SCENE – YEAR 2021 - PRIZE DAY

Int/Day

Master bedroom of Jonathan and Sarah

Few minutes before leaving for prize day ceremony. Sarah and Jonathan
are both dressed in their formal wear. Sarah is doing her last makeup
touches at her vanity table whilst Jonathan is arranging his tie in
place.

JONATHAN:
(looking annoyed) Ejja lesta?

SARAH:
(slighty pissed off) U gejja int, mela qed tahsibni ntir?

JONATHAN:
(sarcastically) Arem hey, tahsbekx ghad ghandek tmintax.

SARAH:
(sighs) Ajma, dejjem l-istess paroli fil-vojt! Naf li m’ghandiex
tmintax…imma iva, nipprova nzomm ruhi kemm nista. X’hemm hazin
b’daqshekk?

Jonathan rolls his eyes as if he’s not listening.

SARAH:
U isma’ wara kollox, dan ghal wiccek ukoll. Biex ma joqghodux jghidu
minn warajk shabek li ghandek mara mitluqa. Billi ghandhom ilsienhom
taz-zokkor!

JONATHAN:
(annoyed) Tibdiex izzeffen lil shabi fin-nofs!

SARAH:
Mhux int bdejt? Jien bi kwieti nlesti kont.

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JONATHAN:
(chuckles sarcastically) Tkellmet Santa Maria Goretti hey. Tisimghek
titkellem tahsbek xi qaddisa miexja fl-art.

SARAH:
Qatt m’ghetlek li jien qaddisa. Imma dejjem pruvajt naghmel l-ahjar
li nista.

Tension starts building up.

JONATHAN:
Int bis-serjeta? Iddahhakniex Sarah!

SARAH:
Qatt gejt mix-xoghol u ma sibtx kollox lest?

JONATHAN:
Bil-mod, qisek tqatta’ l-blat ghax taghmel erba’ facendi! Anke tifla
tal-iskola kapaci ddellek naqra art u hgieg…

SARAH:
Safrattant hwejjgek dejjem nodfa u platt ikel fuq il-mejda dejjem
sibtu.

JONATHAN:
Messu le wkoll! Mela nzommok paxxuta hawn ma jonqsok xejn, u
x’tippretendi? Li ma tlestiex imqar borma fuq in-nar?

Younger Isaac (14 yrs old) comes in happily dressed in his formal
wear. Breaks tension in the room.

ISAAC:
Lesti papa’?

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JONATHAN:
(changes tone and attitude completely. Delighted to see his son) Hawn
sabih tieghi! (goes to hug him) Iva ta…l-ahhar ftit jonqos xbin, kemm
tlesti ommok…ghax ha ddum sena tinzebah mid-dehra. Ecitat jew?

ISAAC:
Hafna papa’! Dis-sena vera kuntent!

JONATHAN:
Messek le! Tliet prizes f’suggetti differenti u l-aqwa student fil-
klassi. Nispera li taf li jien kburi mmens bik!

ISAAC:
Naf papa’. U jien nispera li taf li nhobbok u ninsab grat immens ta’
dak kollu li taghmel mieghi (hugs father).

JONATHAN:
Naf ghaziz. (breaks hug) Isma bilhaqq, ghadek m’ghedtliex xi tridni
nixtrilek tar-rizultat sabih li gibt.

ISAAC:
U int ma tafx li jien il-kotba huma l-aktar haga favorita tieghi
papa’?

Sarah speaks from behind. All this time she’s been observing.

SARAH:
U ejja Isaac. Kotba m’ghandekx bizzejjed? Ha tispicca tgharraq
ghajnejk erbat ijiem ohra!

ISAAC:
Imma mama’, int taf li jien l-akbar passatemp tieghi huwa l-qari. Minn
dejjem hekk kont.

3
SARAH:
(sighs) Ma nafx jien. Guvintur tamparek jistaqsu l-ommhom ghal xi
playstation gdida…u inti hlief kotba ma ssemmiex. Donnok m’intiex bhal
subien ohra.

ISAAC:
Imma ma…

JONATHAN:
(breaks discussion – angry at mom) Hallieh int! Anke t-tifel ha jibda
jtik f’ghajnek issa?

SARAH:
Isma’ l-iehor, qisni qed nghid xi haga hazina x’kull wahda!

JONATHAN:
Mhux ahjar jaqra milli jahli l-hin fuq xi playstation? Xi tridu jkun
bhali? Jikber u jispicca jgorr il-gebel fuq dahru?

SARAH:
Heq mhux int hrigt injorant!

Jonathan gives her an angry look but keeps silent as Isaac is present.

SARAH:
U isma hi, jien mhux qed nghidlu biex ma jaqrax ta. Jien kull m’ghedtlu
kien li messu jimmodera ftit mhux studju biss. Lanqas li kien Einstein
dat-tifel…

JONATHAN:
Kif taqtali nifsi santa marija! Meta ha ddahhal naqra sens f’mohhok
ghid? Mill-qari jiehu xi haga - jistudja, jigradwa u l-quddiem isib
xoghol suret in-nies b’paga tajba.

SARAH:

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U ajma dal-istudju kollu! Qisu min m’ghandux skola ma jsibx x’jaghmel
b’hajtu…

JONATHAN:
(angry) Imma kemm tiflah tkun injoranta! Flok tiehu gost li t-tifel
jibbrilla fl-iskola, tara kif ha twaqqaw down.

SARAH:
Imma jien m’ghedtx…

Isaac breaks the argument.

ISAAC:
Iva jimporta ma nibdewx bhas-soltu please? Illum il-gurnata tieghi u
suppost m’hemmx glied bejnietkom. (turns to father) Jekk joghgbok
papa’, ghamel effort. Ghalija.

JONATHAN:
(snaps out of argument and realises Isaac is present) Ghandek ragun
ibni. Skuzani. Imma din (turns to mother) ma tirragunax!

ISAAC:
Papa’! X’ghadni kemm ghedtilkom?

JONATHAN:
Iva, iva ha nieqfu. Issa ejja ha mmorru ghax ha tispicca c-cerimonja
u nkunu ghadna hawn (smiles to Isaac).

They all leave for prize day.

End of Scene.