MY MOTHER’S HEART

By

Sholay

FADE IN:

EXT. SECONDARY SCHOOL COMPOUND- DAY- ESTABLISHING
We see blocks of classrooms with students in them. The surroundings are filled with dying flowers and slightly overgrown grasses. A rickety motorcycle arrives the scene and stops in front of a block.

INT. JSS 2 CLASSROOM- DAY
All students are seated in their desks, uniformly dressed and scribbling things in their notebooks from the chalkboard. Camera pans to DAPO (10) who has a scar on his temple, as he gets busy with copying notes.
We soon see MISS TOYIN (29), elegantly dressed in skirt and blouse, copying lines from a textbook to the chalkboard. The classroom is almost as silent as a graveyard apart from noise emanating from distant classes.
Miss Toyin pauses writing on the chalkboard and looks through the classroom window.

Miss Toyin’s POV- A woman (AJIKE) dressed in iro and buba, who seems to be in her late 30s, speaks with the School Principal in the open field. The School Principal later points towards the JSS 2 classroom.

CUT TO:

EXT. SECONDARY SCHOOL COMPOUND- DAY
Miss Toyin walks smartly towards the School Principal and AJIKE with a thin smile.

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL (To Ajike)
This is Miss Toyin.

MISS TOYIN (To the Principal)
Afternoon, sir.
(To Ajike)
Good afternoon, ma.

AJIKE (With a fake smile)
Good afternoon, my sister. So, you are Mrs. Toyin?

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
-Miss Toyin

MISS TOYIN
Yes, ma.

AJIKE
I am Dapo’s mother.

MISS TOYIN
Oh…nice to see you, ma.

AJIKE
Hm-hm. You are sha Miss Toyin Fagbemi, abi?

MISS TOYIN
Y-Yes ma.

Ajike suddenly STRIKES Miss Toyin on the face, GRABS her hair and SWINGS her around as the latter screams in pain. The School Principal is mystified.

AJIKE
I will teach you a lesson today.

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL (tries to hold Ajike’s hands)
Madam, will you…?

Ajike ELBOWS his nose; she SEIZES Miss Toyin by her legs and SLAMS her on the grass. The nose of the School Principal bleeds a little.

INT. JSS 2 CLASSROOM- DAY
The attention of all the students is drawn to the physical combat ensuing some metres from them, outside the classroom. Dapo looks heartbroken.

EXT. SECONDARY SCHOOL COMPOUND- DAY
Ajike DRAGS Miss Toyin on the grass, holding her legs as the latter screams. Two male teachers run towards the scene in BG while the Principal beckons on them as he covers his nose with a handkerchief.

CUT TO:

INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE- DAY
The Principal is seated opposite Ajike (Dapo’s mother) in his well-arranged desk. He cleans his nose with his blood-stained handkerchief and signals to the security man standing by the door to leave.

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Madam, what is the meaning of that?

AJIKE
I will not allow one wicked teacher to make my son go blind; because I don’t know what he did that she flogged him to the extent of leaving a huge ‘mark’ on his forehead. He is the only one I have o. If he does anything wrong, report him to me. Simple!

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Madam, you can’t expect the teachers to train your son the right way while giving restrictions. And fighting in front of those students was a very bad idea!

AJIKE
I am sure it sent a message…

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
-A very bad message. Ma, if you cannot cope with our disciplinary methods here, you can as well withdraw your son from our school; but laying your hands on any of our teachers will not be tolerated.

AJIKE
I am sorry, sir. But I just didn’t like how my son came home with marks on his body.

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Did you even ask your son what he did?
(Beat)
He stole the lunch of his classmate and denied it until some witnesses spoke out. This is his third time of doing such.

Ajike looks STUNG.

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Madam, are you having financial problems at home that you can’t…?

AJIKE (Tries not to cry)
-We are always contented with what we have, where I come from.

CUT TO:

EXT. MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON- DAY
Outside the gates is a signboard that indicates it’s a prison. A rickety motorcycle arrives at the scene and an AGED AJIKE (60) alights gently and pays off the cyclist with a rumpled note. The motorcyclist zooms off and Aged Ajike looks up at the signboard and sighs.

FLASHBACK CONTINUES:

EXT. BUNGALOW- DAY
Ajike (37) is seated in front of the house on a stool, washing some clothes in a bowl amidst a Yoruba song she mutters.
IYA SADE (35) enters frame. She carries a black polybag. Their conversation is in Yoruba language.

AJIKE
Ah…Iya Sade. Good morning.

IYA SADE (Forms a thin smile)
Good morning oh.

AJIKE
Long time no see. Hope all is well that I’m seeing you this morning? Let me get you a stool from the house.

IYA SADE
Don’t bother. I even thought I will not meet you at home...

AJIKE
No market today.

IYA SADE
But you didn’t do well oh….my mother died and you couldn’t even…

AJIKE
Iya agba is dead?! Aww…

IYA SADE
How would you have known?

AJIKE
Ah…I am sorry; I am so sorry. What happened?

IYA SADE
It came as a rude shock…

Ajike quickly rinses her hand in one of the bowls, dries it up with her blouse while she stands up from the stool and offers Iya Sade the seat. The latter sits.

IYA SADE (CONT’D)
…she ate her dinner just like she always does. Nothing seemed wrong that fateful night. And she just went to bed and didn’t…didn’t wake up again. Hmm…

AJIKE
This life is indeed vanity. No one knows when death will come knocking. I am so sorry about…

IYA SADE (brings out two pieces of Ankara clothing from the polybag)
Anyway, I just said I should show you the ‘material’ we will be using at the upcoming burial so you can pick one.
(Beat)
The blue Ankara is the one that close friends and relatives of the deceased’s children will wear while the green one is for the others that are invited.

AJIKE
Ehn-ehn-ehn…when is the burial?

IYA SADE
The blue Ankara goes for just #35,000 for 4 yards. I doubt if you will use up to 4 yards though…

AJIKE
How much is the green Ankara?

IYA SADE
The green is #15,000, but I will recommend the blue one. It matches your skin.

AJIKE
You know I am the only one struggling to make ends meet since Dapo’s father died. I can only afford the green one. Please, bear with me.

IYA SADE (quickly packs the blue Ankara into the polybag)
It’s okay.

AJIKE
And I can only pay #10,000 out of the #15,000 now. Things have been really ‘tight’. Trust me, this #10,000 is most of my…

IYA SADE (brings out a pen and notebook from the polybag)
-don’t worry, it’s okay. #10,000 should cover about 3 yards which should be enough. Just bring the money so I can quickly document and not mix you up with those that are owing.

Ajike looks up and sees Dapo (10) walking towards the house wearing his school uniform and carrying his schoolbag. The scar on his temple is still visible. Ajike appears worried. Dapo soon enters frame and exchanges greetings with Iya Sade.

AJIKE
What is the problem? What happened at school?

DAPO (murmurs)
Principal sent all of us that have not paid our school fees home. He said we will not write exams except we balance our fees.

AJIKE
Ah…this is serious. How much are we owing?

DAPO
#10,000.

AJIKE
#10,000…

Ajike gives Iya Sade a ‘bear-with-me’ face.

IYA SADE
So, can you quickly bring the money for the green Ankara because I still must see Iya…?

AJIKE
I am no longer buying.

IYA SADE
Okay, take it on credit. You can always pay me back.

AJIKE
You know I don’t like to buy things on credit

IYA SADE
It’s going to be ‘to-match’ that day oh. Let me just put your name down for green…

AJIKE
Sorry, but I’m not buying.

IYA SADE (Sighs)
It’s okay. I understand.
(Packs her pen, notebook and green Ankara into the polybag)
May God help us reap the fruits of labour on our children.

AJIKE
Amen.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON- DAY
An aged Ajike wipes the tears in her eyes with a handkerchief and walks unhurriedly towards the gate.

INT. MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON/ VISITING ROOM- DAY
Ajike sits in one of the chairs. A prison guard brings in a tall man, BLACK (28), in a prison gown. Black sits in the chair opposite Ajike, places his handcuffed hands at the edge of the table and avoids eye contact. Ajike sighs deeply.

AJIKE (softly)
Young man, do you know who I am?

There is no response.

AJIKE
I am Dapo’s mother- the mother of the boy you shot in the face in your gang’s last operation.
(Beat)
Why did you kill my son?

There is no response.

AJIKE (voice cracks)
Why? Answer me! Why did you have to take my only source of happiness? Why couldn’t you just take all his electronics and let him live?

There is no response.

AJIKE
Why did you do it? Why?!

BLACK
I thought I knew as at the time I shot him…but I am no longer sure.

AJIKE
What does that even mean?
(Beat)
And I heard your rich parents are pulling all strings to ensure your case is at appeal court. See, Dapo was not fortunate to come from a big and rich family like you, but he was contented with what we had. We didn’t have much money but we had happiness. And you came and stole that happiness away from us. You sent my only child on a journey of no return. Who will bury me? Hun?

Black’s eyes are close to tears.

AJIKE
If you think your parents’ influence will help you leave these prison walls, you must be joking. I swear by these two breasts Dapo sucked, you are not getting out of here, not when I am alive. No, no, it will not happen.

Black nods in agreement as tears roll down his face.

FADE BLACK

'In the end, we will realise the toughest battles of life are not necessarily won with punches and kicks, but with words’

**Reading

_____________________
Modified: Done Reading.

BrB to Comment.

Brimmie:
**Reading

Please, refresh so the format can appear better as I am still editing it. Thanks for reading.

@prof800, @villageboi, @briareos, @speedyboi, @semid4lyfe @tonyayo, @morsadh, @lynx200, @ignatio, @cnario, @chromatic, @StateofMind, @IyaEjima, @thesoj, @onegig @enoquin @lalasticlala et al.

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Good one. I thought it was Dapo she was going to see in prison. The twist got me entertained. The woman is a real fighter.

Ignatio:
Good one. I thought it was Dapo she was going to see in prison. The twist got me entertained. The woman is a real fighter.

Yeah the twist was actually intentional and that was why I added the 'nugget' after the end of the script.

The intention is not to show how a boy with little vices turned out to become a full blown criminal at the expense of breaking his mother's heart (that would be the prediction), but to show a parallel of how a mother uses all her arsenal to protect her child but as the days pass by, and the child becomes an adult, there is little the mother can do than to just pray and declare words of safety as she 'releases' him into the world. She can't keep physically fighting every of the child's 'enemy' so to speak. And if the mother is unlucky, she may still lose the child to the struggles/hustles of this world.

Also, you can see the Principal didn't bulge that what Miss Toyin did might have gone too far despite Ajike’s physical gymnastics. He even tried to justify it by saying what Dapo did wrong. But as Ajike had grown older, the killer of her son actually broke down to admit he isn't getting out of there just by her words, not physical combat. Even if Black eventually got out of there, he knew from his contact with Ajike what he actually deserved. He admitted guilt and that was why the script ended in tears rolling down his eyes and nodding in agreement.

Also, the script intended to provide a microscopic perspective on someone who was killed by say armed robbers. The person may just have lots of people depending on him, or may even be another person's sole source of joy. This is why criminals shouldn't be spared by the arms of the law.

Nice one. I see this being fleshed out into a feature.

prof800:
Nice one.
I see this being fleshed out into a feature.

My prof, I'm glad you liked it.

I like this. Was I expecting the woman to visit her son in prison? Yes. I thought that it was a typical story of a spoilt child who will probably bite his mom's ear off. But I appreciate the different angle. That is what sells the whole thing to me. Good job.

morsadh:
I like this. Was I expecting the woman to visit her son in prison? Yes. I thought that it was a typical story of a spoilt child who will probably bite his mom's ear off. But I appreciate the different angle. That is what sells the whole thing to me. Good job.

Thank you very much bro. I am glad you like it.

Interesting. thumbs up!

wumifab:
Are you ready to have us shoot this?

wumifab@gmail.com
08056387855

let's talk. looking for simple excellent stuff like this.

we can pull it off.

I will send you an email then.

Good job @op. This can surpass the common comedy skits that we have being seeing. Stories that end with life changing nuggets. See this one we just recently released
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFLRZKhd4iQ

^^^^
Thanks.

Good story you got here.

I have read your comment about the principal's unwholesome stand with​regards to discipline of errant students. However, it will be ideal to chip in the correct disciplinary measures in school to educate the populace.

I believe stories and dramas are not just strictly for entertainment but also for educating members of the public on what is right.

Above all, nice plot.

stancydg:
Good job @op. This can surpass the common comedy skits that we have being seeing. Stories that end with life changing nuggets. See this one we just recently released
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFLRZKhd4iQ

Please, next time do correct color balancing on your camera and grade your pictures correctly.

Dyoungstar:


Please, next time do correct color balancing on your camera and grade your pictures correctly.

And the acting and editing too...

sholay2011:

I will send you an email then.

Great. Looking forward. It's time you step out of the shadows.

sholay2011:

And the acting and editing too...

I didn't watch it tho, the picture I saw as I played the video made me log off.

stancydg:
Good job @op. This can surpass the common comedy skits that we have being seeing. Stories that end with life changing nuggets. See this one we just recently released
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFLRZKhd4iQ

Well done! Are you into Christian production?

@lalasticlala

Brimmie:
**Reading

_____________________
Modified: Done Reading.

BrB to Comment.

Still waiting for your comment oo.

I just got around to reading this.
As always you blow me away
Love it.
Love everyone's comments and contributions too.
Well done.

nanaiza:
I just got around to reading this.
As always you blow me away
Love it.
Love everyone's comments and contributions too.
Well done.

Thank you very much.

Please help me beg lalasticlala to take this to the frontpage. If it is Tonto Dike or Mercy Aigbe story now or a snake was killed, there wouldn't be the need for a plea.

Lol...as in eh. Lalasticlala over to you.

I love that piece of script however, should you need and animated version of your next production, then am up to the challenge

Can anyone summarize?