Ríona and Ali
1.
Whole Page: Ríona is defiant. Legs spread wide, arms crossed, crutches on the ground, she's facing off her mom (short stature, skinny, red hair shoulder length, jeans, tee shirt) who is NOT backing down. They're in the living room of their house (relaxed atmosphere, airy, medium sized room, blue being the dominant color), & her brother Sean has his bags packed in the hallway where you can see them. Sean is watching smugly.
This comic is set in the fall.
(bubble: Mom) Ríona, I told you. This is not because of your disability
(bubble: Mom) Sean is simply older
(bubble: Mom) Why would you want to go on a camping trip with a lot of older boys anyway?
(bubble: Ríona) Because we were gonna go camping as a family!
(bubble: Ríona) Then you had to find out that you had to work!
(bubble: Ríona) And now I can't go and stupid Sean is going with stupid Brian and stupider Cody!
(bubble: Mom) Ríona, don't call your brother or cousins stupid.
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2.
1/2 page: Ríona is really upset. She's turned around, shoulders hunched, arms still crossed. Mom has a pleading posture (arms outstretched, head stuck out)
(bubble: Ríona) Then stupid Sean tells me that I can't go because I can't hike for long or rock climb like them.
(bubble: Mom) I'll have a talk with him, honey.
(bubble: Mom) I'm sorry he said that
(bubble: Ríona) He's right, though! There're a lot of things that I can't do!
(bubble: Mom) It has nothing to do with that.
2/2 page: Mom hugging Ríona.
(bubble: Ríona) Your stupid work!
(bubble: Ríona) My stupid CP…
(bubble: Mom) Shh…
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3.
Whole page : Another living room (dark polished wood, maroon, “hands-off-the-furniture” type atmosphere) this time, everything is in disarray because of unpacking. There're 3-4 boxes in the room, & scattered debris on the floor. Ali is in the middle of the room, same body expression as Ríona: upset, defiant, legs spread. He's not crossing his arms but has one hand out because he's gesturing in sign language. His mom is trying to fix up the room & has a vase in one hand, a small table lamp in the other, & is talking. Since she's in her house, her hijab (scarf) is around her shoulders & her hair is back-length. She's wearing very conservative loose pants & a long sleeved blouse.
(bubble: Ali, gesturing) * Why did Papa have to switch jobs, anyway?*
(bubble: Ali, gesturing) * At least he could have done it in the summer so I could have started school like everybody else!*
(bubble: Mom) We've gone over this Ali.
(bubble: Mom) Your father didn't ask to be transferred…
(bubble: Mom) …especially in the school year.
(bubble: Mom) We moved as soon as possible in the fall…
(bubble: Mom) But everyone has to adjust, including you, habib.
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4.
1/3 page: Ali has turned around on his mom & has his arms crossed, staring off in the distance. Mom has boxes in front of her & is crouching down but has her head up & is staring exasperatedly but sadly up at him. There is no talking.
2/3 page: Mom has circled around, hands free, & now is facing Ali. Ali is still sulking, but he's gesturing again.
(bubble: Mom) I'm talking to you. Don't cut me off.
(bubble: Ali) * Sorry… But I miss my friends. I miss my old house.*
(bubble: Mom) I know. But isn't it exciting as well? We have a bigger house. You have your own room that your little sister doesn't share…
(bubble: Mom) …and you can make new friends…
3/3 page: Mom is gesturing now as well as talking. Ali is looking up at her with tears in his eyes.
(bubble: Ali) *What if the kids at my new school don't like me? What if kids already have their friends and don't want more?*
(bubble: Ali) *What if they don't like me because I'm deaf?*
(bubble: Mom) Oh honey, habib, Ali…You're going into first grade. Many of the children are still getting to know each other, I'm sure.
(bubble: Mom) You'll fit in, don't worry. You'll be fine.
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5.
Whole page: Morning time. Leaves are green, orange, yellow, etc. People are leaving houses to get into cars parked in driveways or walking briskly: typical suburban lifestyle. Ríona is in the back seat of her car parked in the driveway of her house. Two houses down, in a fairly large house, there's an old woman in a burqah (black robes, black veil, black scarf holding the hand of a two year old named Alia on the fairly large porch. Alia is still waving (Alia is just wearing a simple dress).
Ríona's mom is talking with Ali's mom outside. Ali, a little bit away from the group, is staring at Ríona. Twins, 10 year old girls named Leila & Sara, are falling back behind their mom. Ali's mom & twins are wearing the hijab & causal, loose, long sleeved/skirts down to ankles/or flowing pants. Ríona's mom is wearing a business suit. Ali is wearing a cap
(bubble: Ríona's mom) …again, welcome to the neighborhood! I should have baked you a pie but…
(bubble: Ríona's mom) I don't bake!
(bubble: Ali's mom) Thank you! I'm still up to my neck in unpacking. Even if you could send a pie, I probably wouldn't be able to find it, with all my belongings strewn around!
(bubble: Ríona's mom) How can you handle all these children and unpacking at the same time?
(bubble: Ali's mom) I don't know! My husband takes over at night and the twins stick to themselves usually but Ali is really uncomfortable because of school… He thinks he's not going to make friends.
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6.
1/2 page: sky view.
(bubble: Ríona's mom) How old is Ali?
(bubble: Ali's mom) He'll be turning seven in December.
(bubble: Ríona's mom) My daughter is around that age as well.
(bubble: Ríona's mom) Why don't I take him off your hands for a play-date sometime this week? Then Ríona will show him the ropes.
2/2 page: close-up view of Ríona, having rolled down the window, & Ali. They're looking curiously at each-other, but not saying anything. The mothers are out of the picture but they're still talking.
(bubble: Ali's mom) Oh that would be wonderful! Then maybe he wouldn't be as worried.
(bubble: Ali's mom) But he would have to come home first for prayer before coming over to your house…
(bubble: Riona's mom) No problem. Should I prepare a snack? I have fruit…
(bubble: Ali's mom) I'll send a snack over, but fruit is fine. And thank you again!
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7.
1/4 page: Ríona sitting on the porch in a swing, drinking juice out of a juice-box & reading Garfield (comic book), her crutches scattered on the ground beside the swing, out of the way. In the mid-distance, the reader sees Ali walking up on the sidewalk. In the far distance, you see his mom waiting at his house outside. Ríona's mom is in the doorway waiting for Ali.
(bubble: Ríona's mom) Now be nice to one another, okay?
(bubble: Ríona) Oh Mom, I'll be nice.
(bubble: Ríona) I'd like it if you let me make my own friends, though.
(bubble: Ríona's mom) I do, honey, I do. But he's new in the neighborhood. Give him a break, okay?
(bubble: Ríona) Okay Mom.
2/4 page: Ali is on the porch now. Closer view. Ríona is still on the porch swing but her back is to the reader & only Ali's face is in the picture. Ali is nodding & looking at her lips. He's looking a little taken aback by Ríona's babbling. …Both Ali & Ríona won't know till the last minute that the other is disabled…
(bubble: Ríona) Hey. I saw you in the hall today.
(bubble: Ríona) Grab some porch and sit down why don't you? Do you want a juice-box?
(bubble: Ríona) I know your name is Ali because our moms' set up this disaster called a play-date
(bubble: Ríona) and I'm sure that your mom told you that my name is Ríona, with a accent on the “I”
(bubble: Ríona) Does your name have an accent on the “I” as well?
(bubble: Ríona) Not, of course the same “I”; that would be too many accents for such a little letter, don't you think?
3/4 page : Ali is sitting down & still looking at her lips & drinking a juice-box
(bubble: Ríona) Hey, why so quiet?
(bubble: Ríona) I mean, I know I talk too much, but I do give other people a chance I hope!
4/4 page: Ali points to Ríona's crutches.
(bubble: Ali -- talking but with that queerly flat intone that deaf people have, & signing as well) What are those?
(bubble: Ríona) My crutches -- you, to help me get around.
(bubble: Ríona ) Didn't your mom tell you I had CP?
(bubble: Ríona) and why are you talking like that?
(bubble: Ríona) Hey -- are you deaf?
(bubble: Ali -- signing & talking) Didn't your mom tell you that I was?
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8.
Whole page: Both Ríona & Ali are standing up, glaring at each-other. Ríona is holding on to the chain on the swing.
(bubble: Ali -- signing & talking) When I was back home, I had normal friends!
(bubble: Ríona) What do you mean! I AM normal!
(bubble: Riona) So what if I have CP? You're deaf -- should I hold that against you?
(bubble: Ali) I don't want you as friend just because you have a disability!
(bubble: Ali -- signing & talking) I don't need my mom's help picking out friends!
(bubble: Riona) Why can't my mom let me pick my own friends?
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9.
1/2 page: Ríona is talking to David, Ben & Gabby in the club house. Riona is lying down on the couch petting Sam & complaining loudly about her mom & Ali. David is getting something out of the fridge so his back is to the reader. Gabby & Ben are sitting down on the chairs. Ben is doodling on notebook paper, looking down & tapping his cheek.
(bubble: Ben) So what's the problem?
(bubble: Ríona) Sheesh Ben, I just told you! I'm upset because my mom thinks I can't make friends unless they're disabled! I mean, honestly!
(bubble: Ríona) Don't get me wrong -- I love all of you H-word kids, but my mom and Ali's mom forced us together just because of that!
(bubble: Ríona) Besides, he told me that he didn't want me as a friend…
(bubble: Riona) …just because I was disabled!
(bubble: Ben) No. I don't think so.
2/2 page: David has turned around with a bottled water in his hand. He has a serious look on his face.
(bubble: David) Ben's right.
(bubble: Ríona) Huh?
(bubble: David) I bet Ali didn't mean that you were disabled and so he didn't want to be friends with you…
(bubble: David) …I bet he means that he doesn't want to be friends with you if the ONLY qualification was your disability…
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10.
1/2 page: Ali is talking to his dad outside in the park. They are finished tossing the football. It's about 6 o'clock & the sun is setting. They're sitting on a bench, facing each-other, sort of facing the reader, animated expressions, speaking in sign language. Ali's dad has a kufi (cap) but other than that, they're wearing sneakers, sweatpants, tee-shirts.
(bubble: Ali's dad) *So what was the problem over at your friend's house?*
(bubble: Ali) *She's not a friend! *
(bubble: Ali) * Besides, didn't Mom tell you already?*
(bubble: Ali's dad) * I want to hear it from you.*
(bubble: Ali) * Aww. Okay. I know that Mom chose Riona as a friend for me ‘cause… ‘cause…*
(bubble: Ali's dad) * …because she is disabled also?*
2/2 page: Huge sun is setting orange & pink. Ali & dad are still facing each-other, profile, in shadow in the middle of this sun. Ali is looking down, arms at his sides. Dad is gesturing so Ali can see his hands.
(bubble: Ali's dad) * Ali. You're wrong .*
(bubble: Ali's dad) * Your mother wanted you to meet somebody in the neighborhood*
(bubble: Ali's dad) * Somebody who is close to your age, somebody from school…*
(bubble Ali's dad) * Remember, you were concerned you weren't going to meet anybody which with you could be friends*
(bubble: Ali's dad) * The fact that she has a physical disability as well is an interesting coincidence.*
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11.
1/3 page: split page, down the middle, Ríona's faces & Ali's face saying, “Ooohhh…”
2/2 page: Ríona is sitting up on the couch. Gabby is animated now, hugging Ríona with one arm on the other side of the couch. David is next to the couch with water for Ríona & “stupid girls” expression on his face. Ben is still sitting in his chair, not moving: he doesn't want to come anywhere near hugging!
(bubble: Gabby) Silly!
(bubble: Ben) What did I miss? I was talking about your mom. She doesn't coddle you.
(bubble: David) Yeah! She doesn't pick your friends. She treats you the same as your brother – really strict!
(bubble: Gabby) Besides, you can't get rid of us! We love you too much!
3/3 page: David & Riona in closeup.
(bubble: David) Give him another chance.
(bubble: Ríona) But, honestly! He walked out on me! He should apologize! Honestly…
(bubble: David) He's probably uptight. I'll fix it.
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12.
1/3 & 2/3 page(bigger) : Camping out: three fairly large tents, with Ríona's mom, Megan (David's 18 yr old sister) & Ali's dad as chaperons, & the Able Crew. It's nighttime, trees all around. The Crew is sitting around a campfire, in a semi-circle. Everybody except Ali, Gabby & Ben is roasting marshmallows (Ali & Gabby can't eat marshmallows & Ben probably wouldn't want them). Megan, Ali's dad & Ríona's mom are at a picnic table, drinking tea & watching the kids. Ríona's mom is eating plain marshmallows.
Everyone is wearing sweat-clothes, jeans except Ben, who is wearing pressed kakis and a sweater & looking uncomfortable a little way away. The focus/view is of the fire. The table is in back of the fire. The “girls” tents are on the other of the fire from the table. The “boys” tent is close to the table. David is sitting down with his chair behind him on the far side of the semi-circle. Gabby's dog Sam is lying next to the fire next to Gabby & Ben. Ben is on the other side of the semi-circle. Semi-circle: David—Riona—Alexa—Nodin—Ali—Gabby—Sam—Ben. Ali is teaching the Able Crew sign language. Everyone is talking & signing at the same time.
(bubble: Alexa) *A-L-E-X-A* is this my name?
(bubble: Ali) * Yes* Yes.
(bubble: Nodin) * I like sign language* I can sign better than I can write! Cool!
(bubble: Ben) *I think sign language is helpful* I think it will come in use in many ways. I'm glad I got to know you, Ali.
(bubble: David) Told you I'd fix it!
(bubble: Ríona) Thanks!
(bubble: Ríona) and Mom? Thanks for setting this up!
(bubble: Ríona) and especially thanks for not letting Seth along!
3/3 page (smaller): narrowing into Ríona, Alexa, Nodin, Ali. Alexa & Nodin have their heads down a little & focusing on the fire & roasting marshmallows. Riona & Ali are looking at each-other. Ali is speaking sign language.
(bubble: Ali) * Ríona? I'm sorry… This is fun!*