Omar and Shazadi sit at the dining table. A waiter stands by the side.
SHAZADI
Omar, dear, Qamar and I went to a jewelry store today to pick up a gift for her daughter. The owner of the shop was not there so we dealt with his young nephew who is operating the shop in his absence. He said his uncle was being held by the police. This seems very strange to me. Could you make an inquiry as to why this man is being held?
OMAR
I do not need to make an inquiry. I know precisely why he is being held and you should, too. Some months ago a political activist from Iran who had given this government unlimited problems thanks to his encouragement of the insurgents was arrested. He eventually admitted to receiving instructions from his masters in Iran. He was a jeweler just like your friend.
SHAZADI
Yes, you are talking about Nafisi. In fact, Al-Yamani now has much of Nafisi’s stock which is why I went to him. Does being a jeweler make a man a criminal?
OMAR
If he is receiving his instructions from the same people in Iran, it does. That is why we arrested him and that is why we will question him until we are certain he is not involved with the insurrectionists.
INT. LARGE DETECTIVE OFFICE AREA - DAY
Kuzbari and Addem sit at their desk as Alexei approaches.
KUZBARI
Good morning, Alexei. Did you and your Russian colleagues have a good day off? Did you roam the desert in your off-road vehicles seeing how many of our local species of flora and fauna you could remove from the surface of the earth?
ALEXEI
Yes, we had a good time. We had hoped to find a wild goat to roast for our dinner but your local hunters are so skilled at killing the wild species that all we found were snakes, spiders, and desert rodents, none of which are as good as grilled goat. It is unfortunate that the skills of your interrogators are not as advanced as those of your hunters. They seem to have stopped advancing after they learned the techniques of the Spanish Inquisition.
ADDEM
There is a school of thought that says in return for the Christians giving us the ways of the Inquisition, Islam has given the west the algebra with which to torture their young.
ALEXEI
This process is too inefficient and taking much too long to extract the truth. There are modern drugs which can let a person know what is going on in a person’s mind. Many of these drugs are manufactured in France, Switzerland, and Germany.
KUZBARI
We do not have the funds to buy these expensive western drugs so we must use our old tools which do usually work eventually.
ALEXEI
In Russia we do not have so much money either but we have good chemists who can analyze and copy the drugs of the west. I requested some of them be sent down in the last shipment and I have a vial for you today. It is very powerful so you must not exceed the recommended dosage, but it is very effective.
Alexei takes a small vial from his pocket and hands it to Kuzbari who looks at the label.
KUZBARI
This does not look like a commercial drug.
ALEXEI
No, it is not commercial. Our chemists make small batches of these drugs and supply them to us when we need them. The drugs lose their potency very quickly when stored so we use only small quantities that we are certain are fresh. The dosing instructions are on the side of the bottle.
KUZBARI
Yes, I see them. I will take this over to the prison and maybe we will make some progress. Our bosses are growing anxious as the street violence increases.
INT. JEWELERY SHOP SHOW ROOM - DAY
Amir opens the door and smiles at Shazadi.
AMIR
Good day, Mrs. Taja. I am grateful that you can come and help me. It will be a big relief when my uncle returns.
SHAZADI
He should be released as soon as the police are sure he is not involved with the insurrection and I can tell he is not that type of a man. He is just caught in the same net with all the other people who have similar profiles to some of the people causing this trouble. What would you like me to help you with today?
AMIR
I’ve seen my Uncle Ibrahim and you use a loupe to look at jewelry but what is it you are looking at? Can you show me how to use the loupe?
SHAZADI
Certainly, I can. I was about your age when I first learned to use it.
FLASHBACK TO
EXT. BEIRUT SEAFRONT - DAY
A much younger Shazadi walks arm in arm with a dark complected young man of about 30. Both are casually dressed.
SHAZADI
Jonus, you know I am going to return to university in Damascus in a few weeks. How will we see each other then?
JONUS
Don’t you worry your beautiful head about how it will happen, just know that it will...and it really will.
SHAZADI
You don’t ever seem to work, I don’t know where you will get the money to come see me.
JONUS
I told you before. I sell insurance. I am an independent agent. That means I represent many companies and sell insurance for many kinds of applications and in different locations. In Beirut with all the reconstruction going on there is a great market for all kinds of insurance, not just simple things like car insurance. If I sell a policy for a cargo ship for a year, my share is enough to live for that year. That is why I am constantly walking around and talking to people. The more people I talk to, the more I learn about what is happening and who might be in the market for an insurance policy.
SHAZADI
Yes, I know you like talking to people. I hear you selling them things in your sleep.
JONUS
It is really a wonderful occupation. And when we go out for dinner with other people, you must be aware that these are not just students we are dining with. They are always potential customers. Even when we go around to the shops looking at jewelry and precious gemstones, it is part of my business. I always enquire how their business is. If they have made a large sale to an important person, they will mention it. Then I know that person has money to spend, on insurance. No matter what they do, they need some kind of insurance. Maybe many kinds of insurance. Since I represent so many companies, I can always find a policy that gives them better coverage or a lower premium.
SHAZADI
Jonus, you are such a good talker I don’t know when to believe you and when not.
JONUS
When I tell you that your are wonderful and I love you, how can you doubt me? I could never make such a thing up. It is so obviously true. Now let’s find one more jeweler before lunch so I can see a gem just half as beautiful as you.
As they walk along the seafront they pass a street vendor selling optical devices. All of them are imported from Russia. There are binoculars, small telescopes, magnifying glasses, reading glasses, and a box with jewelers’ loupes. Jonus looks through the box of loupes and takes one out. He examines it closely and then haggles with the seller for a better price. He hands the loupe to Shazadi.
JONUS
I want you to have this loupe. It is a very useful tool. You can study jewelry and gemstones, look at insects, remove splinters, find a spec of dirt in someone’s eye...the list just goes on and on. It is the Swiss army knife of optics.
SHAZADI
Can I use it to look into your eyes and see your soul?
JONUS
You can try. I don’t know what you might see there. It might not be something you really want to see.
SHAZADI
Jonus, how can you say that? I know behind that calculating brain there is a hot-blooded Lithuanian soul yearning to correct all the world’s problems.
JONUS
We Lithuanians do not survive by curing the problems of the world. In that area every day is a struggle. We do not have the warm sun that you Middle Easterners have. We must constantly seek sources of warmth for our homes and food for our bellies. Here you go out and take
your food from a plant or a tree then after you have filled yourself, you rest in the warm afternoon sun. Such a life. Even the most lowly person here lives better than in a king in the north.
SHAZADI
I love it in this part of the world. I cannot think of anyplace I would rather live. It does not surprise me that human life began here. I am afraid though that it may also end here. Look at what this tribal competition has done to Lebanon.
JONUS
Let’s discuss that later. I grow hungry and we must see one more stone with your new loupe.
They walk into an area of shops. Many of the merchants stand outside their shops. As they approach a jewelry shop the proprietor smiles at Jonus and nods. Jonus responds with a low bow and a wide smile.
PROPRIETOR
My friend Jonus. It has been many days that you do not come to see me. I have done something to offend you? If I have, please tell me and I will not do it again.
JONUS
You know, sir, that you are too kind. I have been very busy. I bring a beautiful new friend to meet you. I tell her that you have a very nice choice of items to inspect.
PROPRIETOR
And you must buy a large stone for such a beautiful woman.
JONUS
Yes, I must. Let us examine some stones so that she may see what a good selection you have.
They enter the shop and for many minutes Jonus shows Shazadi how to use the loupe to look at both the surface and the interior of gemstones for flaws. When they have finished they proceed down the street to a cafe where they take a table.
JONUS
You see how pleasant an experience it is to look at jewels under magnification? Only with a loupe can you easily detect flaws or even better is to find stones which are well cut and have no flaws. When you find those you ask the price. After a time of doing this with different merchants you will realize when you have found a good choice. I always like to keep in mind my last purchase and compare it to the stone I currently view. That way I am constantly trying to improve my stock. It also works that if you find an equal stone but at a much lower price, then again you improve your stock.
SHAZADI
But do you ever sell from your stock?
JONUS
Yes, but I try to do it only when I also want to buy something from the dealer. That way he can still earn some money on the transaction. I try to buy something of greater value than what I am selling. I spend some money but both sides of the transaction feel good about it. After lunch I want to show you fabricated jewelry and show you how to examine it for quality of workmanship and characteristics of its manufacture. There are usually indications in how it is made and where it was made. Since the cost of labor varies from one area of the world to another, the price must also vary accordingly. A ring made in the far east should cost much less than a ring made in Italy. You can use this knowledge to negotiate better with the dealer. When he sees that you know how to judge the true quality of a piece, he will be less likely to try to overcharge you.