"THE THIRD KIND"

Written by

MFALME OLE KIAGIRI

 [Link] THIRD KIND

CAST

OCS ( Pudgy middle aged police Officer Commanding Police Station)

CAROL (Mid twenties savvy police woman)

RUBY JONES( Young early twenties fashionable woman)

AFANDE (Fresh out of the academy rookie)

BASED ON A TRUE STORY

 1

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM 003

Afande is sitting behind a desk writing some notes in a

huge tome of a book. Standing in a corner is Ruby with high
heels on casting her gaze down and fidgeting. OCS enters
the room without knocking and sits opposite Afande.

OCS
So, Afande, what seems to be the
problem here?

AFANDE
Well, Sir, I’m having a bit of trouble
with this young woman here. She was
arrested for indecent exposure and
defacing public property - meaning, she
was relieving herself on the fence of
the station!

OCS
I fail to see the severity of the
matter; just fine her as usual and
release her already!

AFANDE
Well, there's more to it, Sir. It's
about her gender.

OCS
What do you mean Afande? Has she not
presented her ID?

AFANDE
Yes and no, Sir. Her ID identifies her
as Ruby Jones, but the gender section
is left blank.

OCS
That's an issue for the ID office to
address, isn't it?

AFANDE
But, Sir, she insists on using "she-
they" pronouns.

OCS
Afande, how long has it been since you
graduated from the Police Academy?

(CONTINUED)
 2

CONTINUED:

AFANDE
This is my first posting Sir. I have
been here for two days now.

OCS
O.k then; first lesson - you need to
understand that this is a police
station and not a psychiatric ward! The
number of mad men and women that we
have to listen to daily are without
number! You are in no way obliged to
entertain their madness!

AFANDE
I understand that Sir; the thing is,
when she was apprehended, relieving
herself, she was doing it standing up
like a man!

They both turn and scowl at Ruby who remains gazing down.

OCS
Are you suggesting that this is a man
in women’s clothes?

AFANDE
It's a possibility, Sir. Should we
charge her with impersonation?

OCS
I doubt cross-dressing is a crime under
the penal code.

AFANDE
So what do you suggest I do Sir?
OCS
Go fetch Officer Carol from the Gender
Violence desk.

AFANDE
At once Sir!

Exit Afande, the OCS changes his sitting position and takes
the seat vacated by Afande.

OCS
Young woman, have a seat.

Ruby takes a seat but averts eye contact with the OCS.

(CONTINUED)
 3

CONTINUED: (2)

OCS (CONT’D)
Now, if you don’t mind, could you
kindly remove your shoes for me?

Ruby removes her shoes and hands them over to the OCS who
examines them over and over as he talks to himself. . .

OCS (CONT’D)
Interesting. . . Very interesting

Afande enters followed by Officer Carol

CAROL
You wanted to see me Sir?

OCS
Yes Madame Carol; this person here is
suspected of a gender crime yet to be
determined! I want you to do a thorough
examination to establish what gender we
are dealing with.

CAROL
Ofcourse Sir! Madam if you will follow
me?

RUBY
May I have my shoes back Sir?

OCS
Not yet! Just follow Officer Carol,
your shoes will be right here when you
get back.

Exit Carol and Ruby - Afande takes the seat vacated by

Ruby.

OCS (CONT’D)
What do you make of this Afande?

OCS hands over one shoe to Afande.

AFANDE
My goodness Sir! This shoe is
humongous!

OCS
I thought so too! It must be at least a
number 12! A man’s shoe size!

AFANDE
So what do you think we are dealing
with here Sir?

(CONTINUED)
 4

CONTINUED: (3)

OCS
My best guess? This must be a part of
the alphabet soup army of identities!

AFANDE
I’m afraid I don’t follow you Sir!

OCS
You know, like, LGBTQ + XYZ?

AFANDE
Ah, yes! That diverse community?

OCS
Precisely. However, the law is very
clear on such matters.

AFANDE
So, what's our course of action?

OCS
Lets wait for Officer Carol’s
assessment. But I suspect that what we
have here is a case of witchcraft!

Afande is pensive

AFANDE
Witchcraft Sir? That doesn't make
sense!

OCS
When you have been doing this job for
as long as I have, you will realise
that human beings are quite a mishmash
of some ungodly inhibitions!

Enter Ruby with Officer Carol trailing her

OCS (CONT’D)

Well then! What were your findings

Officer Carol?

CAROL
Sir, this individual is certainly
intersex!

AFANDE
Excuse me madame! Please explain that
in simple terms. What in Gods name is
intersex?

(CONTINUED)
 5

CONTINUED: (4)

OCS
I'm unfamiliar with that term as well.
Please elaborate.

CAROL
Sir, this person is androgynous!
Meaning that she is neither male nor
female, but a mixture of both!

AFANDE
I must have been on holiday when my
biology class was taught that topic!

OCS
What exactly are you alluding to
Officer Carol? How is that even
possible?

CAROL
A person described as intersex Sir,
habours both male and female
characteristics.

The OCS turns to Ruby and addresses her.

OCS
So, madam, how do you describe
yourself? Are you male or female?

RUBY
Sir, I'm neither entirely female nor
male. However, my feminine traits are
predominant, despite anatomical
differences.
AFANDE
Forgive me for my curiosity, but I need
to know; can you bear children?

RUBY
I’m afraid not - I was not born with a
womb!

OCS
Addressing Afande

Afande! What did I tell you about

witchcraft? Look at her with your own
two eyes! A living breathing witch!

AFANDE
Should I proceed with booking her for
the offense, then?

(CONTINUED)
 6

CONTINUED: (5)

OCS
Book her? I do not want bad karma in my
station Afande! Here, give her back her
shoes and escort her to the gate and
out of this station!

CAROL
That is totally uncalled for Sir!
Imagine for a moment that this was your
daughter Sir! Would you still think of
her as a witch?
Understand that this is just a normal
human being that God in his wisdom
decided to make different!
Her only crime is being alive, just as
you or me!

OCS

RISING FROM HIS CHAIR

I hear what you're saying Officer

Carol, and I apologise for calling you
a witch Ruby Jones, however, I still
need time to process this information.

Please release her and resume your

duties.

They all file out one after another leaving the OCS still
standing muttering to himself, lost in thought.

THE END