LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW

LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW
BY
BINA SHARIF:                        copyright:binasharif 2019

DANCERS:

When Mary came into the rehearsal room, Jessica was already at the bar

and didn't seem like the person Jessica thought she knew.

So she waited near the bar for Mary to finish her exercises.

After Mary is done, Jessica approaches her.

JESSICA:

Are you alright Mary?

MARY:

Yes, Why?  hy do you ask ?

JESSICA:

Because you seem pale

MARY:

Thank you for your concern, but I am alright.

And why should I not look pale?

I am pale.

I am of Ivory shade, which is as pale as a pale pearl

and I look that way unlike you...

JESSICA:

What? What? ""Unlike me---What do you mean?  Unlike me...

MARY:

Yes, thats what I mean, Unlike You who came from godforsaken

desert and look like black charcoal, as if someone painted your face

your arms, your legs, your whole body with boiling coal and hot lava,

You who smell like jet black ink, always bothering me about my skin color.

"You look pale, are you alright?"  Always the same question.  Always bothering

me about my skin color..."Pale" you call it...

Instead of saying that you are jealous of my Ivory complexion, you say, "Oh! Mary

are you alright?  "You look pale." You are jealous, you pretend to be nice, pretend to be

concerned and always bothering me with the same question, "why do I look so pale?"

I look pale because my complexion is of the color of pale pearls, pale jade, pale ruby...

I am not jet black like you and you are jealous, jealous of my beauty, my delicate,

translucent, fragile skin unlike your skin which is like parchment of tough leather

stretched out like layerings of un-melted coal with fissures cracking it very existence.

You must come from coal country. You must come from the kingdom of blackness

as dar as the darkest possible night.  Yoi who hate your self...