"At Five in the Afternoon" "Ah, that fatal five in the afternoon!" "It was five by all clocks!" "It was five in the shade of the afternoon!" "It was five in the shade of the afternoon!" "Oh God, forgive my sins!" "Tell pious men to close their eyes..." "On women and..." "Control their lust..." "That is more chastely" "God is aware of their actions" "And women stamp not their feet on the ground lest" "Their hidden beauties become evident." "Oh God, forgive my sins!" "Schoolgirls must wear black dress and white scarf" "Why have you put on a colored dress, Noqreh?" "Madam?" "What?" "Madam, if I wear uniform, my father won't let me come to school" "Why?" "He believes women shouldn't go to school." "Why not?" "Sit down!" "Dept. of Education has sent a notice for us... to ask students... about their future careers" "For example, those who want to be teachers" "raise your hands" "Thanks." "Put down your hands" "Now" "Those who want to be engineers please stand!" "Those who want to contribute more to the country" "And who want to be doctors do the same!" "Sit down please!" "Most importantly, who wants to be Afghanistan's next president?" "Afghanistan's next president." "Very well!" "How can an Afghan woman in burka... with a child become president?" "Have you seen a childless woman?" "People won't choose a woman to be president!" "But she's worthy and capable of becoming president." "Burka won't stay on us forever and the child will grow up!" "Did you ever study women's history?" "Do you understand?" "Your parents don't let you attend school or wear uniform." "How can you become president?" "A wise and brave girl chooses for herself." "I made my decision" "I made my decision and it's not my family's business." "We are Muslims." "A Muslim girl can never raise and claim herself president." "Have you ever seen a Muslim woman president?" "Her eminence Ayesheh, the Prophet's wife?" "Not every woman can be her!" "Why men can be president but women can't?" "I lost my father and brothers in a male-ruled regime not in a women-ruled government!" "I lived in Pakistan for a few years" "Binazir Butto was premier there." "Remember India's premier was a woman, Indira Gandhi?" "She said women could rule for generations." "She spoke well and worked for people." "We are not other countries." "We are talking about Afghanistan." "When Binazir Butto was the premier though a woman herself, she created the anti-women Taliban here and destroyed the society." "Binazir Butto was for Taliban when she was president." "Taliban are against women." "That's your opinion." "if I become president" "I'll treat people kindly" "I'll laugh because if I cry for my sorrows all will get sad and cry." "No one understands the pain of loosing a family unless they experience the same misery." "I lost father and brother." "Kabul has many problems." "What's wrong with Afghan women?" "Girls weren't allowed in school." "Women had to stay home and couldn't work." "Afghan women were most oppressed!" "Especially girls that couldn't go to school." "We were deprived of education." "Men are women's guardians." "Because God... created some superior to others." "Take the bucket bring some water." "The well's dried up!" "Leylomah, any news of your husband?" "No one had any news." "What am I to do?" "My milk's dried up and baby is dying of hunger and disease." "Let's take her to the doctor." "We have no place." "Everywhere is ruined." "Nothing habitable remains." "Follow me if you want to live in ruins!" "Do you know if Pakistan's president is a man or a woman?" "I don't like to answer that question" "Why not?" "I don't like politics." "I'm after real life." "You were in Pakistan a long time." "Why don't you know the answer?" "Does it matter if I know?" "Does it do anything with me?" "I like to know if it's a woman or a man." "Ask someone else." "I don't want to answer you" "Do you know, Madam?" "No, I know nothing" "I was a beggar in Pakistan My son was killed" "I have a daughter-in law and two grandchildren." "I'm illiterate." "My unfortunate mother had 4 sons." "One was killed in the Russian assault" "One in civil war and one by Taliban." "I'm the only one living" "See what shape she's in." "This is all politics!" "Look there." "They're not here." "Look that one." "Give back our hen." "That hen is ours." "You offered shelter, now accusing us of stealing your hen?" "It was a little egg that I fed and raised with no bread for myself." "and now you want me to give it back to you?" "Why are you lying?" "See my white hair?" "I'm not lying." "I offered shelter, now you stealing our hen?" "Her baby is sick." "Give it back." "What are you saying?" "Why are you wrongly accusing us?" "You offer shelter and accuse us." "I raised the little chick." "Will you swear it's yours?" "No, I won't." "The chicken is ours!" "It's ours, ours!" "Which school do you go to?" "Qaleh Qazi." "Will they register me too?" "Why not?" "Where's the address?" "It's far." "Don't worry, I know that school." "I'll take your daughter there." "Stay with other refugees." "This room is too small for us and you're a stranger." "My husband's not here and my baby is sick." "My food is not enough, I can't... share the room with you." "Take one half and we'll live in the other." "Don't put up a curtain!" "We won't leave." "We'll have fights everywhere." "Live together." "Don't ruin the ruins more." "Look Noqreh!" "They put up a curtain in our room!" "What?" "They are living in our room!" "What should I do?" "Sir" "Would you take us to Barchi field?" "Veil your face I'll take you." "Ok, we will." "Cover, it's sinful." "Veil your face." "Don't talk to strangers." " Do you understand?" " Yes." "If you had to, put your finger in your mouth so your voice won't sound feminine." "Because it's sinful" "Don't end up in hell for this world." "Do you hear?" "Don't remove your veil." "Ok" "Why did you reveal your face?" "Get out." "Stop." "Get out!" "Why do you do so?" "You don't take the short way to heaven but the long one to hell?" "!" "We part here" "I found your hen" "Shouldn't accuse others" "Oh God forgive my sin." "You listen to music all the time." "So inconsiderate of your neighbor." "Everyone's entitled to his own faith." "Be reasonable and I'll listen." "I told you I wouldn't change this music for the world." "Why don't you listen to me?" "I wouldn't change it" "What kind of a Muslim are you?" "I am the devil but kinder than you." "I'm shivering cold but you are in a warm room." "Your 5 times a day prayers is all lies." "Sell your music and get warm clothes." "I listen to this music either to force you out or myself." "What life is this listening to music all day?" "I am alive with this music and won't leave unless I make you go." "You can't make me go!" "This music will!" "If I raise it a little you'll get lost." "I turned to the devil." "You'll surely get expelled too!" "I won't!" "Ok, tell me if you don't." "Papa we left so suddenly." "If Akhtar comes he won't find us." "He has to search for us throughout the city" "Oh God what am I to do?" "What am I to do?" "Stop!" "Do you know the night password?" "No." "He doesn't know the password." "Bring him down!" "Who is the man?" "He's my father-in-law." "We are looking for a house.a shelter" "At midnight?" "We have no place." "What's under your burka?" "Don't be afraid" "It's my baby." "She's terribly sick." "We are hungry and thirsty." "Where are you going?" "Nowhere." " What's under your burka?" " My umbrella." " Any arms?" " No." "Show me!" "Show me!" "Open!" "And hold it over your head!" "Where were you heading at midnight?" "Looking for a house." "At 12 o'clock midnight?" "I have two women with me." "What's their relation to you?" "Stop!" "Don't move!" "Sit down!" "I brought you water." "Noqreh, the chicken didn't lay an egg today." "Baby is very hungry." " She didn't?" " No." " What did Papa bring?" " Nothing." "Feed her." "No milk." "She sucks but there's no milk." "You have no milk and the chicken didn't lay eggs." "She'll get sicker!" "She sucks my breast in vain." " No milk?" "Not even a drop?" " I haven't eaten to produce milk." "Yesterday I asked the truck drivers about Akhtar." "What am I going to do if he doesn't show up?" "No one had any news." "No one knew where he was?" "Father, let me go search for" "Akhtar today." "I'll go myself." "Advise women whose opposition and obstinacy you fear." "Punish them and avoid them in bed" "and don't oppress them if they obey you!" "Hello." "What are you doing here?" "I want to register my mother." "To register her in school?" "Just kidding." "I brought my neighbor's daughter." "He registers the girls he likes." "You trouble your mother for schoolgirls?" "He has to choose one." "Ride her on your bike she'll get tired." "It's ok." "I'll walk with him anywhere." "I did but she fell." "Now her feet hurt." "I'm taking her to the doctor." "Where did you skip to last night?" "My dad took us away..." "He doesn't like noise and women living next to strangers." "He is so bigot that we can't argue otherwise." "You brought us in your home but left yourself?" "You are comfortable though." "You left us all alone." "That's unfair." "Did you hear the news last night?" "What news?" "Binazir Butto nominated herself for presidency again." "Really?" "What was her speech?" "Will she really be candidate?" "It was not broadcasted just that she is a candidate." "Can you please find me her speech?" "Binazir Butto's or any president's?" "Better it's a woman president's speech." "Do you want to become president?" "Not yet." "I want it for school." "I like to know what they say that people vote for them." "Why people like them?" "May be I'll find it." "Let's go Mom!" "Let's go my feet hurt badly." "What would you do for women if you became president, Noqreh?" "Tell me!" "Girls didn't go to school for 5 years during the Taliban." "What will be your plan?" "If I became president" "I'd ask the education minister to extend and make up for women's delayed studies." "So that they become teachers, so a 20-year old that I am doesn't sit with a 12-year old." "I will ask Mina a question" "A rocket killed your father." "You are alone, have to make a living in the street." "Taliban whipped you." "If you become president what will you do with that Taliban?" "What will you do with Taliban in general?" "If I became president," "I will bring him to here, the one who killed my father." "I know him now." "He is a coachman." "When I was in the market, he whipped me." "If I mentioned what did he do to me, he won't live a second." "But I forgave him." "What will you do with Taliban in general?" "If I were president" "I will not allow them in my regime." "I won't revenge." "I won't kill them." "The three people on the stage." "They'll present their plans tomorrow for us to choose one." "Later we'll recommend them to Dept of Education." "This is an exercise of democracy." "You shouldn't just think of house chores" "but be active outside." "Hi, I only found Karzai's speech." "Karzai's speech!" "Thank a lot but..." "Please don't show up here." "People will talk about us!" "Presidents are always conservative!" "People will gossip about us." "Thanks again!" "Please don't follow me!" "People will gossip!" "Please don't follow me!" "Presidents don't beg." "Just order and I'll obey." "Ok, I order you not to come!" "Father!" "Papa, they are forcing their way in!" "Ask the drivers if they have news of Akhtar." "Do you know Akhtar?" "Have you seen Akhtar?" " What does he do?" " He is a truck driver." "How tall is he?" "Average, green eyes and called Akhtar." " Did you just come from Pakistan?" " Yes." "Is their premier a man or a woman?" "I don't know." "We said our prayers 5 times and fasted." "We are illiterate." "I was 7 when we migrated to Pakistan by mules." "There I had my kids." "When the planes bombarded, we took refuge in mountain caves." "We were full one day and hungry the other." "What was he doing?" "His car flipped but he was ok." "Don't worry." " Was he wounded?" " Yes." "But don't worry!" "I saw him." "He'll be here in 2 days." "We were very worried." "He'll be released from the hospital soon." "Thanks." "Don't worry!" "May I take the ewer, Papa?" "I'll bring it after my ablution." "Here you are." "Did you go to school or not, Noqreh?" "Yes the principal told me to wear uniform" "but if Papa finds out he'll get mad." "I don't like this." "He never consents to women going to school or working." "What should I do?" "Oh God save me!" "Let me pray!" "What are all the noise kids?" "Pack everything." "We'll be leaving." "Leylomah," "I'm looking for water." "I haven't found any." "Papa." "I'm looking for water for your horse, But there's no water here." "Noqreh!" "Yes, papa." "Did you find water?" "No, I hear the sound of water but no water." "Look for water but be careful of mines." "Did you find water, Noqreh?" "No, papa." "I hear the sound but no water here." "Noqreh!" "I washed the clothes." "Bring water so that I can wash the baby." "Where did you get water for your sheep?" "The creek behind the palace." " Is there a creek?" " Yes." "Look the whole city is profane." "Let me bring you hay." "You're a horse and don't understand." "You're an animal." "The world is infested with profanity." "What do you know?" "You're an animal." "You don't understand." "I..." "I know." "People have been killed." "The country is ruined." "Are you cold?" "Let me cover you." "It'll be my fault if you catch cold." "Look at the unveiled women!" "The world's become profane." "You're an animal." "You don't know the difference between faith and profanity." "Your only need is eating hay." "I go to get the hay." "I'm tired of you too." "How will we end up?" "She may catch cold." "You'll get warm, dear." "Hello, Mister." "How are you?" "My name is Noqreh." "What is your name?" "What?" "What is your name?" " Jerome." " What?" " Jerome." " Jerome." "I am from Aphganistan." "Where are" "you from?" "I come from France." "What is... president's name?" " I beg your pardon?" " Yes, president's name!" " My president's name?" " Yes, yes." " My president's name is Mr. Chirac." " What?" "Mr. Chirac." " Mr. Chirac." " Yes." "Thank you." "Stop!" "What do you want?" "Hi." "I..." "I'm her friend." "Go back!" "Ask him how their president lectured." "Can I be her translator?" "Please." "Ask what their president said that people elected him?" "What was your president's lecture when he was elected?" "I don't know." "He says he doesn't know." "He doesn't know." "Ok." "Then ask him why people voted for him?" "So, why did you vote for him?" "I can't say that." "I'm a soldier." "I don't interfere in politics." "What's he saying?" "He's a soldier and doesn't want to answer." "But I know the story." "People didn't like Chirac's rival so they had no choice." "Excuse me, why are you here?" "Me?" "Because of you." "Why are you here?" "Me?" "Because of her." "She is next president of Afghanistan." "Really?" "Yes." " What's he doing?" " He gives you a military salute." "Do the same." "A president in your country must be better in a lecture... or in a salute?" "It's better for him to be in a political group so he will have a lot of fans." "Then he can make the tax free and good publicity." "He says runs a campaign to make people vote for him." "I have no money." "Let's go to my friend's home to take some pictures." "Pay him later." "You'd better go now." "Cause they will come to check this district." "Let's go." "Let's take some photos." "What post will you give me when you become president?" "You'll be my chauffer." "That's so generous of you!" "If you don't like it, I'll be the driver." "You'll be the president." "I didn't mean that but give me a post." "Then what do you want to be?" "Is head of military good?" "Our problem always is that no one is in the right place!" "I'm a poet and have no relation to military." " Are you a poet?" " Yes." "If you are a poet," "Ok I'll put you head of my campaign." "When you are president your name that means silver turns to gold but I should remain in my last position?" "I'll be the driver, you be the president." "No, thanks" "I think you want to be the premier." "Or my personal consultant" "When I turn to gold, choose any post you want." "Smile!" "And fix your earring!" "Ok, take it now." "I'll take it but paper is expensive." "It'll cost more." "Ok just take the picture." "I'll pay for the paper." "Attention!" "Take it." "Look in the camera!" "1,2,3,4,5." "That's it!" "Why all the pictures?" "Good pose." "Take another one." "Paper is expensive." "I have no money but I'll pay you later." "Look at the camera." "Done." "What's all these pictures for?" "She wants to become president." "She!" "She wants to become president?" "Really funny!" "Not now, it's for school's president." "I want to be school president." "That's for now but she wants to be like Binazir Butto." "She!" "A woman president!" "What are you saying?" "Just take the picture." "Look at the camera." "Don't move...1, 2, 3." "Done!" "When I was in Pakistan, Binazir Butto was watching a parade" "I say it for the good of you, sister her kids were behind with their granny." "People were laughing and confused if she was the premier or her husband." "Good that women gave birth to men otherwise you would say we were incapable of that too." "Now frown." "Good." "Pull your burka over." "Don't laugh." "Some vote for a serious frowning person." "You take many pictures." "Binazir Butto didn't take as many pictures as this lady!" "In Afghanistan it's unknown whether people vote for a smiling person or a frowning one," "So smile for one picture." "Take now another picture of her." "Politics is a serious affair." "You must look serious now so people may vote for you." "So frown." "Straight." "Now don't smile or frown." "Be neutral." "Veil your face." "Veil your face." "This is the best picture." "Done." "Women should be at home to iron, sweep and cook." "People will laugh at a pregnant woman, who is president," "Watching a military parade." "Just take the picture." "Get your money!" "Where do you go?" "Noqreh where do you go?" "Noqreh!" "Noqreh!" "Wait!" "You're too impatient to be president." "What did I say to upset you?" "This is Afghanistan here." "How many women in Europe and America became president?" "Don't be upset." "Give me an important Post and I'll take you for real." "Wait!" "I know you're not speaking with me but at least look at the pictures and choose one for the campaign." "In God's name." "Think not those who die in the path of God are dead." "What's going on?" " Mina was killed." " She was killed?" "No, on the contrary!" "They are alive and earn a living with God." "Will you go up to the ruins?" "Come up." "Get in girls." "Where are you going?" "The whole city is blasphemous." "Women dwell in the streets unveiled." "We leave from here for a real Islamic city." "I prefer to die there." "Your son went on a mine and got killed!" "It occured in a dusty street" "Hi, how are you?" "Why do you have my pictures up here?" "I'm preparing grounds for your speech." "Have a good talk" "If my dad sees it he'll get mad at me!" "The pictures look really good." "I can only speak to myself." "I'm afraid to speak for people." "I get breathless." "My heart beats and I get nervous." "No, I can't speak to people." "Wait for me, you must rehearse a lot for a good speech." "Prepare well" "Presidents, who lecture well, practice a lot." "Have you heard practice makes perfect?" "Wait, let me tell you a secret" "But how did they lecture the first time?" "Very easily." "I heard many presidents talk to cows and sheep first." "When lecturing people they see them as cows and sheep." "Let me tell you another secret." "Me, too." "I read my poems for cows and sheep before I read them to people." "Cows and sheep don't understand poems!" "Poets are inspired by nature and nature well understands herself." "I want you to read this poem." "I have a poem by a Spanish poet who wrote it for the death of a cow." "He really liked cows and sheep and poems." "At five in the afternoon." "It was exactly five in the afternoon." "The rest was death and death alone" "Son, I promised you" "You don't keep the promise" "I don't want to listen" "The damn poem" "I want to learn to cry like river" "Take away the corpse of ox by soft cloud" "And deep river" "Afterwards, we don't know ox nor fig tree and horse nor ants in your home because you have died forever." "Ah, that fatal five in the afternoon!" "It was five by all clocks." "It was five in the shade of the afternoon." ""It was five in the shade of the afternoon"" "My child, I brought you to confide in you." "What do you know of my heart?" "I can't sigh" "that my daughter-in-law will know her husband's death and her baby's become fatherless." "You can't understand this." "You only dig hay and barley." "Did you sigh when your mate died?" "How did you sigh?" "Don't worry!" "Because how hard it is not to sigh." "But how hard it is to sigh!" "Were you told of your partner's death or did you find out yourself?" "Wrap yourself tightly so baby doesn't catch cold." "She's not crying." "She doesn't take milk either." "What do I do Papa?" "We shouldn't have left the city now." "If my husband comes how can he find us?" "He'll look all over town in vain." "What should he do?" "We should've waited for him." "Then we left with him." "Look Papa, do you hear me?" "If my husband comes in town he won't find us." "Then we'll lose each other." "Do you hear me?" "The horse is hungry." "The load is too much." "and the cart is in pieces." "Poor horse is suffering a lot." "A lot!" "I'll get off to save the horse." "Papa," "Papa, baby's not crying!" "Because she's sleep." "She doesn't move either." "It's cold she fell asleep." "Papa, what will I do if she dies?" "Noqreh, touch the baby." "She's frozen." "See her hand." "It never got this cold." "Her whole body is frozen." "It's too frozen." "Touch and look at her." "My child," "my grandchild is frozen." "How can I make a fire?" "You only understand hay and barley." "Don't cry," "Leylomah." "Not anyone in deep sleep is dead." "I say she's not dead." "She'll wake up some time." "Leylomah." "Don't cry." "She's not dead." "Shw'll wake up some time." "Leylomah." "Look in the distance!" "God has sent someone for us." "May be he can help us." "Don't veil yourself." "He is an old man." "Hello." "Hello dear." "Do you have water?" "There's a dry tree on the hill with little water." "Go get some, Noqreh." "Give some water to the animals," "Leylomah." "Where were you going?" "Kandahar." "Why did your mule die?" "Thirst and hunger." "Now he's dying." "We traveled together for 4 months." "Now he's dying." "I'm going to... where am I going?" "To Kandahar." "No water or villages on the way and I lost my way." "Why were you going to Kandahar?" "I was going to Mullah Omar." "The wise ones have a meeting whether or not" "to turn Bin Laden ... to the Americans." "I can't agree to turn this Muslim to infidel America." "You are very late." "Bin Laden is our guest and shouldn't be killed by infidels." "You're late dear." "Go back the way you came." "America invaded Afghanistan!" "Bin Laden and Mullah Omar escaped." "Kabul is blasphemous." "As if, God forbid, God is dead." "Oh God forgive me" "God's rage has descended." "Kabul is close to devour and bury all people at once." "God doesn't die." "God doesn't die." "Mules die," "Ox dies, seas dry up," "seas die." "The whole town is blasphemous." "As if God's become profane." "Oh God take back what you gave." "Nothing!" "There's no town to ask how far is left!" "I'm lost." "I'm lost!" "No town any more." "There's no one to ask so I'll sit right here, forever." "Ah, that fatal five in the afternoon!" "It was five by all clocks!" "It was five in the shade of the afternoon." "It was five in the shade of the afternoon."