Act I
Scene 1
SETTING: Dinner table in a household in East Africa. The home is not poor, but neither is it wealthy.
AT RISE: Sixteen-year-old DEJEN, a tall, thin boy, enters with a large bouquet of roses. He washes them in the sink and cuts his hand on the thorns.
DEJEN
Ouch.
(He sucks the blood from his finger and mops
the blood with his mother’s dishtowel.
AYANA enters.)
AYANA
Dejen, what are you doing? Your hand is bleeding.
DEJEN
It’s nothing, Mother. I brought some roses as a surprise for Gelita. She is coming soon, and I want to make a joyous celebration. Only roses will do to say how happy we are for her safe journey.
AYANA
(She examines the roses)
Your sister will love them, but I don’t care for roses. Their beauty is deceiving. They bloom for a short time, leaving you only with thorns.
DEJEN
I will remove the thorns for her.
AYANA
Where did you get the money to pay for these?
(She walks over to a shelf over the sink,
and opens a jar)
Did you take money from my jar? Even with good intentions, do not take from another person. If you remember anything I teach you, remember that.
(She empties the jar on the table and
counts the coins.)
All here, so how did you pay for these?
DEJEN
They were free, Mother, from the rose farm.
AYANA
Free? Did you steal them?
DEJEN
No, Mother, I asked permission. They had so many roses, and most were dying on their stems. I looked around, and no one worked the field, cutting and pruning. So, I approached the farmhouse. I could hear a group of people who sounded like Americans inside talking on the radio. They shuttered the windows and locked the doors. Outside, they parked ten large new black station wagons in a circle. I never saw such beautiful American cars before. I knocked, hoping to find some work harvesting their roses before they lost their bloom. Finally, someone came to the door, and a whoosh of cold air escaped the room and blasted me in the face. Dressed in a dark suit and a white shirt, he was tall with soulless black eyes and a bushy mustache. He didn’t look like a farmer. He spoke in a firm, commanding voice, irritated that I interrupted something. He asked me, “How long was I at the door, and was I listening to them?” I told him, “I saw the roses wilted, and I was looking for work.” He said, “No, thank you.” His stare was as cold as the air rushing out of the farmhouse. I ran, turned, and asked, “Do you mind if I cut a dozen roses for my sister?” He slammed the door. I took that as a yes.
AYANA
Do not go back to that farm. The village rumor is that something terrible is going on there. Cars drive in and out at all hours of the night. You can see from the road their roses are dying, and they don’t care.
(Gelita enters weighed down
with a bundle of presents.)
GELITA
I’m home. Dejen, help me with the presents.
(She dumps them on the floor.)
I’m famished. When is dinner?
(She walks over to the sink
full of flowers.)
What are these flowers doing in the sink? Did somebody die?
(She picks them up and throws them
to the side and washes her hands.)
DEJEN
They’re for you to welcome you home.
GELITA
Red is not my color; I prefer pink and white. Remember that for next time. Let’s open the presents. Mother, this present is for you.
(She hands AYANA a present.)
GELITA (Cont.)
When my flight stopped in Paris, I had three hours to shop. I found this beautiful blue hat for you. It has a rim of blue and white roses.
AYANA
I can’t wear this to church on Sunday. Our neighbors will think I am showing off, parading like a peacock.
GELITA
That’s OK. I’ll proudly wear it. I’d never buy anything for you that I wouldn’t wear myself.
(She picks up the second present.)
Where is Father?
AYANA
He’s in the capital. He’ll be back tomorrow.
DEJEN
I hope he’ll be careful. The capital is very dangerous now.
GELITA
Stop talking about things you don’t understand. After the passengers “de-planned,” that’s airline industry lingo, Dejen, I read the newspapers from all over Europe. I followed the protests in the capital. Father will be fine.
AYANA
Protests? He didn’t mention any demonstrations. The government will shoot protestors and have the rule of law on their side. Your father could get caught in a crossfire.
(DEJEN opens the present and puts
on the fedora inside.)
GELITA
Put that back.
(DEJEN puts the hat back into the box.)
DEJEN
Every government upholds the rule of law because it makes the rules.
AYANA
It best we keep our conversations out of politics. I’m worried about you joining some rebel cause and getting shot.
DEJEN
I’m not joining the rebels, but the King has to worry about his generals more than the rebels.
GELITA
I read that America is coming in, and they will stop any opposition to the King. The paper said the U.S. owes him a favor for helping them in the War. So, the U.S. will give the King all of East Africa. With their support, the protests will stop.
DEJEN
How does the U.S. have the right to give the land they do not own? No wonder there are protests. First, the Italians, the Portuguese, and the Germans invaded us, and now the Americans have come to help us. We traded one slave master for another. Why can’t they leave us alone?
AYANA
Enough, or you’ll end up in prison.
GELITA
Dejen, move everything off the table and set out the glasses. Mother, we need our finest embroidered tablecloth because I invited a special guest to join us for a home-cooked dinner. His name is Harold Star. He’s an American businessman and very, VERY rich. I met him on the flight from Paris when I served the first-class passengers. He is tall and handsome with deep black dreamy eyes and a manly mustache. We started talking. I smiled and laughed at his jokes as I poured him a stiff cocktail. I expect him any minute, so I’ll run and get changed.
(She exits.)
AYANA
I’m not dressed for guests tonight.
GELITA
(Off Stage.) You look fine.
AYANA
Dejen, run to the butcher and get fresh meat, onions, garlic, and peppers for the tibs. Wait for him to sauté the chunks. Tell him we’ll pay extra.
(DEJEN exits.) She makes final preparations.
A knock on the door.)
One moment, please.
(She opens the door. HAROLD STAR enters.
She stares at him, sizing him up.)
HAROLD
Is this the home of Gelita?
AYANA
Hello, Mr. Star, come in. Gelita has told us so much about you.
HAROLD
Oh, really? We just met.
AYANA
Please sit down. Let me pour you a glass of tej. It’s like honey wine, made from raw honey. It’s our national drink.
(GELITA enters dressed in
a short, white, sequined cocktail dress.)
GELITA
I’m here. (GELITA twirls around.)
HAROLD
You look beautiful. I feel so underdressed.
GELITA
Oh, this little something. I just threw on the first thing that I could find.
AYANA
When did you start wearing all that makeup? And that dress, I expect you to light up like a Christmas tree any second.
GELITA
Harold, you must excuse Mother. She doesn’t travel the world as we do.
AYANA
Maybe not, but wisdom doesn’t come from running around European nightclubs. Now change.
HAROLD
It’s all right. Don’t upset your mother. You can change into something more relaxing. While we wait, I’ll get to know your charming and wise mother a bit more.
(GELITA exits.)
Gelita tells me that you have a son.
AYANA
Yes, he’s a good boy who loves our family. I’m so proud of him. His father and I brought him up in the church, and unlike many of his friends, he didn’t abandon
AYANA (Cont.)
his faith. He has a solid moral compass, a mind as sharp as a sword, and a good judge of character. What about you, do you go to church?
HAROLD
I love Christmas. I donate to many charities, but they are not church-based.
AYANA
You should reconsider. It’s hard to do good without faith in God.
(GELITA enters wearing
A plain knee-length dress.)
HAROLD
I didn’t expect you to treat me to a fashion show. Bravo!
(DEJEN enters carrying a bag of cooked meat.
HAROLD stands and looks at DEJEN.
Startled, DEJEN drops the bag on the floor.)
GELITA
Clumsy, pick up that bag. Dejen, don’t just stand there frozen like an ice cube. Say hello to our honored guest, Mr. Harold Star. He’s an important businessman doing, doing … important things in the capital.
HAROLD
Nice to meet you, Dejen. Your mother said many good things about you.
(HAROLD offers DEJEN his hand.)
AYANA
Dejen, shake Mr. Harold’s hand. Have you lost your manners?
(DEJEN picks up the bag and
runs to the sink.)
I apologize for my son’s behavior. He usually isn’t like this. Dejen, help me serve the Injera.
(They serve a large flat bread on a wicker basket called a mesob.)
GELITA
Before we eat, I have a present for you.
(She gives her father’s present to HAROLD.)
HAROLD
Thank you, this hat is exactly the kind I like.
DEJEN
That’s the gift you brought for Father.
GELITA
You are mistaken. (GELITA scowls at DEJEN.) Father never wears a hat. I would never buy one for him.
AYANA
Let’s eat. Mr. Harold, have you tried injera?
HAROLD
Yes, it is one of my favorite dishes.
(He tastes it.)
Delicious. What is that spice?
DEJEN
It’s mother’s secret recipe. It’s been in the family for generations. She passed it down to me.
GELITA
What? Dejen knows the secret but not me.
AYANA
It bothers me that you didn’t show any interest. Besides, it is difficult for you to keep a secret.
HAROLD
Well, it’s no secret that I’m fond of Gelita. Unfortunately, I can’t stay for dinner; I have another appointment in the capital. Thank you for welcoming me into your home.
(He stands to leave.)
Dejen, may I speak to you outside? Gelita, I’ll say a proper goodbye to you in a moment.
(DEJEN and HAROLD step outside.)
I hope that the incident at the rose farm will be our little secret. You caught me at an awkward moment, and I was under a great deal of stress. I hope that you will forgive my rudeness. If you want any more roses, help yourself. That’s my way of compensating you.
DEJEN
No, thank you. My days of gathering roses are over. They only bring ridicule upon me instead of joy.
HAROLD
We’re OK, then. I’ll see you again. Maybe we can travel together in the future.
(DEJEN nods his head and returns inside,
as GELITA comes out.)
GELITA
What did you talk about with Dejen?
HAROLD
He’s an enterprising young man. In the future, I might find him work.
GELITA
That would be kind. The family could use some extra money in the house. Even though we are relatives of the King, we need to support ourselves.
HAROLD
Relatives?
GELITA
We are distant relatives, which is why our family supports the King. But I worry about our future, the Marxist generals are gaining power and inciting the crowds to violence, and the rebels are protesting too. Our country is volatile.
HAROLD
So, your father is loyal to the King?
GELITA
Oh, of course.
HAROLD
And Dejen?
GELITA
He’s loyal to the family. He always talks about the evils of colonialism, but he likes the King.
HAROLD
But could he pretend to be a Marxist if he thought it would be in his country’s best interest?
GELITA
Probably, I mean, yes. Dejen does anything that I tell him. However, he has a suspicious mind. This conversation is idle talk. When will I see you again?
HAROLD
I’ll be in London from the following Monday.
GELITA
That’s perfect. I fly that route on Monday too, and I have a 24-hour layover. Shall we meet at the Four Seasons for afternoon tea?
HAROLD
Perfect. Good night.
(They kiss on the cheek.)
GELITA
Good night.
(She walks inside.)
Mother, isn’t he the dreamiest man you have ever met?
AYANA
He’s a fraud. I saw right through him. I don’t know what he wants from our family, but I don’t trust him. I doubt that he is rich. Even his jacket was a fraud. It had the labels ripped out. What rich man buys a jacket like that?
GELITA
You are too suspicious of every man that I bring home. I don’t believe you have a gift from God for knowing people.
DEJEN
That man scares me. He can turn the charm on and off.
GELITA
What do you know about charm? You drip your tea all over your shirt. Besides, he wants to offer you an excellent job in the future. He says that you have potential. Don’t be so ungrateful to the man I love.
DEJEN
You met that huckster 24 hours ago and will have his babies. You need to grow up. When Father hears about him, Father will ground you and end your high-flying career for good.
(END OF SCENE)