villa at Maddi, Cairo. On the right, many portraits hang on the wall. Next to the left, a hanged bookshelf. On the far left, a window. Below the window there’s a small side table and a chair next to it. In the center of the room, a dining table with two chairs.
ADAM is seated on the chair next to the window. There isn’t much light but some coming from a candle on the dining table. He sits staring at an old photograph from childhood. Next to him on the table, a small paper plane and an old kite.
MAGDA enters and starts placing dinner plates on the dining table. She repeats her action quietly without speaking to ADAM who seems emerged in his own thoughts.
Once MAGDA is done with placing the plates, she heeds to him.
MAGDA: Dinner is ready.
ADAM: (Does not reply)
MAGDA: (In a rather dead tone) The food will get cold.
ADAM: Yes, mother.
ADAM stands up and walks toward the dinning table. He soon sits down silently. Magda stands silently next to the table.
MAGDA: I’ve made you your favorite potato salat.
ADAM: Thank you, mother.
MAGDA: I’ve suffered greatly till I found you some smoked turkey. I had to go the market really early and come back before 5 O’clock!
ADAM: Thank you, mother.
MAGDA: I washed your white shirt a while ago.
ADAM: Oh, mother! You didn’t have to!
MAGDA: it was too dark and I could barely see. I washed it with my black gown so it became gray.
ADAM: What!!
MAGDA: (Numbly) I could not see.
ADAM: (After a pause) it’s ok. Thank you, mother.
They hear a knock on the door.
MAGDA: Are you waiting for someone?
ADAM: No, mother.
MAGDA: It’s 8 O’clock now! The curfew has already begun! Who may it be?
ADAM: I’ll go check.
MAGDA: (Puts a scarf over her hair) Wait!
ADAM: (Stops and stares at her)
MAGDA: I’ll go inside.
MAGDA walks through a door on the far left and disappears in the dark. ADAM walks toward the house’s door and opens it. Nadia enters.
ADAM: (Surprised) Nadia!
NADIA: Good evening, ADAM.
ADAM: Good evening, please come in.
NADIA walks inside and stands near the window.
NADIA: I apologize for coming so late.
ADAM: Not at all, you’re just in time for dinner. Please join us.
NADIA: No need to.
ADAM: I insist.
ADAM and NADIA walks towards the dinning table. They sit facing each other’s.
ADAM: (Holding one of the plates) Would you like some potato salat?
NADIA: (Stares at him silently)
ADAM: How about some smoked turkey?
NADIA says nothing.
ADAM: (Carries on) You won’t believe what I found at the old chest, I found our photograph when we were kids, the day we were playing with paper kites.
NADIA: (Lifelessly) Aha…
ADAM: I even found the paper plane. Do you remember it?
NADIA: (Curtly) Yes.
ADAM: What’s the matter, Nadia?
NADIA stares at him and tastes some of the food.
NADIA: (Bitterly) The food is cold…
ADAM: Mother cooked it in the dark.
NADIA: I’ve come to give you something.
NADIA takes his ring out of her finger and places it on the table.
ADAM: What are you doing?
NADIA: I can’t do this anymore.
ADAM falls silent.
NADIA wipes her mouth with a tissue and leaves the table. She soon walks out of the house.
ADAM remain seated on the table silently.
MAGDA walks back into the living room with another plate in her hand.
MAGDA: (As she places the plate on the table) Who was it?
ADAM: It was NADIA.
MAGDA: (Disdainfully) Ah, that scrawny girl! What did she want?
ADAM: She came to give me something.
MAGDA: (Staring at the food plates) Did you feed her the smoked turkey and potato salat I made for you?
ADAM: (Stares at her and says nothing)
MAGDA: (Angrily) What a SHAME!! What a real shame! If you prefer her over me from this moment, I wouldn’t wonder what you’ll do to me next!!
MAGDA walks away mumbling, she soon disappears in the darkness.
ADAM stands up and leaves the dinning table. He walks towards the window and opens it.
A strong wind comes in through the window.
A loud sound of sirens shrills.
ADAM grabs the paper plane and throws it out of the window.
He too soon disappears into the darkness.
The stage remains empty for a moment.
The paper plane comes back through the window by the fierce wind.
The wind soon puts out the lonely candle.
The sound of sirens remains loudly heard.
-CURTAIN FALL-