Elvis a six foot tall dark skin black man. Sitting on the swing next to him is Elïkyah his seven-year-old daughter, her hair gelled in two buns. She’s in her school uniform and a winter jacket. In the park they sit on the swings. It’s the morning routine whenever Elvis takes her to school.

(Elvis is gazing into thin air listening to the birds sing as Elïkyah’s swing slowly comes to a stop.)

Elïkyah: Daddy?

Elvis: Yes, mama

Elïkyah: What happens to bad people?

Elvis: Well it depends baby, some bad people go to jail for being bad and if you believe in the bible then bad people go to a place called hell…

 there’s also a thing people call Karma..

Elïkyah: Karma?

Elvis: Yes, Karma some people believe what you do to someone will also happen to you… There is a saying what goes around comes back around. How can I explain it- So for example if you stole from someone, someone will also steal from you. If you hurt someone, someone will hurt you. Nothing goes unpunished…

(Pause)

Is something bothering you?

Elïkyah: mhmm

Elvis: Did you hurt someone?

Elïkyah: Yes daddy

Elvis: Who did you hurt?

Elïkyah: I think I hurt mummy

Elvis: Oh baby what did you do to mummy?

Elïkyah: I told her I didn’t love her

(She faces the ground fidgeting with her hands looking upset.)

(Elvis looks at her with a smile.)

Elïkyah: Does that mean someone will hurt me?

Elvis: I dunno, do you believe in Karma?

Elïkyah: Yeah

Elvis:(laughs) already !?

(She nods her head in agreement)

Elvis: Say sorry to mummy and tell her you do love her and that you was just upset. she’ll forgive you and everything will be okay. Your mum loves you more than anything else in this world!

Elïkyah: Sure?

Elvis: Yes of course

Elïkyah: Just say sorry and everything is fixed? Karma goes away?

Elvis: If mummy forgives you then yeah, I think karma goes away. Saying sorry doesn’t always make things go away though.

(She looks up at him confused)

Elïkyah: Dad I don’t get it now, you’re confusing me.

(He gets up and starts to slowly push Elïkyahs swing)

Elvis: Elïkyah, sometimes people don’t forgive you just because you’ve apologised.

Elïkyah: Why not?

Elvis: Because it’s hard to forget the things that hurt us. There’s always reminders. For example the time when your cousin Kevin pushed you and you grazed your knee, you had to wear a plaster for a week even when he said sorry your knee was still in pain right?

Elïkyah: Yeah

Elvis: Thats why some people aren’t able to forgive easily because they’re afraid of feeling pain and upset again.

Elïkyah: Have you hurt people before Daddy?

(Elvis sighs)

Elvis: I have baby and it tends to be people we love the most.

Elïkyah: Like I hurt mummy?

Elvis: Exactly but we mustn’t make it a habit because one day they might turn their back on us forever because we keep hurting them over and over.

Elïkyah:Did you hurt mummy?

(Elvis is caught by surprise and he let’s out an uncomfortable laugh)

Elvis: Yeah, mummy and I bickered a lot –

(Elikyah interrupts)

Elïkyah: Did you say sorry to mummy?

Elvis: Oh of course, you wouldn’t remember, you was still a baby but I took both of you to Paris…

(She interrupts again)

Elikyah: The Tower!

Elvis: (laughs) yeah! The Eiffel tower. You remember that?

Elïkyah: The photo of me and you in Nanny’s front room. Nana told me.

Elvis: Right, yeah So that was just one of the many times I said sorry to your mum and I still didn’t change after saying sorry. In the end she couldn’t forgive me anymore.

Elïkyah: Why so many times dad?

Elvis: I know I know

(pause)

Elïkyah: Was you sad?

Elvis: I was so upset, I felt like I’d lost everything. However we don’t argue anymore, Mummy looks the happiest she’s ever been. I love and appreciate her even more now.

(Elikyah’s face lights up like a bulb she looks up at her father with a smile.)

Elvis:Alright get up let’s go madam!

Elïkyah: No, already ?

(They hop off the swings, Elvis takes her hand and they make their way out of the park)

Elvis: Yeah otherwise we won’t have time to stop by the shops.

Elïkyah: Alright, you picking up me after?

Elvis: I dunno we’ll see.

(They walk away holding each others hand until they disappear as they walk beyond the old castle like park gates)

Script by Manda Donabi