DAZE - 3

SCENE 1

FADE IN.

EXT. CHIEF OMORUYI'S APARTMENT - MORNING.

TITLE OVER: AKOWONJO, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

Chief Omoruyi's apartment is a two-bedroom. His daughter, DORIS, 25, had just finished her National Youth Service and works for IMG CONSULTING LTD in Ikeja. She's on her way to work.

She comes out the kitchen with a couple of coolers, sets them on the dining table, scribbles two phone numbers down on a paper and places a mobile phone on it.

Chief Omoruyi, 58, is lost in thought as he gazes out the aluminium slide door with a plate of meal in his shaky hands. His gaze is fixed on a neighbor taking his family out in his car for the days business. Chief Omoruyi suffers from partial stroke and uses a wheelchair.

DORIS(O.S.)

(From dining area)

I've set your lunch and dinner here, dad, in case I don't come home on time. I've also written down the dose for your medication. And you know you can always reach me on my mobile phone should the need arise...dad?

Realizing her father wasn't paying attention to her, she moves closer to him.

DORIS(CONT'D)

Dad.

CHIEF OMORUYI

(Snaps off thought)

Um?

DORIS

You haven't finished your breakfast? Dad, what're you thinking?

CHIEF OMORUYI

(Sighs)

I used to go to work like that.

Chief Omoruyi talks inaudibly. Doris sees the family her dad had been admiring through the window.

CHIEF OMORUYI(CONT'D)

(Reminiscent)

I used to take you, your brother and sister to school like that. I also took your mother to work too. But not anymore.

DORIS

You took care of us dad. It's my turn to take care of you and my brother. And I will. Ok?

She draws the curtain so he doesn't see out the window anymore and wheels him to the dining table.

DORIS(CONT'D)

Right now you need to eat your food so you can take your drugs, so you can be there for me when I make it.

(Teasingly)

Don't you want to be there when I make it, Dad?

Chief Omoruyi looks at her and smiles.

DORIS(CONT'D)

Here, dad, are your meals for the rest of the day. Your medication is here and you have my number on this phone, okay? I have to go to work now. I'm already late.

As she's hurrying off her father calls her:

CHIEF OMORUYI

Doris.

She turns to hear what he called for.

CHIEF OMORUYI(CONT'D)

Thank you.

Doris smiles. And as she waves goodbye to him there's a knock on the door. She heads to the door, opens up and two young brothers appear. The smile on her face immediately melts.

BROTHER#1

Where's your old man?

Brother#2 pops out from behind Brother#1.

BROTHER#2

Yea, you heard my bro. Where's your old boy?

DORIS

Good morning.

BROTHER#1

(To his brother)

Did I ask how the morning is?

BROTHER#2

Nope.

BROTHER#1

Did you ask her?

BROTHER#2

No.

BROTHER#1

(To Doris)

Look here, Boris? We're here for your daddy?

DORIS

It's Doris.

CHIEF OMORUYI(O.S.)

Doris, who is it?

DORIS

It's nobody. Wrong address. I'm leaving now. Bye!

She shuts the door.

BROTHER#2

What?! So now we're nobody. But you know we came to see your daddy. Now if we don't see him real quick, I'm gonna mess with your wig.

BROTHER#1

Nice rhymes, bro.

(To Doris)

He should enroll in MTN Project Fame, don't you think?

DORIS

Listen, what are you guys here for? I'm running late.

BROTHER#2

Like you don't know.

BROTHER#1

We're here for our rents. Your old man owes us. This is the third year he paid us last!

BROTHER#2

Yea. The last money he paid to our old boy before he passed - God bless his soul - was the first and only! Here's a copy of that receipt.

He hands it to her. She looks at it and returns it.

DORIS

This is not ours. This is the receipt of a kettle you bought.

BROTHER#1

Let me see that.

He grabs the receipt from her and looks at it carefully.

BROTHER#1(CONT'D)

(To Brother#2)

Why're you so blockheaded?

BROTHER#2

But that's the only receipt in the house.

DORIS

I thought we had this discussion already and I said I was going to pay up every Kobo by month end?

The brothers laugh derisively.

BROTHER#1

Reechoing "Month End"

Month end, month end, month end. Why does that phrase sound so...so familiar? You know why?

(Vexedly to Doris)

Because I've heard it a thousand times from you!

BROTHER#2

Me too.

BROTHER#2

Now we're leaving you with two options: it's either you pay our money or you pay us our money. Else we'll pack your old man and your lousy properties out before you return from wherever it is you go every morning. You know your old man's got stroke. And you don't want that.

DORIS

Partial stroke...

The brothers walk away angrily. Doris wipes tears stuck in her eyes and walks out the premises.