Jailbird
Episode 24
Baaba is wearing a blue dress that stops on
mid-thigh.
Her hair is braided and curled around her
head and held on top of her head. She is
wearing dark shades.
He notices that there are tiny marks and
scars still on her face and arms from where
the glass had cut her, and she still has a
bandage around her left wrist.
She drops slowly to her knees besides
Chris, whose face has suddenly gone cold.
Baaba removes her sunglasses. She tries to
speak, but her lips shake, and her body
trembles.
She raises her hand to touch him, but he
shies away from her violently.
BAABA
(agonized)
Chris! I know you hate me! Please, please
don’t! I’m so sorry! I don’t know what
came over me!
CHRIS
You better leave, Baaba, please. I don’t
want anything to do with you. Ever.
Her body trembles harder, and tears
suddenly come to her eyes. She looks at
him with abject misery, and her shoulders
crumple.
BAABA
You don’t understand, Chris! I’ve never
been with any man ever …except my
father!
Chris flinches, as if she has physically hit
him.
CHRIS
(in a whisper)
What?
BAABA
(nodding)
Yes, yes, Chris! My mother died when I
was seven, and from the time I was ten he
began to touch me. It killed my soul, and
destroyed me for life. He raped me when I
was fifteen, and it continued till I was
twenty, when I couldn’t stand it anymore. I
joined the prisons academy, and when I was
twenty-two I beat the hell out of him! He
couldn’t touch me again. He married a
German and went to stay in Germany. He
visits twice a year, but I hate him, and I
rarely meet him. I hate him, I hate all men
…except you, Chris!
Chris is stunned.
The fury he has experienced the moment he
saw her slowly leaves his body, and on his
face is a look of sudden pity.
Somehow, he is beginning to understand her,
and to understand some of the things she
does.
BAABA
(shuddering)
I tried to date other guys, you know, to be
a normal girl, but I couldn’t. I was
repulsed whenever a guy touched me. Later I
realized I could never be a normal girl. A
rich woman showed me the life of lesbianism.
I tried to make it work, but it disgusted
me, and eventually I also beat her up and
left. My life was in shambles. I was forever
unhappy. Later I was posted to the Grand
Castle Prison. Where I met you.
She sits down besides Chris, and when she
puts her head on his shoulder he is too full
of pity to stop her.
He pulls out his big hanky and gives it to
her.
She cleans her face and sighs shudderingly.
BAABA
Everywhere I go I see men looking at me,
undressing me with their eyes, devouring me
with their lecherous and sadistic desires!
Drooling over my body, wanting to get
between my thighs …just like my f—–g
stupid daddy! But you, Chris, the first time
you saw me you barely noticed me. You’ve
been gentle, and nice, and your eyes are
so frank, never holding a lustful look.
You’re the only man I don’t feel dirty
around, Chris. The only man who looks at
me with respect, and innocent admiration.
I’ve never offered myself to any man. I
watched seductive videos and learnt how to
twerk and all that. I had everything planned
out, to finally where you would make me a
real woman, and then you rejected me, and
suddenly I detested you like I detest my
father. That’s why I lied so badly, but in
the morning I couldn’t go on with it, Chris!
I’m so sorry, please forgive me!
She leans against him, crying softly,
trembling, her soul crushed.
CHRIS
(gently)
It’s okay, Baaba. Please. I didn’t know
that. I hated you for telling a lie. But I
don’t anymore.
She raises huge, dejected eyes to his, and
then she gently winds an arm around his
neck and raises her face.
Chris pulls his head back, and she shakes
her head numbly, her eyes hurt.
BAABA
(sadly)
I repulse you now, don’t I? Because I told
you my story you now find me repulsive?
Chris sighs, and then he looks across the
crashing waves for a moment. He feels her
stiffening, and then she tries to pull away
from him.
He holds her hard, and then he speaks
softly.
CHRIS
Baaba, before I met Effe Kedem, I would’ve
taken you out of here and made love to
you. I was that kind of guy. When I met
her, she was the only woman for me. I
loved her then, and now that I’m out of
prison I find out my feelings for her are still
strong. She’s now going to marry a man
who was more like a brother to me, but
they’re still not married. And because
they’re not married there’s a chance I
could get back with Effe. With her
lovemaking always had a meaning, and now I
just can’t have a meaningless lovemaking
experience. I can’t make love to you just
because you have had a most terrible
traumatic experience, okay? I can be your
friend, but I’m definitely not going to take
advantage of you!
BAABA
(tremulously)
Chris, I’m not asking you to marry me. I’m
not asking you to fall in love with me. All
I’m saying is that I want to be normal
again. I want to live. I need to live! I want
you to make me a woman, so that I can go
out there and have a normal life! Please, I
just need a little tenderness, with a man
I’m not afraid of! You’re the only man I’m
not scared of Chris! Please, I beg of you,
just be a little kind to me. That’s all I’m
asking!
CHRIS
I’ll be your friend, Baaba, and nothing
more. For as long as Effe is not married,
there can be nothing intimate between us. I
hope you understand that.
Her eyes search is face, huge and moist,
filled with misery, with hope, with
passionate pleading.
Her arm tighten around his neck, and she
suddenly moves into him. Her bre@sts, br@-
less under her dress, brush against his arm.
She nibbles at his chin, kisses the side of
his lips, and then she puts her lips inches
from his.
Her lips brush against his, and a severe
shudder runs through her.
BAABA
(breathing hard)
Oh, Chris! Oh, Chris!
Her lips open against his, wet, lush, salty
because of her tears, sweet.
She groans and moans, turning fully into his
arms, kissing him with a violent fervour.
JUNIOR
Daddy. Stop that.
They come apart almost violently.
Junior is awake, and he is staring at them
angrily.
Chris leans back, and his look is apologetic.
CHRIS
Sorry, Champ. Meet Baaba Brooks. A friend
of mine.
BAABA
Hello, my son. You look just like-
JUNIOR
(cutting in)
Just like my father, yes, I know!
Chris chuckles.
His son’s temper is quite new to him, and
reminds him so much of his own quick
temper.
CHRIS
Hey, Champ. I said I’m sorry. Relax. Here,
let’s go and blow some bubbles!
Chris stands up and gives his hand to his
son. Junior holds out his hand and Chris
pulls him to his feet.
Junior looks down at Baaba.
JUNIOR
(sternly)
Miss Brooks, I want my Daddy and my
Mommy to be together again, so please stop
the licking of faces with him, okay?
Baaba laughs shrilly and nods, and then she
salutes.
BAABA
(mimicking a drunk)
Yas suh, massa, I no go licky licky man
Bawa face agun!
Junior bursts into sudden laughter, and
Baaba joins in.
Chris looks at them, and then he rubs a
hand across his face.
JAILBIRD continues
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