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From “Malamine”

Boss: YOU'RE HALF AN HOUR LATE ! THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE !

MALAMINE: CALM DOWN , I'M NOT USUALLY LATE .

Boss: AT LEAST CALL IN FIRST SO WE CAN COVER FOR YOU ! EMERGENCIES NEVER WAIT !

MALAMINE: LISTEN , I KNOW I DO THIS JOB WELL . I'M OVER QUALIFIED FOR THIS , SO JUST A LITTLE LATENESS

Boss: MALAMINE , YOU OWE PATIENTS RESPECT , NOT TO MENTION CO - WORKERS STAYING PAST THEIR SHIFT ! I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR DEGREES ! THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING !

MALAMINE: CHRISSAKES ! THAT IGNORAMUS JUST CHEWED ME OUT !
MALAMINE: DID YOU SEE THAT GUY ? CRAZY . HIS GIRLFRIEND STABBED HIM , AND HE WANTED REVENGE . HAD TO HOLD HIM DOWN .


MALAMINE: GOT ALL BLOODY , DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO CHANGE . I DIDN'T KNOW YOU SMOKED , GERMAINE .

GERMAINE: OH , THREE CIGARETTES A DAY AND I'M GOOD . I'M NOT HOOKED .

GERMAINE: THINGS BETTER ? LAST TIME WE TALKED YOU SEEMED BITTER .

MALAMINE: HUH ? OH , YEAH , SURE . I'M STILL BITTER , LEAVE IT AT THAT .

MALAMINE: THE COLONIZATION OF AFRICA CONTINUES IN VARIOUS WAYS , AND THE ONES STUCK IN FRANCE KNOW ONLY HARDSHIP AND CONTEMPT .

GERMAINE: WHAT'S STOPPING YOU FROM GOING HOME ?
MALAMINE: WHY - FRANCE ! FRANCE SUPPORTS THE CORRUPT DICTATORSHIP OF A COUNTRY WHERE I HAVE NO PLACE !

MALAMINE: I'M NOT PART OF THE RIGHT TRIBE ! IF I GO BACK , I'LL BE AN ORDERLY THERE TOO ! AND NOTHING ELSE !

GERMAINE: WITH YOUR EDUCATION , HAVE YOU CONSIDERED PROFESSIONAL TRAINING FOR A MORE FULFILLING JOB ?

MALAMINE: WHERE WOULD I GET THE MONEY ? I BARELY GET BY !

GERMAINE: LISTEN , BANKS GIVE LOANS FOR THAT . I'D BE ONE OF YOUR GUARANTORS .

GERMAINE: THINK ABOUT IT , MALAMINE . LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY .
MALAMINE: " LIVES TO SAVE " ... IF A BRILLIANT ECONOMIST SEES HIS THEORIES BORNE OUT , HE'S SAVING DOZENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ! WHAT'S AN ORDERLY NEXT TO THAT ?

ALL THIS IS FRANCE'S FAULT FOR SUPPORTING THAT SHITTY DICTATORSHIP ...
AFRICA , A FEW YEARS AGO .

MINISTERE ECONOMIE ET DES FINANCES

THE MINISTER ! ALL RISE !

WHO IS THE HOLDER OF THE DOCTORATE IN PUBLIC ECONOMICS ?
Man 1: WHAT'S HIS NAME AGAIN ?

Man 2: KARABOUB . MALAMINE KARABOUÉ .

Man 1: OH . ANOTHER ONE FROM THE EASTERN TRIBES .

Man 1: WHY'D YOU SPECIALIZE IN ECONOMICS ?

MALAMINE: UH ... IT'S A FIELD THAT COULD HELP OUR COUNTRY DEVELOP , THROUGH BETTER MANAGEMENT OF ITS FINANCIAL RESOURCES .

Man 1: WHICH IMPLIES THAT OUR COUNTRY IS POORLY MANAGED ?

MALAMINE: UH .. WE CAN ALWAYS STRIVE TO IMPROVE THERE ARE WAYS ...

Man 1: WHAT ? AN INEXPERIENCED YOUTH WANTS TO LECTURE US ?

Man 2: FROM THE EASTERN TRIBES , TO BOOT .

Man 1: GET OUT , YOU IDIOT ! YOU'LL NEVER LAND A JOB HERE ! NEVER !
(Building in background): AEROPORT DE-

Guard: MALAMINE KARABOUÉ ... HMM .

Guard: GUYS FROM YOUR TRIBE ARE JUMPING SHIP LIKE RATS ! I HEAR YOU'RE EVEN TRYING THE DESERT ON FOOT . YOU SHAME US ALL !

MALAMINE: IF WE STAY , YOU DESPISE US . IF WE LEAVE , YOU GRUMBLE . MAKE UP YOUR MIND !

Guard: ENOUGH ! ANOTHER WORD AND WE'LL TAKE YOUR PASSPORT !

Commanding Guard: THERE A PROBLEM HERE ?
Guard: NO . LITTLE BROTHER WAS BEING STUPID , IS ALL .

Commanding Guard: HE'LL HAVE TO PAY AN AIR TAX BEFORE LEAVING THE COUNTRY .

MALAMINE: A WHAT TAX ?

Guard: ON THE AIR YOU'RE BREATHING , IDIOT !
PARIS , EARLY 2008 .

TEN YEARS ALREADY ... TEN YEARS OF THIS SHITTY LIFE .

HOW MANY STUDENTS I'VE SEEN PASS THROUGH THESE HALLS . ME , I'M STILL HERE ...

BALEBA MOKTAR ... ALL TRAITORS TO AFRICA . YES , TRAITORS . THEY DON'T EVEN SPARE IT A THOUGHT ANYMORE .
I CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT BECAUSE OF GERMAINE .

SHE WANTS TO HELP . WHY ? WHAT IF SHE'S PART OF THE COLONIAL PATERNALIST TREND WITHOUT REALIZING IT ?

HELP CAN ONLY BE ACCEPTED FROM AN EQUAL . YES ... THAT'S RIGHT .

GERMAINE: YOU WANTED TO SEE ME , MALAMINE ?

MALAMINE: YES , BUT NOT HERE !
MALAMINE: AND NOT DRESSED LIKE THAT !

GERMAINE: OH , I KNOW WHAT YOU WANT ...

GERMAINE: LIKE ME BETTER LIKE THIS ?

GERMAINE: OR

GERMAINE: LIKE THIS ?
MALAMINE: YEAH , LIKE THAT ! YOU'LL PAY FOR MY HUMILIATIONS !

YES ! YOU'LL PAY FOR ALL OF US !

MALAMINE: NO ! NOOOOOO !

MALAMINE: DAMMIT , I'M LOSING IT !

I CAN'T STAND THIS BUILDING ANYMORE .

(Sign on door): WC
AFRICAN GIRLS ARE NICE BUT NOT VERY EDUCATED : THEY'LL WEIGH DOWN AN AMBITIOUS MAN . WHAT I NEED IS THE NUBIAN EQUIVALENT OF A CINDY , WILLIAM'S CHINESE GIRLFRIEND ...

THAT MUST EXIST . A SWEET , PRETTY , LITERATE NUBIAN I'D BE PROUD OF .

IF THIS KEEPS UP I'LL END UP IN LOVE WITH GERMAINE ... SHE'S GOT EVERYTHING !

NO : THAT WOULD MEAN FRANCE HAS WON ... ON ALL FRONTS . I COULDN'T STAND THAT .

From Malamine, un africain à Paris, by Christophe-Ngalle Edimo and Simon-Pierre Mbumbo. Published 2009 by Éditions Les Enfants Rouges. Copyright 2009 by Éditions Les Enfants Rouges. By arrangement with the publisher. Rights arranged through Nicolas Grivel. Translation copyright 2011 by Edward Gauvin. All rights reserved.

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