Teach Me / The Dance

Teach Me

We live in a time where racial tensions are, but we only hear about the white and black conflicts and ignore that race indifference is in every country. Teach is a short story I use a writing software, so this is not how the formatting would look, but this is the complete story.

Teach Me is about an American student who struggles in one of his classes being taught by a teacher who is from Saudi Arabia. His views of the Arab culture is from what he has seen in the media and in the movies and through a sit down session with his teacher, he begins to understand more about the Arab culture.

INT. MOSQUE - DAY

AKEEM Prays, he is alone.

Akeem(30’s)

INT. AKEEM’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAY

Akeem is standing in front of his mirror on his dresser putting his tie on.

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Akeem feeds his cat.

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

Akeem stands in front of a group of students, the room is full, his students are both boys and girls age fifteen.

INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Elegant, not crowded.

Akeem sits at a table while another GENTLEMAN(30s), sits across from him, they laugh as they enjoy each others company.

INT. OFFICE - DAY

Akeem sits behind his desk and DAVID(15), American. Sits in front.

AKEEM

You failed your second test. What happen?

David says nothing.

AKEEM

If you do not understand something. I wish you would ask me before you take the test.

DAVID

Your aggressive.

AKEEM

When have I ever been aggressive towards you?

DAVID

You haven’t, but you could be, so I would rather take a chance on getting the question wrong, than to ask you anything.

AKEEM

I do not understand.

DAVID

You’re Arab?

AKEEM

You’re afraid of me, there are 22 Arab countries, how do you see all of us? DAVID

Just how I see you in the movies. Brute murderers, religious fanatics, oil-rich dimwits, abusers of women and quintessential villains.

AKEEM

Abusers of women. I suppose you think all Arab men are married?

DAVID

What does that have to do with me failing a test?

AKEEM

Nothing, but I think I need to teach you something other than what I am teaching you, so you can see a different side of Arab people. Ask me something.

DAVID

Do you abuse your wife?

AKEEM

You didn’t even blink, you went right for my throat.

DAVID

You said ask you something.

AKEEM

I have never been married. I have never abused my partner and he has never abused me, we are not as you put it, aggressive.

DAVID

I have never had a teacher from your country before.

AKEEM

You do not see Arab people as educators, do you?

DAVID

Are there famous Arab teachers?

AKEEM

Ali ibn Abi Taleb started Arabic Grammar. Ibn Khaldoun is the father of sociology and scientific and realistic methodologies in History. He was also an Economist, philosopher and a visionary of his time. Ibn Rushd/Averroes was a jurist and physician, he was also a philosopher that went against tradition when it was increasingly overwhelming. I wanted to be a teacher since I was young, do you know which country I am from?

DAVID

No.

AKEEM

Saudi Arabia, we are considered to be more empathetic towards other people, than most other countries. My day is probably similar to yours. I get up. I pray. I get ready for work. I feed my cat. I come here and teach and sometimes I have quiet dinners with my boyfriend at night at an elegant restaurant.

DAVID

I failed a test, you did not have to tell me this.

AKEEM

I told you a little about Arab culture because your view of us at this age will carry on when you are older. Is there something else that makes you afraid of us? DAVID 9/11. My dad said goodbye to us that morning, but he never came home again to tell us hello.

AKEEM

There is nothing I can do to change that day and the words I’m sorry seem to mean even less today than they did yesterday. 9/11 happened because Osama Bin Laden did not like the U.S. Troops in Saudi Arabia and the sanctions against Iraq. Many Arabs and Muslims support the United States. Even after 9/11, the media insists that Saudi Arabia has always been ungrateful for the U.S. support. I do not want to see you fail another test, how can I help you?

David gets up.

AKEEM

Where are you going?

DAVID

You can’t help me. I need to have another teacher.

AKEEM

When I came to America. I was afraid of this country and I had to do research and change my way of thinking.

DAVID

If you hated us before you came, why did you come?

AKEEM

Hate and afraid are two different things. I never hated your country. I do not want you to grow up and be a bitter man because of how Arab people are seen in the movies. Change your way of thinking and do what I had to do, research. I will ask you again, how can I help you?

DAVID

And I will tell you again, you can’t.

Akeem gets up and walks towards David.

AKEEM

Shake my hand.

DAVID

What?

Akeem extends his hand.

AKEEM

It is custom in the Arab culture before you leave a room, that we shake hands.

DAVID

I really do not want to.

AKEEM

I have learned your customs, please take away one of mine.

David hesitates before shaking Akeem’s hand.

AKEEM

If you find your new teacher is not the solution to your learning, you will always be welcomed in my classroom.

David leaves.

INT. APARTMENT - EVENING

Akeem enters his apartment before walking over to his sofa and sitting down, shortly after, his cat gets on his sofa, he looks at her.

AKEEM

What can I teach you today?

They both look at each other as the camera pans out, shortly after, his cat sits down, as they continue to stare at each other.

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

The Dance.

Earlier this year I submitted my first micro-short, if you are not familiar with what that is, it is a story done on one page. I use a writing software, so this is not how the formatting would look, but this is the story. I am sharing this because it won a silver nib award and I thought others might find a little humor in it.

INT. DEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

Organized. Neat.

DEVIN(20),sweet.

He is on his cell phone with KATY.

Katy(20), sincere.

KATY(O.C.)

I know it’s short notice, but would you like to go to this dance Devin?

DEVIN

(panic)

Hold on Katy.

He puts his cell phone down on his bed before running over to his closet, he picks up his shoes before running back to his bed. He sit’s to close to the edge of his bed sliding off onto the floor before putting his shoes on, he jumps up quickly.

He unbuttons his shirt, taking it off before running over to his closet and quickly going through his other shirts. He than runs over to his dresser before ripping all his shirts out and throwing them onto the floor and than putting a T-Shirt on.

DEVIN

I didn’t put deodorant on.

He takes his shirt off before running to his bathroom.

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

He looks for deodorant in a hurry in his cabinet.

DEVIN

Why are there so many deodorants in this cabinet? One smell, one deodorant, that’s all you need, ah, found one.

He sprays himself under his arms and down the middle of his chest before putting his deodorant back in his cabinet and running back to his room.

INT. DEVIN’S ROOM - NIGHT

He puts his shirt back on before picking his cell phone up.

KATY(O.C.)

I should have told before, the dance is not tonight, it’s Thursday.

DEVIN

Oh I kind of figured that, who would call last minute to go dancing?