ACT 4, Scene 2.

JIBRAIL in a plain white hospital BED, very sick, as the young WOMAN in her mid-20s, no makeup and her blonde hair disshevelled, wearing only a plain white hospital gown. Enter MUHAMMAD, as a young man, also in his mid-20s, a little older now, longer hair, plain clothes in the fashion of the early 1970s. MUHAMMAD Gabriella? JIBRAIL (almost asleep, or drugged out) Huh? MUHAMMAD (coming closer to the bed, horrified at her appearance) Gabby, its me. I came to see you. JIBRAIL (becoming aware of him) Muhammad? What? M Hi. J You - - ? M I got your letter and decided to come see you. How are you? J (sitting up, recognizing him) Muhammad, oh. M Hi. J (hugging him, happily, with more energy) Its you! Oh, youre so tanned and brown. M Yeah. I flew in from Cairo. J You - - ? You came all this way to see me?

M Well, sure. J You did? M Of course. J You got my letter then? M Yeah. My mother forwarded it on to Cairo. J Cairo? You were in Cairo? M Yes. But how are you? What happened? J I cant believe youre here. Its been a long time. Its been so long. M About seven years yeah. 1972, hard to believe, eh? Its actually the Seventies. J I tried to commit suicide. I took a bottle of pills but my roommate came back and found me and called the ambulance. M Thats what you said in you letter. J Id have died, Muhammad, if she hadnt come back. I also had an abortion when I was in the coma, they said. I didnt even know I was pregnant. We cant do anything. Im all sewed up. M Oh, I . . . didnt expect to . . .

J Im all sewed up. M Oh yeah? J We cant do anything though. Oh, Im so glad to see you! I cant believe you came all the way to Miami, just to see me? M Yeah, of course. J (happy) Oh. How are you? What are you doing in Cairo? Tell me all about it. I cant talk much. They have me on thorazine and who knows what else. Sedatives. Tranquillizers. M Really? Are you feeling better? J Yes. No. I dont know. Oh, tell me all about it. I love our talks. I love listening to you. What are you doing now. Werent you married? and dont I remember you got sick, what, a few years ago? M Yeah. I was pretty sick, they couldnt figure it out at all. And weve both gone through a marriage and divorce. A long way from Tripoli. J Oh its so good to see you. No one from Libya has come to see me. My parents are dead, you know? I have friends here in Miami, theyve been wonderful, but no one else, from school or - M Its good to see you too Gabby. J Oh, no one calls me that anymore. I like the Arabic Jibrail.

M Oh yeah, thats beautiful. Its good to see you. I wish the circumstances were better. J (laying back down) Im so tired. All the time. M Well, maybe I should go. J (impulsively sitting up and hugging him) No! Talk to me, please? Why wont you talk to me? Tell me what youre doing. M Well . . . okay. If youre sure . . . Im working with my Dad in Egypt, for the new Sadat