Taking Off and Landing

(continued from middle of "Somewhere Between" scene, with new ending.)

DANIYAR
I like your name more.

ACADIA
Thanks.

DANIYAR
To me it’s beautiful.

ACADIA blushes and looks into the aisle.

ACADIA
Oh good. Here come the tasty treats again.

DANIYAR
The what?

ACADIA
The beverage cart. My favorite moments of the flight. Ooh and we were late taking off! That means free booze. Hey. Have you been properly introduced to Jack Daniels yet? He’s real popular on this continent.

DANIYAR
Who is he?

ACADIA
Ha, that’s classic. Wish I had that on tape. Well, let’s see. He’s a very good friend of mine mainly because he has this way of making me feel all warm and relaxed, which is going to be really important in a little bit when we land. I’m not so good with landings. He’s really tasty when you mix him with coke. You have had coke before?

DANIYAR
Cocaine or Coke-a-cola?

ACADIA
Cola. Gees. What kind of a flight do you think this is?

DANIYAR
JK. I know what Coke is. But what is booze? I don’t know that word.

ACADIA
Booze? It’s liquor. Alcohol. Moonshine. Der Schnaps, in German.

DANIYAR
They serve liquor on planes? I thought it was only in bars?

ACADIA
Flying is stressful. It helps people relax. You look like you could stand to relax a bit right now.

DANIYAR
I don’t drink liquor.

ACADIA
Awe. Well now’s as good a time to start as any...

STEWARDESS
Beverage?

ACADIA
Two Jack Daniels and—

DANIYAR
--No for me.

STEWARDESS
Excuse me? Sir?

ACADIA
-- and two cokes. This is for both of us.

STEWARDESS looks at them disapprovingly but begins the drinks.

DANIYAR
No. No liquor.

ACADIA
Just take it. If you don’t like it, I’ll drink it.

STEWARDESS (handing cup to DANIYAR)
Sir?

DANIYAR turns away from the STEWARDESS. ACADIA takes the drink and sets it on his table, keeping the whiskey bottle on her table. The STEWARDESS hands ACADIA her cup and bottle and then rolls the cart past. ACADIA mixes her drink. DANIYAR puts his cup on ACADIA’s table, spilling some of the Coke.

DANIYAR
I said I don’t want this. I don’t drink booze.

ACADIA
It’s just Coke. You have to add the booze. Like this (she pours the second bottle into her cup. DANIYAR’s face hardens). It’s just a drink, dude.

DANIYAR
It’s much more than that. (he turns away again)

ACADIA
Oh… I get it. You’re Muslim, aren’t you?

DANIYAR
Why do you say that?

ACADIA
Because Muslims don’t drink. They think it’s like this huge sin. Right?

DANIYAR
I will not be one of those people who forget where they come from. I will not be Westernized. It makes no difference if I am Muslim. (he turns back to the window)

ACADIA
Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was against your religion. I just thought you’d never—

STEWARDESS ANNOUNCEMENT
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. In just a few minutes we will begin our descent into Chicago. Please fasten your seatbelts and return you tray tables and seatbacks to an upright position as we prepare the cabin for landing.

ACADIA
Oh god. (she downs her drink). Here we go. (she covers her face).

DANIYAR
What is it? Are you alright?

ACADIA
No. I told you. I hate landing.

DANIYAR
You have to put your table into its upright position.

ACADIA
I can’t. I can’t move.

DANIYAR
You are afraid?

ACADIA
Terrified.

DANIYAR clears her table and rings for the STEWARDESS who comes and collects the trash. He arranges ACADIA’s table and seat back.

DANIYAR
Put your head like this. Here. (He puts his head against the seat in front to show her). Good. Now I will touch you – your, uh, head -- is that okay? (She groans. He puts pressure on the base of neck and head for a moment.) I am terrified during take-off. My mother does this to me when we fly together. It was difficult not having her with me. (He removes his hands. ACADIA sits up after a moment). How is it?

ACADIA
A little better. Are you allowed to do that? Touch a woman?

DANIYAR
I don’t know.

ACADIA
I just thought that Muslims…

DANIYAR
There are many different Muslims.

ACADIA
I guess there would be. (she moans again) I seriously hate this. How much longer do you think?

DANIYAR (looking out the window)
I can see lights but very tiny. Very far away. Perhaps ten minutes?

ACADIA (groans)
Fantastic.

DANIYAR
There are so many lights. They look like stars.

ACADIA
Wait till you see the stars from Canada. That’s one thing I’ve really missed. I don’t know what they’re like in Iran, but in Edmonton they’re so close you can almost touch them.

DANIYAR
They are closer there?

ACADIA
Well, not really. Actually, I don’t know… we are further North… Anyhow, there aren’t as many other lights out there to compete with them. Not like Chicago. I guess that’s one good thing about being in the middle of nowhere.

DANIYAR
They are closer now. Maybe only five minutes?

ACADIA
Just keep talking.

DANIYAR
What do I say?

ACADIA
Anything. Tell me what being Muslim is all about.

DANIYAR
Uh… well, there is a god. His name is Allah.

ACADIA
Even I know that much. Tell me the good stuff. About the 72 virgins and all that.

DANIYAR
You’re not serious?

ACADIA
I don’t know. Educate me.

DANIYAR
Well, the 72 virgins -- that’s for fanatics. And I am not fanatic. I don’t even go to the Mosque. But I observe Ramdam, like everyone else, and then Eid, which I suppose is similar to Christmas. Eid is good stuff.

ACADIA
Really? Are the presents? And a big fat jolly man? And people singing about snow like it’s not the big huge pain in the ass it really is?

DANIYAR
No. But we do go door to door and get money.

ACADIA
For real? Like from strangers?

DANIYAR
Sure. From anyone who is Muslim. And everyone is really happy.

ACADIA
That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. You just ring the bell and say “trick-or-treat” in Arabic or something? Do you put the money in a big pillowcase too?

DANIYAR
Trick-or-treat? What is that? And what is a pillowcase?

ACADIA
You know, the thing that goes on a pillow? Like for sleeping. Uh, under your head? It’s what kids use at Halloween when strangers give them candy because they-- (they are jostled in their seats) Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god oh god.

DANIYAR
You didn’t tell me you were religious.

ACADIA
Very funny.

DANIYAR (gives her his hand)
Here. Hold on to me. This way we will have both Allah and God to keep us safe.

ACADIA grabs his hand and squeezes. They both close their eyes tight.

****

Part II: Take-off

The flight to Edmonton. This time ACADIA has the window seat. DANIYAR has his head against the seat in front of him. ACADIA is trying to put pressure on the back of his neck.

ACADIA
Like this?

DANIYAR
That is good.

ACADIA
Man. I think you’ve got it worse than me. We’re quite the pair.

DANIYAR (sitting back up slowly)
What is pair?

ACADIA
Uh, a couple? Couple of people, I mean. Not couple, as in a couple, couple. Two of a kind. Like a pair of gloves.

DANIYAR
I’ll be fine as soon as we are like this (puts his hand parallel to the ground).

ACADIA
Even. But I don’t see what that has to do with anything. I mean, clearly we’re in the air. If there was a problem with the plane don’t you think we would have crashed already?

DANIYAR
Please don’t speak of crashing.

ACADIA
Sorry. I just don’t get it. To me this is the best part… it’s like we’re finally free. I mean, we’re in the air. We’re humans and we’re FLYING. How freakin cool is that? It’s like, anything is possible.

DANIYAR
I prefer the ground.

ACADIA
Different strokes for different folks, hey? God, I am a dork. You know, I just realized something. You’re afraid of taking off and you’re the one leaving home while I’m afraid of landing and I’m the one going home. Pretty deep, huh?

DANIYAR
I don’t understand.

ACADIA
Well, I don’t want to put words in your mouth or anything, but I’m guessing you’re a little nervous about leaving your home and your family and your country and everything. Maybe the take-off is like this metaphor for that. And me, well I love taking off. I love leaving home. It’s the landing, the returning home, that scares the shit out of me.

DANIYAR
You are afraid of going home?

ACADIA
Totally.

DANIYAR
Why?

ACADIA
Hard to say, really. I guess I just always dreamed about leaving Edmonton, and when I finally got on the plane to Berlin it was like the happiest moment of my life. This dream come true. And now, I’m going back and it’s like: dream over. I’m not going to have any idea what to with myself there.

DANIYAR
What did you do in Berlin?

ACADIA
Good question. No, I don’t know. I walked around. I was always walking. Taking everything in. Taking tons of photographs. Not to brag or anything, but I took some rad photographs there. And I was always meeting cool people in cafés and then getting invited to parties. Berlin’s crazy. It’s like in its own time zone. Everyone stays up all night and parties last for like four days.

DANIYAR
Sounds like Eid.

ACADIA
Really? People don’t sleep?

DANIYAR
During Ramadan you fast from sun up to sun down for one month. Everyone eats at night and then Eid comes and the fast ends and it is a big celebration and no one wants to sleep. They eat and celebrate for many days.

ACADIA
And spend all of their money?

DANIYAR
Maybe.

ACADIA
And what happens after Eid? After the money is gone and the celebration is over? Does everyone get really depressed?

DANIYAR
No. Life becomes normal again. There is joy in that too.

ACADIA
Normal makes me feel stuck. Do you know that word, stuck? It’s like the opposite of freedom.

DANIYAR
Is it like prison?

ACADIA
Yeah. Kind of.

DANIYAR
My father said prison would not have been awful except that he wanted to see my mother and I. He said he was able to do much thinking there.

ACADIA
Maybe that’s what I’m really afraid of. Having to think about my life and figure out what to do with myself.

DANIYAR
You could take pictures in Edmonton, no?

ACADIA
Of what? Snow? Oh right, you haven’t been there. Don’t worry, it’s not really that bad. There’s actually this photographer there who did this whole series of people’s feet walking on different streets there. It was really cool because it made you look at the whole city differently. Like, I didn’t realize it was Edmonton at first. There was this one photo of a footprint in the dirty sludgy snow, which was somehow completely beautiful, and I remember thinking wow, how amazing is it that this photographer captured beauty in that. I bought my camera after I saw that exhibit, that’s how inspiring it was. Oh hey, look. The fasten seatbelt sign just went off. We must be at cruising altitude. You can relax now.

DANIYAR
I think I am relaxed. Talking is good.

ACADIA
Yeah. Talking is good. I’m feeling a little better about things too. Maybe I won’t completely flip this landing.

DANIYAR
Can you see any city lights?

ACADIA
No way. We’re way too far up and I don’t think there are any cities down there. Probably just prairies. I can see stars though… Man. It’s been forever since I’ve seen them… Do you want the window seat now that we’re even?

DANIYAR
No. I am fine here.

ACADIA
The stars are pretty awesome. You really should see them. Come on. Just switch with me.

They switch seats. DANIYAR stares out the window for a while.

ACADIA
What do ya think? Are they closer than in Tehran?

DANIYAR
There are so many!

ACADIA
Yeah. It’s kind of mind-boggling. Have you ever looked through a telescope?

DANIYAR
No. Have you?

ACADIA
Yeah. My sister, Sydney, wants to be an astronomer. It’s like all she ever does is sit out there with her telescope staring up there at the stars. I remember the first time she ever looked through one. We were up in WhiteHorse, which is like this desert up in the Yukon, way North in Canada. And my uncle had this shitty little telescope but we thought it was the coolest thing ever. Especially Sydney. She was completely blown away that there were so many stars that she had never seen before. She had this idea that the stars were space. Like they were what was holding the universe together. She got a little obsessed with them and never really got over it.

DANIYAR
That’s cool she is going to be an astronomer. I’m going to be a biologist. It’s almost the opposite.

ACADIA
Hey, weird. I guess it is the opposite. Never thought of that before. So you’re all into science, huh?

DANIYAR
I love it. I love to understand life and how it begins so very small. I have a microscope and I study cells and other microorganisms. It’s funny, but cells look similar to stars.

ACADIA
I can see that… kind of… in like a fuzzy, white amoeba-y way.

DANIYAR
There are so many cells. And the closer you look through the microscope, the more you see. Like you said with the telescope. They appear to be everywhere. Everything is made up something smaller.

ACADIA
I’m totally not big on science, but in grade school when we studied how DNA is made and how the blood cells flow through the veins and stuff, I remember thinking that cells looked kind of like cars driving on highways and then I started wondering if actual cars driving on highways could be cells in some bigger organism, like the universe maybe. And if that’s possible then maybe the whole universe is just a cell in an even bigger universe. That was like my big scientific thought.

DANIYAR
It’s a cool thought. It does appear that there is an entire universe of cells in each person. There is much we don’t see. (he looks out the window for a while, suddenly he becomes very frightened) Acadia?

ACADIA
Oh my god. What?

DANIYAR
A star just fell from the sky.

ACADIA
What? Like a shooting star?

DANIYAR
I don’t know. It was there and then it fell, very fast… Is this normal in Canada?

ACADIA
Well, it doesn’t happen everyday, but it’s not bad. It's actually pretty special. You should make a wish.

DANIYAR
A wish? For what?

ACADIA
For whatever you want. When you see a shooting star it’s good luck and your wish will come true.

DANIYAR
Okay. I wish for—

ACADIA
--no! You can’t tell me. If you tell someone, it won’t come true.

DANIYAR
Why?

ACADIA
I don’t know. But that’s the rule. And you don’t mess with the rules when making wishes. Just close your eyes and say it in your head.

DANIYAR
Like a prayer?

ACADIA
Sure. Like a prayer. (He closes his eyes. She looks out the window.) Hey! I saw one too! Wow. That was extra sweet from way up here.

DANIYAR
Will you make a wish also?

ACADIA
Of course. (she closes her eyes and wishes, when she opens them he is staring at her.) What?

DANIYAR
I think I know what your wish is.

ACADIA
Impossible.

DANIYAR
I saw into your mind.

ACADIA
Oh yeah? Then what was it?

DANIYAR (with a goofy grin)
I can't tell you. Or it won't come true.

ACADIA (hits him)
Just for that, you're going straight to hell.

***