FUFILLING THE DREAM: BARACK OBAMA

Well, Well, Well, now for the first time in history, there is a black man representing the Democratic Party for the Presidential election- Senator Barack Obama, who defeated Senator Hilary Clinton (former First Lady) in the primaries. One thing, we have to remember is that he’s not just representing the democrats, he’s also representing the entire black race and for sure they’ll turn out en masse to pray he’ll win. And when he wins (Insha Allah), he would fulfill Martin Luther King’s ‘dream’ at long, long last.
This will come as a shock, but during the primaries’ battle, I sided with neither Obama nor Mrs. Clinton. Why, you may ask? For two reasons; as a black woman, I wanted a black man to finally emerge as the President of the U.S.A after years of oppression, racism and inequality but Mrs. Clinton could have become the first female President too, and show the male chauvinist pigs what she can do at the Oval Office. I’m black but also a woman, so I had no idea who to support. The second reason; I’m strictly anti racist, I don’t believe in taking sides with someone just because he/she has the same color of my skin, but because of how the person is within, that is most important. America was racially divided during the O.J Simpson murder trial, most of the African Americans were sure he was innocent.
Obama is now the democratic candidate for the presidential election (something I prayed will happen one day after watching HEAD OF STATE for the first time some years back, my brother never believed it would happen, just like he was sure there’ll never be a female African president, but look at President (Mrs.) Johnson of Liberia today) and I wish him best of luck in the election (which I hope will NOT end up being rigged) and pray there’ll be no more nasty stories or caricatures of him, I heard the story about the alleged photo of him in a website in full African dress, seemed like Mrs. Hilary played dirty as well as turning out to be a sore lose with the way she shunned him when he offered her the olive branch the day after she was defeated, but later so I heard, turned round and said she was behind him. Well, with that development, maybe he’ll choose her as his running mate.
PRAYERS AND BEST OF LUCK TO SENATOR OBAMA!

HAS ANYONE SEEN ''MISSION TO NO WHERE''?

I recently watched ‘MISSION TO NO WHERE’, which is with no doubt, the BEST Nollywood film I’ve watched in years and usually the only Naija films worth its salt in my own opinion are the ones directed by Amaka Igwe (FOREVER, VIOLATED, TO LIVE AGAIN, RATTLE SNAKE), Tade Ogidan (HOSTAGES, RAGING STORM, DAIMOND RING, OUT OF BOUNDS, DANGEROUS TWINS) and Tunde Kelani (O LE KU, TI OLUWA NI LE, THE CAMPUS QUEEN, ABENI, IRAPADA) and let me not forget a few exceptions like SITANDA, KEEPING FAITH and the unforgettable AMAZING GRACE directed by Jetta Amata , which starred British actor,
Nick Moran (LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS).

Like AMAZING GRACE, MISSION TO NOWHERE was filmed in 35MM, directed by Teco Benson (DANGEROUS PROPOSAL 1 &2) who is a good director but I remember how his films’ plots dragged. But he did a very, very good job with ‘MISSION TO NOWHERE’; a very good plot, full of suspense, carefully researched, a dramatic twist in the end , plus a well themed soundtrack(not like the silly ones we are subjected to these days).

THE PLOT: A wealthy and well connected woman (Barbara Soky) is murdered in her study late one night and her body was later discovered by her daughter Pamela (Stephanie Okereke) on getting home from a party. The investigating officer is A.S.P Roger Williams (solemnly portrayed by Sam Dede) assisted by a very efficient partner(Yahseph
Ananaba) whose investigations lead to the discovery that the deceased had been a promiscuous woman and all evidence points to a tall man in a hat and black trench coat(seen leaving the scene of the crime) who turned out to be a gold digging lover she’d later dumped. After an important witness is killed, the trench coat guy was caught but though he admitted (under torture) he had killed the witness who had told the police who he was(the witness was the dead woman’s driver), he was innocent of Naomi’s murder. According to his story, he had gone to the house that night to kill Naomi for dumping him but she was already dead by the time he got there, so he’d turned tail and left.
The climax was the real culprit turning out to be the most unlikely suspect(personally, I thought Pamela had done it). For those who haven’t seen it, I WON’T tell who it was but I’ll tell you this; the viewers have to decide whether or not the person was justified in killing her or not. My Mum(who watched it with me that evening) said even if the person hadn’t done it, Naomi would still have met with a violent death from her jilted lover that night.
I’ve always loved Sam Dede’s acting but his time he surpassed himself- he reminded me of a less cold Daniel Craig(CASINO ROYALE), and Teco Benson deserves lots and lots of kudos for this FANTASTIC work. I STRONGLY endorse this movie, especially those who love detective stories. Congratulations Mr. BENSON!

A LITTLE TIT FOR TAT

Tonio acts coldly towards Raquel the next day, refusing to talk to her when she bids him good morning, to her distress. He confides in Oscar, angry she was still fooling around with Max after she’d told him she no longer loved him after discovering he’d lied to her and just when he was about to give her a present with all sincerity instead of obligation, like he’d been doing.

 Raquel finds her purse empty and accuses Martha of stealing her money, which she denied, the lying thief.





At the party, Maura openly flirts with Tonio, to Raquel’s disgust. Carla deliberately leads Raquel away to met some people, to give Maura a chance to be with Tonio alone. Max forcibly insists she leaves with him but, reluctant, she goes off to find Tonio and sees him talking with Maura. Jealous and hurt, she finally leaves with Max and a reluctant Martha. Tonio soon notices Raquel is missing and goes home but she isn’t there, nor her family. The guards tell him Max had left with a suitcase and much later Don Daniel with a small bag. Raquel and Martha’s things were still in their closets.
The four fugitives are at a hotel in Mexico City. Raquel and Martha quarrel when the former insisted Tonio only wanted her around to bother Max, then later sleep with her.

In disgust at her sister’s greed, Raquel leaves to have a bath. Martha in the meantime, calls Information for Tonio’s phone number...

Raquel confesses

Tonio and Raquel forge a  tentative friendship as the days go by during their trip, Raquel telling him stories about her youth and wanted Tonio to do the same, but Tonio was more inteterested in knowing more about her. Back in Acapulco, Maura persuades a broody/nervous Max to seduce Raquel away from Tonio when they return. Tonio gives Raquel money to go shopping, (in spite of her protests) and goes to the apartment building she had described and the manger confirms there had been an Antonio Lombardo living there months back, but went on business trips often.

Don Daniel is invited back to stay with them for a while and is put up in one of the guest bungalows Seriously, Money is good o!
Tonio assures a relieved Victoria that he and Raquel have ‘made up'. Camilla and Maura notice Raquel leading her father to the bungalow; Camilla makes a derogatory remark about it to Victoria, overhead by Raquel who brushes past Tonio in tears.

 Tonio forcibly takes his sister upstairs and forces her to apologise to his wife, which she sulkily does. Considering how she and that loser husband of hers is so reliant on Tonio, that bitch needed to keep her trap shut more often. 

 Martha is delighted to see her father, finding him breathing the fresh air on the beach.

Tonio tells Oscar, his father’s old friend and family doctor that he  initially thought Daniel had been the one to make Raquel do what she was doing but found him to be a sentimental and humble man.

Evil Max angrily asked Raquel what Tonio had done in Guadalajara  and if he did some investigating, when he finds her alone in the room. She said she didn’t know if he he did; Tonio's reason for the trip had been for business, at least that's what he told her.  She is furious when Max  demanded to know if she slept with  Tonio.  She asked what right did he have to ask her such a question, but he doesn't back down. 

 ‘What if I did? He’s a thousand times better than you!’ Then why haven't you told Tonio the truth yet, girl? 

Max threatened to tell Tonio everything and damn the consequences if she dared go to bed with him- actually pointing a finger at her in a ridiculously childish manner-  and is furious to see Daniel walk in. Tonio sees Max and Raquel leave the room to talk in private, he allows Daniel to entertain him and Martha with anecdotes. Max swears to Raquel that he hadn’t caused Tonio’s accident but she still doesn’t believe him.

The family go in to dinner as Raquel comes in, alone. She shyly shows off the fabulous long dress she has on to Tonio, asking if he liked it, feeling ashamed for spending all the money he’d given her but he assures her it was okay and the dress was pretty. He notices Max entering, then grabs a surprised Raquel and kisses her, to Max’s fury and refuses to join them for dinner. Later on, Max again tries to convince Raquel and Martha to leave Acapulco with him but Raquel refuses and stormed back into the house with Max and Martha close behind; Tonio is still in the room and barked: ‘who is chasing who?’

Raquel nervously said she was going to bed, Tonio ordered both girls to bed, but makes Max stay behind and confronts him finally. Max denies everything and called him crazy, then in a moment of intense anger when Tonio grabs hold of him and accused him of trying to kill him shouted, ‘I wish I did! Nothing could make me happier than to see you dead!’ 

WOW... talking about letting your mouth run off in the heat of the moment!

Mummy Victoria suddenly appears and is told but Max still angrily said Tonio was insane and goes upstairs. Tonio consoles Victoria then goes upstairs to Raquel’s room, guessing correctly that Max had been there earlier to warn her, probing her with questions, in particular if she and Max knew each other before.  Feeling pressured, Raquel ran out of the room, with Tonio chasing her, catching up with her in the living room, demanding to know what she was hiding. Bursting into tears, Raquel finally cracks  and told him Max had introduced himself as Antonio Lombardo when they met.  Consoling her, Tonio led her to his study, where Raquel told him the whole story; adding what she found out after Max came to her room after the memorial service and why she had left the following morning, Max coming to fetch her back after threatening her again. 

Tonio asked her if Max still loved her. Raquel replied he said so, but she didn't believe him, no man in love would do what he did. When asked if she still loved Max, she tearfully shook her head, her love for him was gone forever. 

Tonio then asked if she and Max had slept together, (as if it was any of his business). Raquel murmured no and Tonio sharply asked her to look at him. Raquel faced him and said no again, firmly this time. 

She pleaded with him not to send her or her family to jail, or at least let her take the whole blame for the lies. Tonio consoled her, urged her not to tell anyone about their conversation and sent her to bed. As the door closed behind her, Tonio's face wore a pensive look. 

The following morning,  Victoria suggests Max should go on an extended vacation.

 Maura’s younger sister, Carla, pays a visit to the house, curious to see how Tonio’s wife looked like and is introduced to Martha and Daniel. She invites Raquel to a party Maura is throwing, showing scorn when Raquel said she would have to ask Tonio first.

Carla urged her to come as she didn’t need her husband’s permission all the time. Martha and Daniel leave with Carla who gives them a lift to town. Max angrily grabs Raquel to find out what had happened the previous night but  Mummy Victoria comes in, giving her a chance to escape. 

Max sulkily  said he only wanted Raquel to go on a boat ride with him; Victoria scolded  him for asking Raquel of all people,  Tonio’s wife, such a thing. Tonio makes more inquiries, with Pablo’s help.

Mummy Victoria and Raquel talk about Tonio and Max; she advises her to ignore Max if he bothered her again. Easier said than done, Vicky.

Tonio returns from work and takes Raquel to the study to confab on the next line of action, Raquel tells Tonio Max asked her to run away with him, after Tonio tells her Max requested money to go on a long vacation.  Raquel nods resignedly when Tonio pointed out that while she was coerced, what she did, not telling him or Victoria immediately, was a punishable crime, but still hopes Tonio will not send her and her family to prison. She wanted to go home and leave the damned incident behind.

  Max comes in with some papers and asks where Tonio was. Victoria gets angry when he also asks her about Raquel, ‘why are you always asking about her?’ she demands. Max marched to the study, ignoring his mother's protests.

Max interrupts their discussion, for Tonio to sign a check. Raquel feels like a pawn between them after Tonio asks her to say goodbye to Max. She warns Tonio she won’t let him take advantage of her, as she was not like Maura or any of his other lovers, which makes him wonder if she was jealous.
Max annoys Raquel during lunch, which makes her leave the table in anger but Tonio follows her up to console her and takes her out to dinner again, where he admits he was sexually attracted to her but at the same time liked and respected her enough NOT to take advantage of her like she feared. Max and Maura come up with a plan.

Tonio and Raquel return home hand in hand and warmly bid each other goodnight, after Tonio told her someone was coming over the next day to bring her a dress for Maura's party; one for Martha as well.
 To Raquel’s horror, Max enters her room through the open French windows and manipulates her not to trust Tonio (not realising she had told on him).

In his study, Tonio opens a box and brings out a fabulous sparkling  diamond bracelet from a box. From the goofy smile on his face, we guess he's thinking about the beautiful lady he just left. Is this love already, Tonio? 

 Eagerly, he goes upstairs to present it to Raquel, but alas, sees Max leaving her room!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

                 

        

          

SO VERY, VERY SORRY folks for the long break in transmission; I’ve been very busy; being a
teacher is demanding work and I’m currently working on another book; by the Grace of Allah,
will be my first for older readers. From now on I’ll do my best to publish my posts more often.
This month is special to me since this blog was created on the 10th of May, 2007; the first post
being AND THEN THERE WAS THREE .'MY FAVORITE THINGS' is a year old and I thank the Almighty God for keeping this blog on for so long; in the beginning when there had been no visitors, I’d considered deleting it but my love for writing prevailed. Many thanks to the visitors, most especially fellow blogger, Mrs. Philomena Ojukutu and those who had left comments, I only pray this blog gets more interested readers before its second anniversary.

Now to business… where I stopped.

Tonio didn’t confide in Maura when she confronted him; reminding her that their relationship had
been more physical than loving. I don't see what he saw in the plump piggy  to begin with. Raquel enters and the women coolly exchange greetings. 

Tonio goes to Raquel's room, assuring her he won't force her to do anything she's against, she'll get her divorce if she wanted. But he found her beautiful and wanted to explore the good qualities she had. Taking her hand,  he gently pulls  her to him. Raquel moves towards him  in spite of herself. 

But the initial first kiss is cut short by Max, who tells him the family doctor, Oscar, was here to see him.  Outside, Tonio remarks about Max being  so concerned about him all a sudden, that he would just barge into his wife's room to get him.  After he goes downstairs, Max grabs Raquel by the shoulders, demanding to know what they were about to do and she defiantly told him it was none of his business. 

Tonio tells Oscar he doesn't remember Raquel or her family, not even the wedding itself. Oscar feels he was still suffering from  lingering effects from the accident. Pablo calls to tell him  the investigators who checked the plane found signs of sabotage. Tonio feels Raquel was a con artist who decided to pass herself as his widow which was the reason for her strange behaviour.  Oscar disagreed with him. 

Raquel and Martha are introduced to Oscar. After Martha goes upstairs, Tonio offers Raquel  the phone when she  said she wanted to call  her father, brushing off her concern it was long distance.  However,  there's no answer. 

Tonio gets more frustrated when Raquel gives more vague answers to his questions, in particular why she went back to Guadalajara without Martha and how Max convinced her to return. Max comes in to intervene, which in my opinion was  just asking for trouble. Tonio angrily told  him to piss off. 

Raquel stormed upstairs to her room to pack. Tonio follows her in, locks the French windows before locking her in, over her protests. Downstairs, Max listens as Tonio tells the guards over the phone Raquel is not  to be  allowed to leave the estate. Max snidely asks why Tonio wanted to keep a woman who didn't love him. 

Vicky is astonished to find Raquel locked up and goes to find Tonio to demand why he's holding her against her will. Tonio replied  that he was  certain Raquel was not his wife and he had never seen her before. He had checked his schedule, no trips to Guadalajara at all. Vicky is shocked when he also told her the crash was no accident. Vicky feels he was mistaken and urged him to reconsider, since all their friends believe Raquel is his wife. Tonio makes her promise  not to tell any one of his suspicions.

Martha is not happy at the idea of leaving the mansion when Max tells her to get ready, they were leaving by boat that night. 

Tono instructs  Vicky to order a new wardrobe for Raquel and Martha gives her Raquel's dress and shoe size. He then apologises to Raquel, excusing his initial harshness and doubts  about her due to his amnesia. He didn't feel anything but he did know he wouldn't marry a woman if he didn't love her. As she's his wife, he wants her to help him remember. Raquel tearfully accepts his aplogy, feeling bad for him and filled with guilt. She tells him she would give up half her life so prevent what happened. Tonio asks what she meant by that, but she's unable to reply. 

Taking her hand, Tonio asks her out to dinner but she's reluctant. Tonio assures her he won't fight her if she still wants a divorce but they should at least part as friends, gently asking her to grant  this special favour to him. Raquel nods, giving him a faint smile. 

 Their lunch is then  brought in by a maid. 

Martha felt her sister was being a fool, when Raquel is very reluctant to accept the array of new clothes. 

   

Tonio is told by Vicky  about Raquel's hesitance to accept the clothes. She urges him to be nicer to his wife who was obviously not a gold digger. 

That night, Tonio takes in the sight of Raquel in a white dress trimmed with pale blue, and warmly  compliments her.  Raquel shyly thanked him for the new dress and entire wardrobe. However, when he offers her a pearl necklace to go with it, she firmly refused. 

 Max is furious to hear from Martha that Tonio took Raquel out. He knew very well Raquel couldn't hold her liquor after one glass. Martha didn't dare let him know  that she didn't tell Raquel they were to leave that night. 

At the fancy restaurant, Raquel gradually loosens up around Tonio; smiling and laughing for the first time and they swap anecdotes about their personal preferences. 

Tonio spied Max hovering not far away and leaves Raquel to find out what was going on.  Max sullenly makes an excuse about meeting some friends and leaves, planning on taking Raquel and Martha away that night once she got  back. On getting back home, Tonio offers Raquel the  pearl necklace he’d offered her before but again she refuses it. He moves in for the kill and kissed  her for the first time but Raquel, though drunk, doesn’t allow it to go further. 

However, Martha had seen them go into the room together and mischievously told Max her sister was with Antonio. Max is furious as he had already rented the boat for their escape.

 Max tries to enter Raquel’s room but it’s locked on both sides and she was fast asleep.

The following morning, Tonio’s lazy brother-in-law, Claudio, sees Max furiously shaking Raquel by the shoulders, beside the swimming pool. He suspects they must have already known each before, especially by the way Max angrily brushes him off. He  tells Camilla, who then tells Maura over the phone. 

Raquel again makes a phone call to Guadalajara but her father still doesn't answer. Camilla makes snide comments about the simple dress Raquel was wearing. Raquel coldly tell her the clothes she wears were obtained through honest work, which we viewers know that Camilla doesn't have a clue about. 

However, when Camilla goes  too far, Raquel slaps her! 

Tonio is more and more suspicious of Raquel. He abruptly takes Raquel to Guadalajara and gets acquainted with Don Daniel, who is nervous around him.

Is she or is'nt she???

Lie, Lie and Lie some more! 

Antonio goes upstairs, taking Raquel with him. Mummy Victoria is naturally  confused at Raquel's odd reaction; why hadn't she hugged and kissed her husband, wasn't she glad to see him?

Evil Max's mind began working furiously,  considering the huge  mess he's in.

Inside Antonio's room, Raquel is tongue-tied when he tentatively tries to have a conversation with her. before she could speak, Max barges in to tell  that her sister was missing, a ruse to get her away BEFORE she could break down and tell his stepbrother anything. Raquel  hurries out,  leaving Tonio very confused.

Tonio questions Ezequiel  about Raquel's behaviour when she arrived.  Ezequiel told him  how grief stricken she was,  Vicky giving her a pill to sleep and how  Raquel had asked for  a photograph of him. And also, that Max didn't attend the memorial service but got home very late. 

 In the garden, Max warned both girls  about the consequences if they opened their mouths. He felt they were safe for now because of Tonio's amnesia. On the way indoors, Tonio meets Martha when Raquel introduced them, pointing out surely they had met already, hence no need to introduce her. Raquel manages to avoid having to sleep in Tonio's room when he said they should share the same room, pointing out Vicky already gave them rooms. After they leave, Tonio looks at Max suspiciously, telling him not to go to the office without telling him first. 

 Back in her room , Raquel tells Martha that she disliked Tonio already, he seemed to be the type of man anxious to get her into his bed. Oh how prim we are ... he didn't even lay a finger on you!  Martha thought Tonio was very attractive, besides being very  rich.  Second part was more important. 

Tonio starts questioning if he did have amnesia when Vicky admonished him for keeping his marriage a secret and not telling Raquel his true status. 

Raquel feels Tonio was aware he was being played. Martha feels Raquel should  simply accept the situation, everyone thinks she's Tonio's wife.  Max confabs with Luis on the failure of the plan. 

Next morning, Antonio sends a message to Raquel that he would like her to join him for breakfast in his room. Max slips into her room to coach her on what to say to Tonio, pleading with her to forgive him for his harshness and lies. Raquel coldly tells him she no longer had feelings for him. And folks... she meant it. 

Antonio received her in his room,  noticing how nervous and tense she was and serves her tea. He asks her questions about their 'relationship'.  She tells him they had met at Guadalajara, where she's a salesgirl.  He had an apartment there and he travelled often. They  dated for 4 months and had a small civil wedding, with a promise to get married in church later. She denied being pregnant when he asked. 

Antonio questions why she is cold towards him and didn't seem happy to see him alive. Raquel gave the vague reply of being shocked.  He caressed her cheek, asking her if she loved him. Raquel mumbled, ' I... I want you to divorce me.'

Amused, he asked her for the reason behind the sudden statement, she replies that they had married without really knowing each other and it was best if they broke up now. Tonio asked what's changed between them, was he that bad in bed on their wedding night? Yikes... why go there Tonio? 

Raquel said there was NO wedding night because he left not long after the wedding for a business trip and they've never slept together, which astonished Tonio more. Not surprising, how many women would wait long to  hit the sheets with yummy Tonio? 

Their argument is cut short when the room's extension rings and he's told Pablo is downstairs waiting for him. In his study, Tonio tells Pablo to send him his schedule, to see if he had made trips to Guadalajara. 

Later on, while answering Max's  questions about what went on between her and Tonio, Raquel  notices a woman going up to the house. Max tells her it's Maura, one of Tonio's  'numerous girlfriends'- as a way of discouraging Raquel from having any romantic notions towards Tonio.

A Message From Danielle Steel

April 2008

Dear Friends,

The beginning of April has always been a huge challenge for me. Most of my children are terrible practical jokers and thoroughly love torturing me on April Fool's Day. They call to tell me every imaginable horror, and of course I fall for it every year. Each time, I swear that next time I won't answer the phone, but of course I do...and I fall for it again. I'm sure this year will be no different!

On a more serious note, Passover will come in April. It's an important holiday in the Jewish faith, celebrating the end of slavery and liberation of the Jewish people in biblical times. It's a wonderful time to gather friends and family around the dinner table and enjoy one another.

I hope that, whatever your faith or activity, April will be a happy, peaceful month for you. Just watch out for practical jokers like my kids on the first!

Love,

Danielle

P.S. You are always welcome to visit me at my home on the web:
http://info.randomhouse.com/cgi-bin21/DM/y/exxb0Mx6Ij0V50H860Ee

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