Sahara
December 24th, 2020
Starring: Mom (female, mid 60’s), Daughter 2 (female, late 20’s)
The dining room, morning. Mom and Daughter 2 are standing on two sides of the table. It’s covered with Amazon packages, bows, tape, paper. Some presents are already wrapped, stacked in a neat corner. The yet to be wrapped are in another. From the unwrapped pile, Daughter 2 picks up a thick hardcover atlas and holds it up for Mom:
DAUGHTER 2
Mom?
MOM
Hmm?
DAUGHTER 2
Who’s this for?
MOM
The atlas?
Uhhh Em, I think.
DAUGHTER 2
Right, ok.
MOM
That’s what you said, right?
DAUGHTER 2
Yeah, I remember now. They’re too spoiled, I’m getting it all mixed up.
MOM
You had plenty in your day.
DAUGHTER 2
Of course. How else would I get this way?
Daughter 2 opens up the atlas to a random page:
DAUGHTER 2
This is nice.
MOM
Educational, but interactive. Good gift.
DAUGHTER 2
It’s crazy the amount of detail...look—
Daughter 2 flips the book to show Mom:
MOM
What’s that one?
DAUGHTER 2
A satellite image of North Africa.
MOM
Sandy.
DAUGHTER 2
Oh yeah. That’s all there is.
…
…
You remember in fourth grade I had that African girl in my class. With the big family?
MOM
Mmm. Sort of?
DAUGHTER 2
Yeah you do. All four kids got dropped off in that green van? She had the head covering? The hijab?
No?
MOM
This was way back honey.
DAUGHTER 2
No I know but—still.
MOM
What made you think of that?
DAUGHTER 2
I saw the map, it came up. I think they came from Mali?
No, Algeria. No. I don’t know, somewhere around there.
MOM
I don’t think she ever came over here.
DAUGHTER 2
No. They were only there that one year.
I remember how strong her clothes smelled. Not that it’s a bad thing, but I can still smell the clothes. She was super super quiet. She was still learning English, so it was tough...
MOM
A lot less diversity then too. District resources—
DAUGHTER 2
She was so so shy. And noone knew how to pronounce her name because she never corrected anyone.
MOM
Was it hard to say?
DAUGHTER 2
It was S-something.
Sabiha?
MOM
Sabiha? That’s not that hard.
DAUGHTER 2
But nobody knew if it was right. So eventually Dani started calling her Sahara instead.
MOM
Sahara.
Like the desert?
DAUGHTER 2
Yeah.
MOM
Dani said that?
DAUGHTER 2
Yeah.
And then I started saying it because Dani was saying it.
MOM
You called her that?
DAUGHTER 2
Yeah.
MOM
To her face?
DAUGHTER 2
I don’t remember saying it at her, but I might have. I know I definitely said it.
…
…
You’re unhappy with me?
MOM
That was bullying.
DAUGHTER 2
I know it was.
MOM
I don’t like how nonchalant you are about it.
DAUGHTER 2
Only because I was a kid. And it’s pretty clear that’s not something I’d do now.
MOM
I didn’t raise you that way. I mean I would expect that from Dani, her home life was garbage, but yours wasn’t. I never condoned that kind of behavior—
DAUGHTER 2
I know. It’s not a parental failure on your part. That’s why I think it’s kind of funny—
MOM
Racism’s not funny—
DAUGHTER 2
Mom, I’m not saying racism is funny. It’s not funny, I don’t like what I did either. What I think is funny is that I could do something like that when I grew up to not be that kind of person.
MOM
But you still did it.
DAUGHTER 2
I know I did.
MOM
Well show some remorse!
DAUGHTER 2
I am! I brought it up! What do you want me to do, track her down, apologize?
This wasn’t meant to start some whole big thing—
MOM
It’s hurtful to me.
DAUGHTER 2
Do you really believe I’m a racist, Mom?
MOM
I think you had a moment of bigotry—
DAUGHTER 2
Mom, do you believe, at my core, I am a dirty, bigoted racist?
MOM
No I don’t.
DAUGHTER 2
Okay, great.
But I gotta say, it’s hurtful that you’d think I’d be.
Silence. Daughter 2 rolls out some wrapping paper and puts the Atlas down on top. She cuts the paper around it, then holds out her hand to Mom:
DAUGHTER 2
Tape please?
Mom hands it to her:
MOM
I didn’t mean to—
DAUGHTER 2
I know, neither did I. Just reminiscing.
Daughter 2 finishes wrapping the atlas, taping the corners, and finally fixing a mini-bow on top. She places it on a stack with the others:
DAUGHTER 2
Em will love it.