Call Me American

At 1992, the drought begins to ease. Hassan and Abdi sell whatever they can in order to buy food for their family. After a few failed ventures, they begin to sell qat, a plant chewed for its narcotic properties. Most men in Somalia chew qat. Hassan and Abdi roam the streets, gathering qat leaves dropped by militiamen, or steal it from moving trucks. Selling it for tattered, broken bank notes, the boys use their mother’s knowledge of the local plants to glue the money back together, making just enough money to eat. Nima is never allowed out of the house and Abdi worries that she is struggling. He and Hassan play with her when they can.

A woman named Falis has a house near Abdi. She has a VHS player and shows films for a small admission fee. Abdi remembers the posters for films like Rambo and The Terminator. Abdi helps Falis clean her property and usher her cinema clientele. As he watches the movies, he loves the spectacle even though neither he nor the audience speaks any English. Abdi is transfixed. He visits this makeshift cinema often and makes new friends there.