Babel Page #3

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7.

AHMED (CONT'D)

I bet you the bullet can't hit that

far away.

Ahmed loads the rifle and aims at the sign. He fires and

nothing.

AHMED (CONT'D)

These f***ing bullets aren't any

good.

YUSSEF:

You're not aiming right.

Yussef points at a yellow car driving along the road.

YUSSEF (CONT'D)

What'll you give me if I hit that

car?

AHMED:

I'll shoot.

Ahmed reloads. The empty cartridge falls to the ground. He

fires again - the car keeps going. Yussef asks for the rifle.

AHMED (CONT'D)

You see? Nothing happens.

YUSSEF:

Let me shoot.

He also drops the used cartridge on the ground, reloads and

shoots the traffic sign. He fires and nothing.

AHMED:

I told you. Hassan's a liar.

A bus approaches. Ahmed points at it.

AHMED (CONT'D)

Shoot at that one...

Yussef loads the rifle parsimoniously, shuts the chamber,

raises the weapon, aims and fires.

The bus drives on. Ahmed turns to his brother.

AHMED (CONT'D)

See:
nothing.

The bus drives on another three hundred yards and suddenly

stops in the middle of the road.

8.

13 INT. T.V. ROOM, L.A. HOUSE -- NIGHT

Amelia (54), a maternal, Mexican woman with a pleasant face,

is playing Monopoly with Debbie (4) and Mike (5). They are

both typically American kids.

AMELIA:

(In Spanish)

I won...

MIKE:

No, I won.

The phone rings and Amelia goes to answer it.

AMELIA:

(In English)

Yes... yes sir... yes sir, Mrs. Rachel

told me...I'm very sorry. How is

Mrs. Susan?... No sir, don't worry...

Amelia turns to Mike.

AMELIA (CONT'D)

Your dad is calling.

Mike runs to the phone and grabs it.

MIKE:

Hi dad... dad, guess what? Today, at

school, they brought some baby

chickens...I held one in my hand. He

was really little and he was all

warm...

(A beat)

Dad, are you ok?...And Mariana wanted

to take one home, but the teacher

didn't let her...

14 INT. CHILDREN'S ROOM, L.A. HOUSE -- NIGHT

Amelia is putting Debbie and Mike to sleep. They are both

lying in bed. Amelia sits next to them.

AMELIA:

(In Spanish)

Did you brush your teeth?

Mike shows her his teeth so she can see he did.

MIKE:

Will you tell us a story?

AMELIA:

One and then you're going to sleep.

Both children nod.

9.

AMELIA (CONT'D)

(Her entire story in

Spanish)

Once there was a hawk who wanted to

fly higher than everyone else. He

trained every day and hunted little

birds so he could eat them and be

strong.

MIKE:

Pajaritos? Little birds?

AMELIA:

Of course, that's what hawks eat.

So, one day the hawk flew so, so

high that it crashed into an airplane.

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