"OUR FATHER" "Stop bugging me!" " Calm down." " Please, Tahir." "Water's cut." "What?" "That's strange." "Dad isn't in his room." "Maybe he went to buy cigarettes." "He's always late, your Dad." "It was the same last time." " Don't talk about my Dad like that." " It's true." "Stop it, Amine." "Forget it." "I'm not playing with you anymore." "Let's go to the field." "With their Dad there's no point." "Hello, Mum." "Where's Dad?" "He's supposed to referee our football match." "Say something!" "There's no water." "What else?" "What do you want?" "I'm sick and tired of your father." "Your much-loved father has left." "What on earth did I do to deserve this?" "Your father is irresponsible." "Yes." "Irresponsible!" "It's Saturday." "Dad knew he had to referee our game." "Where do you think he's gone?" "I don't know." "He can't go far." "He'll come back." "What's "irresponsible"?" " What?" " "Irresponsible"!" "Can't you shut up?" "Here it's the border between Chad and Cameroon." "Over this bridge, you're already elsewhere..." "Everyone who doesn't fly goes by here." "Maybe our father is one of them." "Does it hurt?" "Should I take you to the hospital?" "If it hurts, we have to go." "Stop crying." "Button up your shirt." "Do you know what time it is?" "I haven't seen you all morning." "You didn't think of me." "Is that it?" "Listen to me, you!" "You disappear like that." "You don't think about me." "You leave me here all alone." "I don't matter at all to you." "Do you want to leave?" "Like your father?" "So go." "Leave me." "I'll stay all alone." "Since I don't matter at all to you, I don't want to see you anymore." "Irresponsible:" "One who is not legally responsible." "Doesn't have to answer for his acts." "Who cannot be held morally responsible." "Who acts lightly." "Did you understand?" "Of course!" "It's someone who isn't responsible." "So, Dad's not responsible for leaving?" "Can you read me the book?" "It's Dad who reads it to you..." "Please, big brother..." " I'm not Dad." " Please!" "Read it to me!" "All right then." "Thanks." "Once when I was six I saw a magnificent picture in a book called True Stories from Nature." "Tahir." "What do you want now?" "My chest hurts." "It's hard to breathe." "I'll go get Mum." "What's wrong?" "What is it?" "Has Dad come back?" "So?" "Has he come back?" "Come with me." "Amine is having an asthma attack." "I'm going to give him an injection so he can sleep tonight, and a prescription for some medicine." "All done." "Achta, how is your husband?" " My father..." " Be quiet..." "Did we speak to you?" "He's well." " And how's school?" " It's OK." "Good luck." "Come back in a week to see how you're doing." "Thank you." "Goodbye." " Hello, Uncle Adoum." " How are you?" "Sit down." "Everything OK at home?" "It's not OK?" "You don't look very happy!" "Listen to this." "It's my latest composition." "Tell me what you think." "No rest with you, even Sunday!" "Easy when you don't even work!" "Good-for-nothing!" "I told you:" "We don't like artists here." "But your father hasn't worked here for a long time." "He didn't say anything?" "Henriette?" "How long has it been since Mr Brahim has worked here?" "Two years and three months I think." "Sorry." "He lied to us for two years." "Everyday: "I'm going to work."" "All those lies!" "Want to go for a Coke?" "Coke?" "Let's go see a film instead." "It's Dad..." "It's him..." "I swear..." "Look at his back." "Dad, it's me, Amine..." "Look at me..." "Please, Dad." "Hello, kids!" "How are you?" "Did you have fun?" "Off to bed!" "Do you know why roosters crow all the time?" "I don't know." "They don't want us to hear them farting..." "Roosters are very proud!" "Here's one that even farts at night!" "Once when I was six I saw a magnificent picture in a book about the primeval forest called True Stories from Nature." "It was of a boa constrictor swallowing an animal." "Here is a copy of the drawing." "In the book it said:" ""Boa constrictors..."" "Are you OK, Tahir?" "Yes, I'm OK." "Not coming to school?" "I am." "Do you feel like going?" "Come on, let's go." "Are you sure it's the right reel?" "Yes." "It's written on it." "Where?" "There's too much." "I've had enough." "What are you doing there?" "You aren't at school?" "Teachers are on strike." "They haven't been paid." "And what's that?" "It's my friend..." "He lent it to me..." "Captain, forgive them." "It's too much for me." "It's the first time." "They won't do it again." "Say something!" "What's in there?" "What were you looking for?" "In any case, Madam, it's the first and last time." "Listen!" "Your mother interceded for you." "Do you know what you deserve?" "A beating!" "But your mother intervened, so I'm letting you go." "Shame on me." "A husband who leaves..." "Children who steal." "What disgrace!" "Tahir, Amine, my children." "I love you." "Forgive me." "I'm fed up." "You'll be in a place that's not so bad." "You'll be well-educated to become good boys." "Don't worry Madam." "I'll look after them well." "I'll make them into good people." "My little one." "Be patient." "God is looking over you!" "Nothing can happen to you here!" "I'll come and visit you often." "Go on." "Amine, come here." "Why aren't you eating with the others?" "Are you angry?" "Go on." "Why did your mother put you in here?" "It's hard!" "Too much suffering!" "And we are well off!" "In other Koran schools, children have to bring money to the teachers." "Real slavery!" "Be quiet!" "Let us pray for the new arrivals." "May God make them into men of peace and tolerance." "And may He remove hatred from their hearts." "And may He guide them on the road of Goodness." "Amine, come here." "Come closer." "Eat, it's corn meal." "Eat!" "You look like my son who drowned." "His name was Moussa." "Come closer." "Go away." "Go on." "Amine, you aren't sleeping?" "It's my asthma again." "What's that?" "My medicine." "Time for bed." "We get up early tomorrow." "Can you read me this book?" "What's your name?" "Listen, I'm speaking." "I'm sick of this hole." "Have to do everything to get out." "Right!" "Have to get out." "No matter what." "Amine, you don't swim?" "So..." "He doesn't swim!" "I don't believe it!" "Shame on you!" "Come here." "Where are you?" "Get out of there." "In the name of God, stop." "That's enough!" "Take your medicine." "Come on!" "He got you good, the teacher!" "You have bruises everywhere." "I don't want to stay here anymore." "Neither do I, you know." "It's getting late." "We have to go to bed." "Tomorrow we get up early, and we're going to look for Dad." "Good night." "Here - your medecine." "Where are they?" "I'm talking to you." "They won't get away from me." "It's honey." "How do you feel?" "It hurts everywhere." "As soon as the teacher lets me go, we're going to look for Dad." "I'll run fast and I'll avoid thorns." "Who's that girl?" "I know her, she's a deaf-mute." "Tahir," "I want you to swear never to run away again." "I can let you go, you know." "But I don't trust you anymore." "If you swear, you won't dare to do it again." "If you lie, your soul will be damned." "And even after you die, it will continue to wander." "Do you understand?" "If you don't accept, you'll stay tied up a month." "Tahir, now that you are free, tomorrow, we get up and we leave." "Tahir, look at me." "Tahir, you agree?" "Agree?" "Tahir, why don't you answer?" "So, are you OK?" " Where is Tahir?" " He's coming." "Are you both OK?" " Your motorbike is great!" " It's not mine." "Tahir, are you OK?" " And the others?" " Everyone is fine." "And Mum?" "She's a bit tired but..." "she's thinking of you." "Did Dad come back?" "No, but he sent this." "He'll come back." "You were talking about this?" "A friend lent it to me to come to see you." " Want to go for a ride?" " Now?" "He wrote to me too." "He's in Tangiers." "Where's that?" "Is that where Dad is?" "The sea is beautiful!" "Yes, that's Tangiers." "In Morocco." "Is it far from here?" "Can we go there on foot?" "On foot?" "Is Mum OK?" "She's fine." "She sends her love." "Get out!" "Out!" "Isn't it beautiful?" "That's where Dad is!" "Tahir, what's going on?" "Tahir, tomorrow we're leaving." "OK, Tahir?" "I'm not leaving anymore." "Why?" "Why don't you want to anymore?" "What's wrong with you?" "Answer!" "Why won't you go?" "Why did you change your mind?" "Are you afraid?" "You don't want to see Dad again?" "If he loved us, he wouldn't have left." "Do you feel better, Amine?" "Did you take your medicine?" "Why?" "I can't find it." "What?" "Lmpossible, it can't have just disappeared." "Who's seen Amine's medicine?" "Where is his medicine?" "I'm talking to you!" "Stubborn ass!" "Hassan, tell the truth." "Have some honey." "It's good for your lungs." "Do you think Dad loves us?" "And Mum?" "Yes, she loves us." "So why are we suffering?" "Can you read me the book?" "Why do you like that book so much?" "Because I always fall asleep before the end." "But tonight," "I'll listen until the end." "Once when I was six, I saw a magnificent picture in a book about the primeval forest called True Stories from Nature." "It was of a boa constrictor swallowing an animal." "Here is a copy of the drawing." "In the book it said:" "Boa constrictors swallow their prey whole, without chewing it." "After that they are not able to move and they sleep through the six months of digestion." "You're running away, aren't you?" "Don't take the same road again." "Go by the river." "Forgive me." "Do you want to come with me?" "Me," "I'm fifteen." "And you?" "Twenty?" "But you're old!" "You and me will never be separated." "What's happening to your mother is rather unusual." "She'll come through all right." "We'll keep her for a while." "She needs rest and medical attention." "With crazy people?" "No, not with crazy people." "She isn't crazy." "You should come and see her often." "Don't leave her alone." "What are you doing there?" "Nothing's more important than freedom." "Mum, you're free now."