Shahid whimpers.
You know, Shahid brother, there’s something else Riaz wants you to do. He was shy of asking you, I know.
Shahid What is it?
Chad He needs your help to get the book published.
Shahid retches into the bowl.
Shahid He saved my life.
Chad He intuitive — you owe him the lot.
Shahid I’ll do whatever I can to repay him.
Chad You’ll help him find a publisher for the book?
Shahid Sure.
Tahira bursts in, followed by Hat and an Old Man.
Tahira We need clear space here. (To Shahid.) You going to help or lie there all day?
Shahid What now?
Shahid gets up wearily. He is in his underpants. Tahira looks at him, then Hat positions himself to hide Shahid from her view. She seats the Old Man on a chair. Riaz comes in.
Hat (to Shahid) Now you’ll hear something about how nice your little England is.
Riaz makes the Old Man sit at ease and listens attentively.
Old Man These boys, please, sir, are coming into my flat and threatening my whole family every day and night. They have punched me in my stomach, spit all the time at my wife when she goes out for shopping, make rude signs at my daughters when they go to school. Five years I have lived there, but it is getting worse. I am afraid.
Riaz (considers) What do you suggest we do to help, Shahid?
Shahid (offhand) Teach the beggars a lesson.
Riaz Excellent. We’re not blasted Christians. We don’t turn the other buttock. We will fight for our people who are being tortured anywhere — in Palestine, Afghanistan, Kashmir, East End! (To the Old Man, reassuring, as he ushers him out.) Action will be taken very soon. That is my promise to you.
Old Man exits.
Tahira Self-defence is no offence.
Shahid What are you talking about?
Riaz We want you with us tonight, Shahid.
Chad Shahid’s always with us.
Shahid I have to see someone on family business later — after working on your poem …
Riaz Work on the poem can wait. It is our duty to make sure this man can feel free again.
Chad No degradation of our people. Anybody who fails to fight will answer to God and hellfire!
Shahid I’ll be punished if I don’t take part?
Riaz Punishment is only for those who degrade our people. I’ve written a poem on this subject. ‘The Wrath’. Have you reached it yet?
Shahid Which one? Is it at the end?
Riaz No! It’s the second one — ‘The Wrath’. ‘The Wrath’.
Shahid No, not yet. (Sarky.) Why not call ourselves the Foreign Legion?
Chad I knew you were with us.
He picks up the holdall.
This is it, brothers and sisters. Grab something warm to wear, Shahid — it be chilly in the East End.
Tahira (chanting) Foreign Legion! Foreign Legion!
Hat (picking up the chant) Foreign Legion! Foreign Legion!
As they leave, Chili enters.
Chili Hello — where’s the bad posse headed to?
Chad (to Shahid) Catch you outside.
Chad, Riaz, Hat and Tahira leave.
Chili (to Shahid) What shit you getting into, bro?
Shahid Nothing.
Chili Where’s my Paul Smith?
Shahid What?
Chili The red Paul Smith shirt I gave you.
Shahid (quickly) You won’t believe it — coming back from Deedee’s last night –
Chili You did her?
Shahid Met some of her students who were off to an end-of-decade party — took me to this rave in a white house out of town. Man, ecstasy was flowing like confetti. I had your famous King’s Road sandwich — shagged three girls who I didn’t even know — puked all over the red Paul Smith I was wearing and had to take it to the laundrette –
Chili You shitting me?
Shahid No, I swear, Chili. I wore it to impress her up, like you said.
Chili (suddenly hugging him) I’m proud of you, baby bro. Papa will be smiling up in paradise.
Shahid Business okay?
Chili Why?
Shahid I may not get back tonight –
Chili Still haven’t told me what shit you’re getting into.
Shahid I’ve got to rush — they’ll be waiting …
Chili (fierce) I’m your brother, for Christ sakes!
Shahid I’m helping some people out, that’s all. It’s a charity thing.
Chili (dismissive) Charity! You’re still a baby, bro. There’s only one thing that matters in the world, that’s number one and money. Got myself a partner to keep an eye out for supplies while I meet demands of my varied customers.
Shahid What work are you really doing? Zulma came round.
Chili What you tell her?
Shahid You were at friends playing poker.
Chili Good boy!
Shahid She chuck you out?
Chili Temporary loss of facilities, as they say in the trade.
Shahid You’re the golden couple of Sevenoaks.
Chili laughs.
(Insistent.) Go home.
Chili You can’t never go back home.
Shahid Ring Ammi at least.
Chili (admonishing) Don’t they teach you respect at college?
Shahid I’ve got to go.
He leaves Chili looking around the room. Chili sees the copy of The Satanic Verses,flicks through it nonchalantly, then shuts the book and lays out a line of coke. After snorting, stuffs his remaining stash in the book and puts it away carefully.
Music, as Shahid and the gang, carrying rucksacks, make their way to the East End flat.
SCENE EIGHT
A high-rise flat in the East End. Night. The gang tip out knives, cleavers, etc. from the rucksacks they’ve been carrying.
Chad Weapons training.
Chad demonstrates, to the accompaniment of rousing quwaali music from his boom box. Shahid, Hat and Tahira go through a drill. Chad starts to weep.
Shahid What’s wrong, Chad?
Chad I’m moved by my people’s suffering. Can’t keep it together.
Shahid If you keep blubbing, the old man is not going to have much confidence in us.