The Black Album by Hanif Kureishi Page B

seen going up in flames. Police sirens are heard, and Riaz and the gang scarper. Deedee is seen dousing the burning book .
Shahid’s typing gains in volume .
Chili comes in, with Strapper in tow .
     
     
    Chili Still working, bro?
     
    Shahid ( flaring ) I’ve got to be free to do what I want!
     
    Chili Just a family enquiry, bro – chill. ( To Strapper .) Park yourself in the corner, Strap, and keep mum!
     

    They lie down, spaced out. Shahid continues his work. We see him editing Riaz’s poem on his computer screen .
     
    THE MARTYR’S IMAGINATION
by Riaz al-Hussein
     
    The fire-swept pavement fizzes treachery in this green land,
Here Satan and Eve dance around the Martyr weeping into the setting sun.
Wet bodies and captivating tongues promise a paradise of pleasures,
But the curved green sword slices a curtain of certainty down on the sun.

SCENE TWELVE
     
    Shahid’s digs. Evening. Chad, Hat and Tahira burst in. Shahid closes the document he’s been working on .
     
    Chad She against authority yet called police in! Brother Riaz has said that Osgood must be removed from her post for her attacks on minorities.
     
    Tahira And today she prevented our free expression. Isn’t that racist censorship, Shahid?
     
    Shahid You got your moment on TV.
     
    Hat She’s left her office.
     
    Chad With my usual genius I’ve thought of what to do. Tonight we visit her private home.
     
    Shahid ( alarmed ) What?
     
    Chad In order to learn, she must be taught a lesson.
     
    Chad signals to Hat to get the disc from Shahid’s computer. Hat does so .
     
     

    Shahid What are you doing?
     
    Chad Riaz is waiting for us at the mosque.
     
He snatches the disc from Hat .
     
    I’m returning his property.
     
    Shahid ( reaches for it ) It’s not finished.
     
    Chad It finished.
     
He tosses the disc to Hat .
     
    Check it out. Go!
     
Hat leaves .
     
    ( Hauling up the prone Strapper .) And you, Mr Strapper, you’re coming with us.
     
    Strapper ( in a daze ) What the – Hey, Trevor!
     
    Chad I told you that’s not my truth.
     
    Strapper Where we going, man?
     
    Chad To sniff her out. Osgood – no good!
     
    Tahira Osgood – no good! ( To Shahid .) You hear?
     
They leave. Chili stirs .
     
    Shahid Come on, Chili – get yourself together!
     
    Chili What fucking mess you in, little brother?
     
    Shahid We need to get to Deedee’s.
     
    Chili Never chase women.
     
    Shahid cleans him up and pushes him forward out of the room. Chili turns back into the room .
     
    Tonight I want a human touch. Decent bed. Clean sheets. Let’s go to her place and party, toot sweet!
     
    Shahid Got your knife?
     

    Chili ( flicks open his knife ) You don’t go round London without one.
     
Hat enters .
     
    Hat ( in a state, to Shahid ) What you do that for, brother?
     
    Chili Respect – that’s my brother you talking to!
     
    Shahid Where’s my disc, Hat?
     
    Hat You know what you’ve done.
     
    Shahid No.
     
    Hat I converted Riaz’s poems on my printer.
     
    Shahid Already?
     
    Hat Yeah.
     
    Shahid I see.
     
    Hat I couldn’t believe it!
     
    Shahid I hadn’t finished.
     
    Hat Finished?
     
    Shahid The poems –
     
    Hat How d’you think brother Riaz will feel, standing so proud and all, waiting for his rhymes to come out printed and clean so he could hold it in his hands and show his friends?
     
    Shahid The original manuscript hasn’t been touched.
     
    Hat Him be shattered to pieces when he sees this.
     
    Shahid It’s a celebration. Of passion.
     
    Hat ( realises ) You been seeing that Miss Osgood, haven’t you? And collaborating with her all this time! You a raving evil spirit and a double agent!
     
    Chili For being with a woman?! ( To Shahid .) What friends you call these, bro?
     

    Shahid Hat, did you like any of what I did?
     
    Hat I can be a bit dirty-minded myself, but that stuff … You a sewer rat. I don’t go and put an essay on girls crossing their legs –
     
    Shahid And on the smell of their