![]()
1.
(At Omi-Ala, Nigeria.
BEN looks across the Omi-Ala river.
Sombre and relaxed.
OBEMBE arrives at the riverbank and notices his brother. He walks forward and stands parallel as they both look across the water.)
BEN. I thought we would never see each other again
OBEMBE. This is the… place I thought I would see you –
BEN. Omi-Ala –
OBEMBE. Water splits
BEN. It certainly does –
OBEMBE. I brought a gift –
BEN. A gift
OBEMBE. For our brother –
BEN. You brought a gift? –
OBEMBE. I just thought… it might… be appropriate –
BEN. Like a peace offering? –
OBEMBE. Exactly
BEN. I can’t see it –
OBEMBE. It’s wrapped – It’s what you do with a gift
BEN.…What is it?
OBEMBE. It’s rude to ask and anyway it’s not for you. That’s why I came here.
BEN. Of all places.
OBEMBE. Still as eerie as I remember. We were fishermen.
BEN. We were fishermen
(They look at each other.)
OBEMBE. We are fishermen. It’s good to see you brother.
BEN. I have dreamt…
OBEMBE. What? What did you dream?
BEN.…A different meeting. I imagine you also…
OBEMBE. Had nightmares.
BEN. Of all of the things I suffered for.
OBEMBE. We all suffered.
BEN. You disappeared.
OBEMBE. I suffered too –
BEN. The fact I am alive is a miracle –
OBEMBE. But you did it –
BEN. Once you get caught for a crime – you sort of don’t have a choice –
OBEMBE. Unless you run –
BEN. With a guilty conscience –
OBEMBE. And a sore neck from constantly looking over my shoulder –
BEN. If you don’t do the time – you’ll always be followed by…
OBEMBE. You resent me –
BEN. I don’t know – I haven’t made up my mind –
OBEMBE. So, you want to torment me –
BEN. if it helps –
OBEMBE. I don’t see how…
BEN. Of course you don’t –
OBEMBE. What’s that supposed to mean?
BEN. Why are you here?
OBEMBE. I needed to come –
BEN. Why?
OBEMBE. I brought a gift –
BEN. So what –
OBEMBE. Okay, I haven’t thought it through
BEN. What’s the point of talking to you?
OBEMBE. What do you want to hear?
(Pause.)
BEN. Could we have stopped it, changed it? (Pause.) Everything.
OBEMBE. How? – It was impossible –
BEN. You don’t know that –
OBEMBE. It was prophesied
BEN. The things that happened were –
OBEMBE. / Inevitable
BEN. / Incidental –
OBEMBE. You’re in denial –
BEN. I know what happened –
OBEMBE. So do I – You think you’re the only one affected –I’m affected – so was Mother and Father – so was –
BEN. The map of dreams.
OBEMBE. Ha! Father’s ascribed occupation for us.
BEN. I was going to become a professor.
OBEMBE. That’s not what you wanted to be.
BEN. You were supposed to be the family doctor – Boja a lawyer and Ikenna / a pilot
OBEMBE. a pilot. (With relish.) We all wanted to be the family pilot.
BEN. Yes, but no one, not even Father knew what I wanted to be.
OBEMBE. A veterinarian.
BEN. Ah, you remembered!
OBEMBE. Only because I looked it up in the Britannica Encyclopedia. I have the facts stored up in here – (Taps his head.)
BEN. What facts do you have?
OBEMBE. I remember a lot of things I’m sure you forgot –
BEN. Try me –
OBEMBE. Okay – why did we become fishermen? –
BEN. That’s easy…
OBEMBE.…So?… what’s the answer?
BEN. Because we stopped playing football –
OBEMBE. But why did we stop playing football?
BEN. We weren’t very good –
OBEMBE. Did we play football regularly?
BEN. Only when Father wasn’t around –
OBEMBE. But why?
BEN (as Father). Because academics are more valuable than sportsmen.
OBEMBE. It’s a lie –
BEN. Argue that with Father –
OBEMBE. But when did the games stop –
BEN. Now you’re speaking in riddles –
OBEMBE. because you don’t remember –
BEN. Whatever it is – what you’re thinking – the reason – I remember
OBEMBE. But you haven’t said it –
BEN. I don’t need to say it
OBEMBE. You are being evasive –
BEN. I can be what I want when I like –
OBEMBE. So you don’t remember the letter –
BEN. there are twenty-six of them in the alphabet – which one specific...
