Aicha the talented student
A play by:
My. Larbi Arbaoui
Characters:
Aicha student
Mr. Mounir teacher
Fatima Aicha’s classmate
The mother Aicha’s mother
The brother Aicha’s brother
Mr. Ferrah Aicha’s father
Mr. Salhi teacher
Mrs. Nouari teacher
Mr. Natheem the counsellor
Aicha is a brilliant student. She is smart and hardworking. Her only misfortune is that she was born in a place where few girls have the chance to complete their studies after middle school. All her teachers consider her dropping out of school a great loss. Unfortunately, there is little they can do to solve her problem.
SCENE I
[Aicha entering the classroom. Very sad. She didn’t participate during the class. The teacher was explaining the lesson but suddenly noticed that Aicha was not as enthusiastic as she used to be]
The teacher: Hey!! Aicha. What’s the matter with you?
Aicha: [Bends her head. About to cry]
The teacher: (getting closer) Are you sick?
Aicha: No, teacher
The teacher: So, what’s wrong with you?
Fatima: [ She is sitting next to Aicha] Teacher!! The problem is that her parents …
Aicha: [ Shuts her friend’s mouth ]
The teacher: What!! Her parents!! What’s wrong with them?
Aicha: Nothing, teacher. My parents are OK.
The teacher: Well, as you wish. But remember: I am here to listen to all your problems, and I hope I can help.
[The sound of the bell is heard and everybody is trying to gather their stuf . The teacher interrupts ]
The teacher: Hold on! Here is an exercise for you to do at home. [the teacher points to the board where the exercise is written down and the students write down the number of the exercise and the page.]
CURTAINS
SCENE II
[Aicha in a steady walk, she pushes the door and comes in]
The father: [In the sitting room preparing tea] Where the hell have you been?
Aicha: I was at school, dad.
The father : Didn’t I tell you not to go there anymore? By God! What will you gain from that worthless place?
The mother: A rest from housework, I guess.
Aicha: But …… But ….. mother!!!!!
The mother : You all go there just to escape the hard housework and sit there like sloths.
Aicha: But they teach us lots of things, mum!!
The mother: They teach you nothing, I know a woman in the city who has spent half of her age in the school, and at the end she knows nothing. She doesn’t know even how to make couscous.
The father: Hey listen, you smart alec; I don’t want to see you again with that school bag. [The father exits angrily, and slaps the door violently]
Aicha: [ bursts into tears ] But I want to finish my studies.
The mother: Please, my darling. I’ll teach you the secrets of cooking and housekeeping. I’ll make you a good wife. I am waiting for the day when I will see you as a beautiful bride, say Amen.
The brother: [ He enters and heard the last sentence] An educated bride, amen.
The mother: Hey, you frog-face. Stay away from my daughter.
The brother: Why?? Isn’t she my sister? I want the best for her.
The mother: What’s best for her is staying at home and learning something helpful.
The brother: Yeah, [ laughing ] learning gossip. What else can a girl learn inside four walls, except the boring routines of cooking and cleaning.
The mother: You think that is easy? What about raising children, working in the fields and breeding animals.
Aicha: Oh, my loveliest mum. I have never underestimated your work; however, with education, one can improve those works and will do them even better.
The brother: yes, that’s true.
The mother: [ addressing her son ] You call yourself a man? Your friends were able to have good jobs.
The brother: Poor mum, you are comparing apples to oranges.
The mother: What!! Aren’t you a man?
The brother: That’s the problem . Now the world doesn’t need muscles. It needs qualified people be them men or women. I don’t have even a middle school diplomat.
The mother: That’s may be true for you. But my sweetest daughter is going to marry and be the queen of her house.
The brother: Be the slave of her house!!! Who do you think will accept to marry a non-educated scrawny monkey?
[ The heavy coughs marks the coming of the father ]
The father: [ He coughs and goes directly to the sitting room and sits behind the table] Hey! you. [Addressing the mother] Bring us lunch. We are starving.
[ Everybody is gathered around the table and starts eating] On my way back home, I met your teacher, Mounir. He told me to come tomorrow to school.
Aicha: Yeah, you better go and see what’s up.
[Everybody is eating silently]
CURTAINS
SCENE III
[It is ten to ten. The father knocks at the door of the counsellor’s office]
The father: Good morning, Mr. Natheem.
The counsellor: Good morning Mr. Frrah. How can I help you?
The father: Yesterday I met the teacher, Mr. Mounir and he asked me to come.
The counsellor: Yeah, he and other teachers will be here in five minutes.
[Mr. Frrah engages in a general talk with the counsellor. It is not heard by the audience. Then the ringing bell is heard and in awhile Mr. Mounir comes in with other teachers]
Mr. Mounir: Good morning everybody. [The other teachers say good morning and take their seats]
The counsellor: So, Mr. Frrah you probably know why you are here.
Mr. Frrah: I have no idea.
Mr. Mounir: OK, it is all about your daughter Aicha.
Mr. Salhi: Mr. Frrah, there should be no need to remind you that your daughter Aicha is among the best students in our school.
Mrs. Nouari. Indeed she is.
The counsellor: Mr. Frrah you have to be proud of her.
Mrs. Nouari: She is a gifted girl. Please don’t oblige her to quit the school.
Mr. Frrah: But…. But……….
Mr. Mounir: But you don’t want to be the one who stand in her way.
Mr. Frrah: I do appreciate your care for the future of my daughter. But you don’t understand.
Mr. Mounir: Listen, it is through education that your daughter will have a bright future.
Mr. Frrah: What about the villagers?? How are they going to look at me?
All the teachers: You are not going to do something wrong.
The counsellor: To let your daughter complete her studies in the city is never a crime.
Mr. Mounir: It is rather an occasion for pride.
Mrs. Nouari: Mr. Frrah, your daughter’s future is in your hands. Your decision makes a difference.
All the teachers: We just don’t want you to feel sorry when it is too late.
Mr. Frrah: Oh, my God!! What should I do?
Mr. Mounir: Do the right thing.
The counsellor: To my knowledge, most of the parents are going to allow their daughters complete their studies.
Mr. Frrah: Thank you all so much. I was blind. I was about to deprive my daughter her initial right.
Mr. Mounir. Life won’t be so good and enjoyable if we really care about what mean people may say about us. The sun won’t appear brightly to us because we close our own eyes and prefer to see with other’s eyes.
CURTAINS
