Little Birds

Come in, come in.

Wow.

I can't thank you enough for this. I...

- I didn't know where else to go. - Shh!

You did the right thing coming here, huh?

You've had a shock. But you need to gather yourself, bonita, hmm?

Yes.

- It's such a beautiful room. - Oh, thank you.

Oh.

Don't touch it. - Oh, sorry.

Look.

My first husband gave all these to me. Each one represent one year of marriage.

Oh.

Did you notice any pattern in his choice of "surprise"?

Yes. They're all birds.

Yes. Domesticated fowl.

And this one, the big one, he offered me, for our divorce.

Puta. Puta.

- What does puta mean? - (SCOFFS) Whore.

Very jealous guy.

Okay, darling.

I'll let you enjoy the room.

Yes.

- Please enjoy, huh? - Thank you. Yes.

Bye-bye.

Leo!

Leo!

Do you wanna get pregnant?

(CHERIFA PRAYING SOFTLY IN ARABIC)

I don't do this. I don't pray.

But I've come to ask for help.

Whore.

Yes? - You heard me, whore.

- This isn't the place for you. - Why?

Because this is a place for clean, honest people.

Why are you so sour?

Hmm?

Is it because when you were young, you watched at us walking on the streets with our gold

and silver and our beautiful clothes and you longed from your little window

in your fancy house under lock and key

to be free to come and go like us?

You wanted to be rich like me.

Rich in ways no one man could ever make you.

- Is that what you wanted? - Get out. Get out!

- That's what you still want. - Get out! Get out!

Ask Sidi.

So, for the mahjoun, we mix all this.

Where did you learn how to do this?

A slave trader sold me to a kif farmer when I was small.

That's how I ended up in the north.

And did they whip you?

Yeah, they whipped me.

And will you show us how they whipped you?

All right.

Stand up.

You have not eaten for days. Maybe a little water.

Eat this. Like it's a piece of stale bread.

That they left on the side of their plate. After they'd eaten all they want.

- What do you think you are doing? - I'm hungry.

(GROWLS) - (GIGGLES)

You're a thief.

And you know what?

I didn't pay to have a thief round here. You have some things to learn.

Let me go.

No.

I'm going to take this leather strap that I always carry with me

and rip off your shirt

and I am going to flay your back so you can hardly move for weeks...

Stop!

What? We're just playing.

Isn't what you wanted? Huh?

A game about whipping people.

I was having a dream.

Wanna keep dreaming?

Hmm. Company would be nice.

- I don't feel like celebrating though. - Champagne.

In victory, one deserves it, and in defeat, one needs it.

To defeat.

Did everyone know?

Know what?

That he was betraying me.

Who is everyone?

People.

What are these people to you?

All they say...

It's been weeks. Not even a month.

What will they think of me?

Should I fight for him?

Pistols at dawn. You and Mr Abaza.

Too dangerous.

Pistols. I'd win. - Exactly.

I know your face. You are Ouled Nail. The same as me.

Come. Sit.

Why did you come to the shrine?

You didn't come for the views, that's for sure.

No.

My troubles are my own.

Habibti. Anyone can see you are troubled. I don't need to read your hand.

What?

- No wonder you are here. - Don't tell me anything.

I don't wanna know.

You're not the first.

My grandmother was the greatest whore inside the Bou Saada city walls.

She learned the trade from her mother, going down into the cities,

learning the erotic arts. Things change when the Europeans came.

New laws and penalties for harlotry. She and her sisters were forced

into trucks and sent to army barracks as moving brothels.

Our traditions died.

My grandmother is here with us now.

She is smiling at you.

She wants to say something.

Don't let them drive you away.

Take your power. Go back.

Go back.

- Go towards your trouble. Trouble.

- Go towards total freedom. Freedom.

Er, you know so little about women, darling. But you never claimed to be an expert.

- I'd like to talk to my wife. - A flower? Really? It will only provoke her.

- She's not in the mood. But you can leave your offering.

Chico will eat it. Chico loves orchids.

So marvellous to see you. You know, darling, this will all blow over

and if it doesn't, it will still blow over, hmm?

And we shall all be dust. And blown away.

No, I need to talk to her, please. If you'd just direct me

to where she is, I'd be very grateful, thank you.

She's upstairs.

Thank you.

What is that?

Peace offering.

- You can sit, Hugo. - Thank you.

Erm, sorry.

When I was with Dr Maxwell at that place,

there was a girl.

They had this library there.

No one used it except for her and me.

We'd go in there and we'd spin the globe.

Look up countries in the encyclopaedia.

She got better and she married a banker. China.

When I was marrying you, I thought I could marry a new world.

Hardly a reasonable expectation.

I came to say that we don't have to throw everything away.

We'd have separate rooms. Think that'd be best.

The light in this room is beautiful, isn't it?

We could entertain.

Bridge, tennis.

And you could have lovers, even, if that's what you want.

Discreetly.

And in public we'd just have to like each other enough to stop tongues wagging.

- I'm fond of you. - Do you see it?

How it changes the light?

Gives you this glimpse of something that's shimmering.

Beautiful.

I see it.

I want it. I want...

I'm offering you freedom.

I have seen a woman who is free.

On our wedding night.

Woman who sang.

She was free.

She sang for money.

What did Hugo do for money?

He fell right into Daddy's trap.

And he lied to his wife.

And got her caught up in it too.

Fond isn't good enough for me, Hugo.

People are fond of dogs.

Go.

Go.

If I were a man,

I would murder you.

Umi Fatima, Umi Khadija!

Up now, Mai.

I'm not... (COUGHS SOFTLY)

I'm not sure how I...

- Where am I? - You're in our house.

- You're welcome, brother. - Thank you, sister.

We picked you up off the street.

- All sorts out at night. You weren't waking up. - You were outside that place.

- Where those people go. - You carried me?

You wouldn't walk. You wouldn't wake up. What else could we do? She took your head.

She took your feet. You got off light. It could have been much worse.

All sorts out at night in Tangier.

There it is.

We didn't rob you.

Someone got you shoes already.

No. Mine.

What were you two doing out at night?

It's lucky for you we were.

Well...

You've been very kind.

He thinks we robbed him and now he's trying to pay us.

Sorry, I, er...