Trafika Europe 7 - Ukrainian Prayer
Charles Pépin
but Rédoine El Atrech’s death is as well. Death, Mr. Solaro, ladies and gentleman of the court, members of the jury, death is always a scandal… He leans on his words and exaggerates them, his hand raised in a theatrical manner. - Mr. Solaro, what link do you see between the death of your mother and the death of Rédoine? I respond that I don’t understand the question. But, deep down, it is not the question that I don’t understand, I perfectly understand that he is asking me if I wanted to have my revenge of the death of my mom by killing Rédoine, it’s the use of the word “scandal” that I don’t understand. What is scandalous in this story? Was Rédoine’s death scandalous? And my mom’s? -Whatdoyounotunderstand? As I say nothing in reply, he
jury and feel sorry for them. He continues. He repeats that I am a good son and a good brother. I don’t see why that stops me from being a good criminal. I’m hungry, I’m thirsty, I want to get out of this box; I dream of returning to my cell and my lousy mattress, damp and torn, to get back to Djali, my cell mate, who will tell me all over again the story of his life, Algeria, his bar in Saint-Denis and everything else that he would want to share. At least he knows how to speak with his hands.
4
The prosecutor has one last question. He painfully stands up: - The death of a mother is always a scandal, Mr. Solaro,
228
Made with FlippingBook