dunno 30

  സ്വദേശത്ത് 

ഡുനോയും കൂട്ടുകാരും ദിവസങ്ങളോളം മൈതാനങ്ങളിലൂടെയും കാടുകളിലൂടയും നടന്ന്, ഒടുവിൽ തങ്ങൾക്ക് പരിചിതമായ ദേശത്തെത്തി. ഒരു നാൾ അവരൊരു കുന്നിൻ മുകളിൽ കയറിനിന്നപ്പോൾ, അവർക്കു താഴെ പൂമ്പട്ടണം അതിൻ്റെ എല്ലാ വശ്യതയോടെയും നീണ്ടു നിവർന്നു കിടക്കുന്നതു കാണായി. 

ഗ്രീഷമം അവസാനിക്കുന്ന കാലമായിരുന്നു. എല്ലാത്തരത്തിലുമുള്ള പൂക്കൾ വിടർന്നു നിൽപ്പുണ്ടായിരുന്നു ... ക്രിസാന്തിമങ്ങൾ, ചുകപ്പു ദാലിയകൾ, വിവിധ വർണ്ണങ്ങളിലുള്ള മുക്കുറ്റിപ്പൂക്കൾ. തിളക്കമാർന്ന ഈയ്യാംപാറ്റകളെപ്പോലെ പഞ്ഞിപ്പൂക്കൾ തത്തിക്കളിക്കുന്നുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. തീജ്വാലകൾ പോലുള്ള വള്ളികൾ വേലികളിലും, മതിലുകളിലും, വീടുകളുടെ മേൽക്കൂരകളിൽപ്പോലും പടർന്നു കയറുന്നുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. കാറ്റാകട്ടെ, വാസനപ്പൂക്കളുടെ മധുരഗന്ധം കൊണ്ട് നിറഞ്ഞിരുന്നു. 

ഡുനോയും കൂട്ടുകാരും ആനന്ദത്താൽ കൈ ചുഴറ്റി. താമസം വിനാ അവർ സ്വദേശത്തെ തെരുവകളിലൂടെ നടക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങി. പര്യവേക്ഷകരെ ഒന്നു കാണാൻ എല്ലാ വീടുകളിൽനിന്നും മൈറ്റുകൾ പുറത്തേക്കിറങ്ങി. വെയിലുകൊണ്ട് ആകെ കറുത്തിരുന്നതിനാൽ ഡുനോയെയും കൂട്ടുകാരെയും ആദ്യമാരും തിരിച്ചറിഞ്ഞില്ല. ഒടുവിലൊരാൾ വിളിച്ചു കൂവി: "ഇതു നമ്മുടെ ഡുനോയല്ലേ, ചങാതികളേ! നോക്കൂ, മുമ്പിൽ നടക്കുന്നതവനല്ലേ!"

അതിനു പിറകേ, നാനാവശത്തുനിന്നും വിളിച്ചു പറയുന്നത് കേൾക്കായി: "അതാ, ഡോ. പിൽമൻ! കൂടെ ഷോട്ടും, സ്കാറ്റർബ്രെയിനും, റോളിപോളിയും!" "ബലേഭേഷ്!" പൂമ്പട്ടണത്തിലെ മൈറ്റുകൾ ആനന്ദം കൊണ്ട് ആക്രോശിച്ചു. 

ഡുനോയും കൂട്ടരും നീലമണിത്തെരുവിലെത്തിയപ്പോഴാണ് ആവേശം അതിൻ്റെ അതിരു ഭേദിച്ചത്. അവിടെ എല്ലാവർക്കും അവരെ അറിയാം; ഒന്നുകിൽ ഒരു സുഹൃത്തായി, അതല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഒരു അയൽക്കാരനായി. ആൾക്കൂട്ടത്തെ ഒഴിവാക്കി തെരുവിലൂടെ കടന്നുപോവുക അസാദ്ധ്യമായി. ധീരപര്യവേക്ഷകരെ ആൺമൈറ്റുകൾ കെട്ടിപ്പിടിച്ചുമ്മവച്ചു. പെൺമൈറ്റുകൾ വീഥിയിൽ പൂവിതളുകൾ വിതറി. പൊടുന്നനെ, ഒരു കുഞ്ഞുനായ ഓടിയെത്തി, ഷോട്ടിനു ചുറ്റും തുള്ളിയും കുരച്ചും അയാളുടെ കൈകൾ നക്കി.

"ഡോട്ട്!" ആനന്ദതുന്ദിലനായ നായാട്ടുകാരൻ വിളിച്ചു കൂവി. "നോക്കൂ, ചങ്ങാതിമാരേ, എൻ്റെ ഡോട്ട്!"

ബലൂൺ യാത്രയായതിനു ശേഷം ചില ദിവസങ്ങൾ കഴിഞ്ഞ് ഡോട്ട് വീട്ടിലേക്കു മടങ്ങി വന്നെന്ന് ചില അയൽക്കാർ പറഞ്ഞു. അതുകൊണ്ട് പര്യവേക്ഷകരെല്ലാം മരിച്ചിരിക്കുമെന്ന് അനുമാനിക്കപ്പെട്ടു.   ഇനിയൊരിക്കലും അവരെ വീണ്ടും കാണാൻ കഴിയുമെന്ന് അവർ വിചാരിച്ചിരുന്നില്ല.

"എൻ്റെ അനുഗൃഹീതനായ ശുനകക്കുട്ടീ!" അയാൾ പറഞ്ഞു. "നിന്നെ ഞാൻ എത്രയെത്ര ഓർത്തെന്ന് നിയറിഞ്ഞിരുന്നെങ്കിൽ!"

തെരുവിൻ്റെ മറ്റൊരറ്റത്ത് കവി പോസിയുടെ നേതൃത്വത്തിൽ മറ്റൊരു കൂട്ടം മൈറ്റുകൾ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു: "കവിത!"എല്ലാവരും ഉച്ചത്തിലാവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു. "ഇപ്പൊ നമുക്കൊരു കവിത കേൾക്കണം!"                                                                           പെൺമൈറ്റുകൾ കയ്യടിച്ചു. ആൺമൈറ്റുകൾ ഒരു കാലിവീപ്പക്കു വേണ്ടി ഓടി നടന്നു. അവരത്‌ തെരുവിനു നടുവിൽ കുത്തനെ നിർത്തി.                        "വീപ്പമേൽ കയറിയൊരു കവിത ചൊല്ലുക പോസി," ആരോ വിളിച്ചു പറഞ്ഞു. ആരൊക്കെയോ കൂടി പോസിയെ വീപ്പക്കുമുകളിൽ കൈപിടിച്ച് കയറ്റി. ഒരു നിമിഷം അയാൾ ചിന്തയിലാണ്ടു; പിന്നീട് മുരടനക്കി, ഡുനോയ്ക്കും കൂട്ടുകാർക്കും നേരെ കൈകൾ നീട്ടി, വികാരഭരിതമായ സ്വരത്തിൽ ആ നിമിഷം കെട്ടിയ കവിത ചൊല്ലി:

"അവരൊരു ബലൂണിലേറിപ്പോയി/ ചന്ദ്രനുമുയരെപ്പോയി/ എന്നാലവരോ താമസിയാതെ/ ബലൂണില്ലാതെ തിരികെ വന്നു."

"ബലേഭേഷ്!" എല്ലാവരും ആനന്ദം കൊണ്ട് ആർത്തു വിളിച്ചു. ഉടൻതന്നെ ആൺമൈറ്റുകൾ പോസിയെ വീപ്പയിൽനിന്ന് പിടിച്ചിറക്കി, തങ്ങളുടെ ചുമലിലേറ്റി അയാളുടെ വീട്ടിലെത്തിച്ചു. പെൺമൈറ്റുകളാകട്ടെ, അയാൾക്കു നേരെ പൂവിതളുകൾ വാരിവിതറിക്കൊണ്ട് പിന്നാലെയോടി. 

ആ മഹത്തായ പര്യവേക്ഷണത്തിലെ ഒരംഗത്തിന് എത്ര ഖ്യാതിയുണ്ടായോ അത്രയും പ്രശസ്തി പോസി തൻ്റെ കവിത കൊണ്ട് നേടി.

നമ്മുടെ ധീരരായ പര്യവേക്ഷകർ ഗേയ്റ്റ് തുറന്ന് അവരവരുടെ അത്രയും കാലം കാലിയായിരുന്ന വീടുകളിലേക്ക് പ്രവേശിച്ചു. ഡന്നോ അവർക്കൊപ്പം ചേർന്നില്ല. അവൻ തെരുവിൽത്തന്നെ നിലയുറപ്പിച്ചു. അപ്രത്യക്ഷമാകുന്ന ആൾക്കൂട്ടത്തെ സങ്കടത്തോടെ നോക്കിക്കൊണ്ട് അവൻ ആർക്കോവേണ്ടി തിരഞ്ഞു. കണ്ണെത്തുന്നിടത്തൊന്നും ആരുമുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. എല്ലാവരെയും കാറ്റ് അടിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുപോയതുപോലെ തോന്നി. 

ഡന്നോയുടെ കണ്ണുകളിൽ കൂടുതൽ സങ്കടകരമായൊരു ഭാവം കലർന്നു. അപ്പോഴാണവൻ വേലിയുടെ നിഴലിൽ, ചുണ്ടുകൾ പിളർത്തി, വിടർന്നകണ്ണുകളോടെ ആരോ നിൽക്കുന്നതായി കണ്ടത്.

"ഗങ്കീ!" ഡന്നോ കൈകൾ നീട്ടിക്കൊണ്ട് ആർത്തു വിളിച്ചു.  ഗങ്കി ആനന്ദത്താൽ ചൂളം വിളിച്ചു; അവനെക്കാണാൻ ഓടിവന്ന ഡന്നോയെ ചെന്നിടിച്ചു. അവരുടെ നെറ്റികൾ തമ്മിൽ കൂട്ടിമുട്ടിയില്ലാ എന്നേയുള്ളൂ. ഇപ്പോൾ പ്രശസ്തനായ പര്യവേക്ഷകനായിരിക്കുന്ന തൻ്റെ ചങ്ങാതിയെ നോക്കിയപ്പോൾ ഗങ്കിയുടെ കണ്ണുകളിൽ സ്നേഹവും അഭിമാനവുമായിരുന്നു. ഡന്നോ കുറ്റബോധം നിറഞ്ഞ ഒരു ചെറു  പുഞ്ചിരിയേകി. കുറച്ചു നേരം രണ്ടുപേരും വികാരാധീനപ്പെട്ട് ഒന്നും മിണ്ടാതെ അങ്ങനെ നിന്നു. പിന്നീടവർ വീണ്ടും പരസ്പരം ആലിംഗനം ചെയ്തു; ആനന്ദക്കണ്ണീരൊഴുക്കി. 

അങ്ങനെ ഡന്നോയുടെയും കൂട്ടുകാരുടെയും അസാധാരണ സാഹസകൃത്യത്തിന് അന്ത്യമായി. പൂമ്പട്ടണത്തിലെ ജീവിതം പഴയ പടിയായി ... എങ്കിലും ശരിക്കും പഴയപടിയെന്ന് പറഞ്ഞുകൂടാ. 

അക്കാലം മുതൽ പൂമ്പട്ടണത്തിലെ മൈറ്റുകൾക്ക് ബലൂൺ യാത്രയെക്കുറിച്ചു മാത്രമേ പറയാനുണ്ടായിരുന്നുള്ളൂ. ആൺമൈറ്റുകളും പെൺമൈറ്റുകളും എന്നും വൈകുന്നേരം ഗ്രീൻവില്ലിലെ കഥകളറിയാൻ ഡുനോയുടെ വീട്ടിൽ വരുമായിരുന്നു. 

അവിടത്തെ പെൺകുട്ടികൾ തന്നെ തീറ്റിയ സ്വാദിഷ്ടമായ അപ്പങ്ങളുടെയും, അടകളുടെയും കഥകളാണ് റോളിപോളിക്ക് പറയാനുണ്ടായിരുന്നത്. ട്രീക്ലി സ്വീറ്ററാകട്ടെ താൻ കുടിച്ച സോഡയേയും സിറപ്പിനേയും പറ്റി വീമ്പിളക്കി. ഡുനോ ജലധാരകളെയും, വെള്ളം കൊണ്ടുപോകുന്ന മുളങ്കുഴലുകളെയും, പുഴക്ക് കുറുകേയുള്ള പാലത്തെയും, ഭീമൻ തണ്ണിമത്തങ്ങകളെയും പറ്റി വിവരിച്ചു. അവൻ തണ്ണിമത്തനെക്കുറിച്ച് പറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ ട്രീക്ലി സ്വീറ്റർ കീശയിൽനിന്നൊരു വിത്തെടുത്തു കാട്ടിപ്പറഞ്ഞു: "ഇത്തിരി വലുപ്പമുള്ള ഈ കുരുവിൽനിന്ന് വീപ്പകണക്കിന് പഴച്ചാറുണ്ടാക്കാൻ കഴിയുമെന്ന് ആരു വിശ്വസിക്കും?"

ആപ്പിൾ വിളവെടുക്കാൻ സഹായിച്ചതിനെക്കുറിച്ചു സംസാരിക്കാനാണ് പ്രാപ്‌സും സ്വിഫ്റ്റിയും ഇഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടത്. പഴം പെറുക്കുന്നത് യന്ത്രവത്ക്കരിച്ചതിനെപ്പറ്റിയാണ് ബെൻഡമും ട്വിസ്റ്റമും പറഞ്ഞത്. തങ്ങളുടെ സുഹൃത്തായ പ്രെറ്റ്‌സലിനെക്കുറിച്ചും, എല്ലാറ്റിനും ബട്ടൺ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന കണ്ടുപിടുത്തക്കാരനായ പ്ലംബർ ടാപ്‌സിനെക്കുറിച്ചും അവർ സംസാരിച്ചു. തൻ്റെ ആസ്പത്രിവാസത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് സംസാരിക്കാനാണ് ഷോട്ട് ഇഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടത്; അവിടത്തെ മികച്ച ഡോക്റ്ററായ തേന്മൊഴിയെക്കുറിച്ചും. ആ ഡോക്റ്റർ തൻ്റെ ഉളുക്കിയ കണങ്കാൽ നടക്കാനും ചാടാനും കഴിയും വിധം ചികിത്സിച്ചു ഭേദമാക്കി. തെളിവായി അയാൾ തൻ്റെ മുറിവേറ്റ കാലിൽ തുള്ളി നടന്നു കാണിച്ചു. 

എല്ലാവരും തങ്ങൾ എത്ര സ്നേഹമായാണ് പെൺമൈറ്റുകളോട് പെരുമാറിയതെന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു. വായ വിരളമായ്‌ മാത്രം തുറക്കാറുള്ള മംമ്സു പോലും പറയുകയുണ്ടായി: "ആൺകുട്ടികളോടൊപ്പമെന്നപോലെ പെൺ കുട്ടികൾക്കൊപ്പവും രസകരമായ് സമയം ചിലവഴിക്കാമെന്ന് എനിക്ക് വിശ്വസിക്കാനേ കഴിയുമായിരുന്നില്ല."

"നീ നാവടക്കുന്നതാണ് നല്ലത്," ഡന്നോ പറഞ്ഞു. "നീ പ്രത്യേകിച്ചാരെങ്കിലുമായ് ചങ്ങാത്തമുണ്ടാക്കുന്നത് ഞാൻ കണ്ടിരുന്നില്ല."        "നീയോ?" അവനോട് തിരിച്ചൊരു ചോദ്യമുണ്ടായി.                                                     "ഞാൻ ധാന്യമണിയുമായ് ചങ്ങാത്തമുണ്ടാക്കിയല്ലോ."                                         "എനിക്കത് വിശ്വസിക്കാൻ വയ്യ," പീവീ പറഞ്ഞു. "പെൺകുട്ടികളുമായ് കളിച്ചതിന് നീ നിൻ്റെ ഉറ്റചങ്ങാതി ഗങ്കിയുമായ് പോലും വഴക്കടിച്ചവനല്ലേ?" "അങ്ങനെയൊന്നുമുണ്ടായില്ല!" ഡന്നോ പറഞ്ഞു. "ഗങ്കിയും ഞാനും ഇണങ്ങിയല്ലോ. ഇനിമുതൽ ഞാനും ഗങ്കിയും പെൺകുട്ടികൾക്കൊപ്പം ഇഷ്ടം പോലെ കളിക്കും."                                                                                                               "അപ്പോപ്പിന്നെ നീ മുമ്പെന്ത് കൊണ്ട് അവർക്കൊപ്പം കളിച്ചില്ലാ?" ഡെയ്‌സിയാണ് അത് ചോദിച്ചത്.                                                                                            "മുമ്പെനിക്ക് അത്ര ബുദ്ധിയില്ലായിരുന്നു. ആൾക്കാരെന്നെ കളിയാക്കുമെന്ന പേടിയുണ്ടായിരുന്നു."                                                                                                                   "ഇപ്പോഴും നിനക്ക് പേടിയാണ്," പീവി പറഞ്ഞു.                                                           "ഇല്ല! നിനക്ക് വിശ്വാസമില്ലെങ്കിൽ ഇപ്പൊ ഞാൻ നിൻ്റെ കൂടെ കളിക്കാം; വേണോ? ആരെങ്കിലും നമ്മളെ കളിയാക്കിയാൽ ഞാനവൻ്റെ മൂക്കിടിച്ച് പരത്തും."                                                                                                                                           "നല്ല കാര്യായി!" പീവീ പറഞ്ഞു. "എനിക്കു വേണ്ടി ആരെങ്കിലും കലഹിക്കണമെന്ന് എനിക്കുള്ളതുപോലെ."                                                                     "എന്നാ ശരി, വേണ്ട. ആരു കളിയാക്കിയാലും ഞാൻ ശ്രദ്ധിക്കാൻ പോകുന്നില്ല."

അപ്പോൾ മുതൽ അവൻ പീവിയുമായ് നല്ല ചങ്ങാത്തത്തിലായി. ആരെങ്കിലും ഒരു പെൺകുട്ടിയെ കളിയാക്കുന്നതു കണ്ടാൽ അവൻ അയാൾക്കടുത്തു പോകും: "എന്തിനാ നീ അവളെ കളിയാക്കുന്നത്? ഇനിയൊരു തവണ ഞാനിത് കാണാനിടവരരുത്! നമ്മുടെ പട്ടണത്തിൽ  ആൺകുട്ടികൾ  പെൺകുട്ടികളെ കളിയാക്കരുത്!" 

ഇത് അവനു പെൺകുട്ടികളുടെ ആദരം പിടിച്ചുപറ്റുന്നതിന് സഹായിച്ചു. അവനൊരു ഒന്നാന്തരം മൈറ്റാണെന്ന് അവർ പറയാൻ തുടങ്ങി. പെൺകുട്ടികൾ അവനെ പുകഴ്ത്തുന്നത്  മറ്റു ആൺകുട്ടികളിൽ അവനോട് അസൂയയുണ്ടാക്കി. അതിനാൽ അവരും പെൺകുട്ടികൾക്കുവേണ്ടി നിലകൊണ്ടു. അങ്ങനെ. പെൺകുട്ടികളെ കളിയാക്കുന്നതിന് ഒരറുതിയായി. പൂമ്പട്ടണത്തിൽ അത്തരമൊരു കാര്യമേ ഇല്ലെന്നായി. യദൃച്ഛയാ, ആരെങ്കിലും ഒരു പെൺകുട്ടിയുടെ മുടിപിടിച്ചു വലിച്ചാലോ, അവളോടെന്തെങ്കിലും വൃത്തികേട് പറഞ്ഞാലോ, അവനെയെല്ലാവരുംകൂടി കളിയാക്കും .... അവനൊരു മണ്ണാങ്കട്ടയാണെന്നും, പെരുമാറാൻ അറിയാത്തവനാണെന്നും പറയും. തങ്ങളുടെ കൂടെ കളിക്കാനെത്തുന്ന പെൺകുട്ടികളെ ആൺകുട്ടികൾ ആട്ടിയോടിക്കാതായി. നേരെ മറിച്ച്, അവരുടെ കളികളിൽ പങ്കു ചേരാൻ അവരെ ക്ഷണിക്കുകയുണ്ടായി. 

പൂമ്പട്ടണത്തിൽ മുളങ്കുഴലുകൾ പ്രചാരത്തിൽ വരുത്താൻ ഡുനോ തീരുമാനിച്ചു; കുറച്ചു ജലധാരകൾ ഉണ്ടാക്കാനും ... തുടക്കത്തിൽ ഓരോ തെരുവിലും ഒരെണ്ണം വീതം. കാട്ടിലേക്ക് നടന്നുപോകാൻ വെള്ളരിപ്പുഴക്കു കുറുകേ ഒരു പാലമിടാമെന്നും അവൻ നിർദ്ദേശിച്ചു. ഈ എല്ലാ ജോലികളും പെൺമൈറ്റുകളും ആൺമൈറ്റുകളും ഒന്നിച്ചാണ് ഏറ്റെടുത്തത്. രാവിലെ മുതൽ ഉച്ചവരെ അവർ പാലം പണിഞ്ഞു; വെള്ളത്തിനുള്ള പൈപ്പുകളിട്ടു;ജലധാരകൾ നിർമ്മിച്ചു. ഉച്ചതിരിഞ്ഞ് അവർ പല  കളിലുമേർപ്പെട്ടു ...  ഒളിച്ചുകളി, ഫുട്ബാൾ, വോളിബാൾ.

എന്നാൽ, ഡന്നോ ഈ കളികളിലൊന്നും ഏർപ്പെട്ടില്ല. "എനിക്ക് കളിക്കാനൊന്നും നേരമില്ല," അവൻ പറഞ്ഞു. "എനിക്ക് വായിക്കാനറിയില്ല. അച്ചടിച്ചവ മാത്രമേ എനിക്കെഴുതാനറിയൂ. എനിക്ക് വൃത്തിയായി കൈകൊണ്ടെഴുതണം. അതിനൊരു നല്ല കാരണമുണ്ട്."

അതുകൊണ്ട് ഫുട്ബാളൊന്നും കളിക്കാതെ അവൻ മേശക്കരികിലിരുന്ന് വായിച്ചു. ഒരു ദിവസം അവന് ഒരു പേജേ വായിക്കാനായുള്ളൂവെങ്കിലും, അത് തന്നെ അവനൊരു നല്ല പരിശീലനമായിരുന്നു. ചിലപ്പോൾ അവൻ രണ്ടു പേജുകൾ വായിച്ചു; ഒന്ന് അന്നേക്കും, മറ്റൊന്ന് പിറ്റേന്നേക്കും. 

വായന തീർന്നപ്പോൾ അവൻ നോട്ടുപുസ്തകമെടുത്ത് എഴുതാൻ തുടങ്ങി. അച്ചടിച്ച അക്ഷരങ്ങൾ എടുത്തുവെക്കുന്നതിനു പകരം അവൻ കൈകൊണ്ട് കൂട്ടിയെഴുതി. ആദ്യമൊക്കെ അവൻ കഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടു; കടലാസു നിറയെ ഭീകരമായ കുത്തും വരയും കോറിയിട്ടു. പക്ഷേ, താമസിയാതെ, അവന് കാര്യങ്ങൾ പിടികിട്ടി; അവനു വൃത്തിയായി വലിയ അക്ഷരങ്ങളും ചെറിയ അക്ഷരങ്ങളും എഴുതാനായി. അവനെ ഏറെ വിഷമിപ്പിച്ചത് പുള്ളികളായിരുന്നു. 

ഡന്നോ നോട്ടുപുസ്തകത്തിൽ എപ്പോഴും പുള്ളികൾ വരച്ചു. ഒരു പുള്ളിയുണ്ടാക്കിക്കഴിഞ്ഞാൽ അവനത് നക്കും. അപ്പോളാ പുള്ളികൾക്ക് വാലുണ്ടാകും. അതിനാൽ അവൻ അവയെ 'ധൂമകേതുക്കൾ' എന്നു വിളിച്ചു.  ധൂമകേതുക്കളില്ലാത്ത ഒരൊറ്റ താളും അവൻ്റെ നോട്ടുപുസ്തകത്തിലുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. എങ്കിലും, അവൻ പ്രതീക്ഷ  കൈവിട്ടില്ല. ക്ഷമയും കഠിനാദ്ധ്വാനവും ധൂമകേതുക്കളെപ്പോലും ഒഴിവാക്കാൻ സഹായിക്കുമെന്ന് അവന് അറിയാമായിരുന്നു. 

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dunno 29 cont'd

 നൂറുകണക്കിന് വർണ്ണറാന്തലുകൾ തെളിഞ്ഞു. മരങ്ങളിലും പന്തലുകളിലും അവ തിളങ്ങി വിളങ്ങി. മരങ്ങൾക്കു കീഴെയുള്ള പുല്ലുകളിലും അവിടെയുമിവിടെയുമായ് അവ ഒളിച്ചിരിപ്പുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. പുല്ലുകൾ ഏതോ നിഗൂഢമായ പ്രകാശത്താൽ പരിവേഷിതമായതുപോലെ തോന്നി. വാദ്യോപകരണത്തട്ടിൻ്റെ കീഴ്ഭാഗം മനോഹരമായ ഒരു നീലത്തിരശ്ശീല കൊണ്ടു മറച്ചിരുന്നു.  പൊടുന്നനെ ആ തിരശ്ശീല നീങ്ങി; ഒരു രംഗവേദി പ്രത്യക്ഷമായി. 

ബ്ലോസം എന്ന കവയിത്രി വേദിയിൽ വന്നു വിളിച്ചു പറഞ്ഞു: "എല്ലാവരും ഒന്ന് മിണ്ടാതിരിക്കൂ. കച്ചേരി ആരംഭിക്കുകയായി. ഒന്നു മൗനമായിരിക്കൂ."

മൈറ്റുകൾ വേദിക്ക് മുമ്പിലെ ബെഞ്ചുകളിൽ ഇരുന്നു; കച്ചേരിക്കായി കാത്തുനിന്നു. 

"മിണ്ടാതെ," ബ്ലോസം വീണ്ടും വിളിച്ചു കൂവി. "പരിപാടിയിലെ ആദ്യത്തെ ഇനം എൻ്റേതാണ്. ഞാനെൻ്റെ ഏറ്റവും പുതിയ കവിത വായിക്കുന്നതാണ്. സൗഹൃദത്തെക്കുറിച്ചാണ് കവിത."

മൈറ്റുകൾ കരഘോഷം മുഴക്കി. കയ്യടി നിലച്ചപ്പോൾ ട്രിൽസ് തൻ്റെ കുറുവടി ഉയർത്തി. സംഗീതോപകരണങ്ങൾ ഉണർന്നു. സംഗീതത്തിനൊപ്പം ബ്ലോസം തൻ്റെ കവിത ആലപിച്ചു. അവളെഴുതിയ മറ്റു കവിതകളെപ്പോലെതന്നെ നന്നായിരുന്ന ആ കവിത ഇങ്ങനെ അവസാനിച്ചു: "സൗഹൃദമാണ് സന്തോഷത്തിനാസ്പദം. നാമെന്നും നല്ല സുഹൃത്തുക്കളായിരിക്കണം." എല്ലാവർക്കും കവിത ഇഷ്ടമായി. 

അതു കഴിഞ്ഞ് ചില നൃത്തങ്ങൾ അരങ്ങേറി. നാടകൾ കൊണ്ടലങ്കരിച്ച വിവിധ നിറങ്ങളിലുള്ള നേരിയ ഫ്രോക്കുകളിട്ട പന്ത്രണ്ടു പെൺകുട്ടികൾ നിരവധി നൃത്തങ്ങൾ അവതരിപ്പിച്ചു. അതിലേറ്റവും ജനപ്രീതി നേടിയത് 'മധുരമുള്ളങ്കി' നൃത്തമായിരുന്നു. കരഘോഷം മുഴക്കിയ പ്രേക്ഷകർ അതു 'വീണ്ടും' വേണമെന്നാവശ്യപ്പെട്ടതിനാൽ, അതു രണ്ടുവട്ടം കൂടി  അരങ്ങേറി. അതു കഴിഞ്ഞ്, പട്ടം പട്ടണത്തിലെ ആൺമൈറ്റുകളുടെ ഒരു ഗായകസംഘം ചില പാട്ടുകൾ പാടി. അവരുടെ പാട്ടുകൾ തീർന്നയുടനെ ട്രിൽസ് വേദിയിലേക്ക് കയറി വിളിച്ചു പറഞ്ഞു: "വരിക, വരിക ചങ്ങാതിമാരേ, വേദിയിലേക്കു വരിക."

ഡുനോയും, സ്വിഫ്റ്റിയും, ഡോ. പിൽമനും, ഡുനോയുടെ മറ്റു മിത്രങ്ങളും വേദിയിലേക്കു കുതിച്ചു. 

"എല്ലാവരുമൊന്ന് ശ്രദ്ധിക്കുക!" ട്രിൽസ് വിളിച്ചു പറഞ്ഞു. "ഇനി നിങ്ങൾ കേൾക്കാൻ പോകുന്നത് പൂമ്പട്ടണത്തിലെ ഗായകസംഘത്തെയാണ്."

അവൻ തൻ്റെ പുല്ലാങ്കുഴൽ വായിക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങി. പൂമ്പട്ടണത്തിലെ ആൺ കുട്ടികളെല്ലാം പോസി എഴുതിയ പച്ചത്തുള്ളനെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള ഒരു പാട്ടു പാടി:

"നീലച്ചിറകുള്ള, മഞ്ഞക്കണ്ണുള്ള പച്ചത്തുള്ളൻ                                                                   ഒരു പുൽക്കൊടിമേലെ  പാറി വീണു.                                                                     അവനോ ആ പുൽക്കൊടിതിന്നില്ല;                                                                               സ്വന്തം ചങ്ങാതി വണ്ടിനെ തടഞ്ഞില്ല;                                                                      ശലഭത്തെയൊന്നിനേം തൊട്ടില്ല;                                                                                                ഒരു ശലഭത്തെയും തൊട്ടില്ല.  

അപ്പോഴതായൊരു മരത്തവള                                                                                അവിടേക്കു തുള്ളിത്തുള്ളി വന്നു.                                                                              ആർത്തിപിടിച്ചൊരാ ജന്തു തിന്നു                                                                                                വണ്ടിൻ്റെ സ്വന്തം ചങ്ങാതിയെ;                                                                                        വണ്ടിൻ്റെ പൊന്നു ചങ്ങാതിയെ. 

നല്ല പെരുമാറ്റമുള്ളൊരാൾക്ക്                                                                                                   ഇത്തരമന്ത്യമുചിതമാണോ?                                                                                 ഇത്തരമന്ത്യമുചിതമാണോ?" 

പാടിയവർ തന്നെ വല്ലാതെ കരഞ്ഞുപോകുന്നത്ര സങ്കടമുള്ള പാട്ടായിരുന്നൂ അത്. ആർത്തി പിടിച്ച മരത്തവള തിന്ന പാവം പച്ചത്തുള്ളനെയോർത്ത് അവർ ഖേദിച്ചു. എല്ലാ കവിളുകളിലൂടെയും കണ്ണീർ ധാരയായ് ഒഴുകി. 

"എത്ര നല്ലൊരു പച്ചത്തുള്ളനായിരുന്നു!" സ്കാറ്റർബ്രെയിനിന് തൊണ്ടയിടറി. 

"ഒരീച്ചയെപ്പോലും തൊട്ടിരുന്നില്ല; വണ്ടിൻ്റെ ചങ്ങാതിയുമായിരുന്നു!" സ്വിഫ്റ്റി വിതുമ്പി.

"എന്നിട്ടൊടുവിലോ, ഒരു മരത്തവളക്കിരയായി," ബെൻഡം തേങ്ങി. 

സംഗതി സ്പർശിക്കാതിരുന്ന ഒരേയൊരാൾ ഡുനോ ആയിരുന്നു.

"കരയാതെ, കൂട്ടുകാരേ," അവൻ സമാശ്വസിപ്പിച്ചു. "മരത്തവള ശരിക്കും തിന്നത് പച്ചത്തുള്ളനെയല്ല, ഈച്ചയെയാണ്. സത്യമായിട്ടും."

"അങ്ങനെയെങ്കിൽ ഈച്ചയെയോർത്ത് ഞാൻ ഖേദിക്കുന്നു," ബെൻഡം കരഞ്ഞു.

"ഒരീച്ചയെയോർത്ത് നീയെന്തിന് ഖേദിക്കണം? പൊതുവേ ശല്യക്കാരനും വ്യാധി പരത്തുന്നവനുമാണ് ഈച്ച. ഒരീച്ചയെ ഓർത്ത് കരയുക മണ്ടത്തരം തന്നെ."

"ഈച്ചയെ ഓർത്തല്ല ഞാൻ കരയുന്നത്," ഗ്രംപ്സ് പറഞ്ഞു. "നാട്ടിൽ നമ്മൾ പാടിനടന്നത് ആ പാട്ടോർമ്മിപ്പിച്ചതുകൊണ്ടാണ്."

തീരെ പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കാതെ ഡന്നോ ഉച്ചത്തിൽ തേങ്ങിക്കരഞ്ഞു. മറ്റെല്ലാവരും കരച്ചിൽ നിർത്തി അവനെ ആശ്വസിപ്പിക്കാൻ തുനിഞ്ഞു. പ്രശ്നമെന്തെന്ന് പറയാൻ അവരെല്ലാവരും അവനോട് യാചിച്ചു. ഒടുവിലവൻ വിക്കി വിക്കി പറഞ്ഞു:

"എനിക്ക് ... എനിക്ക് ... ഗങ്കിയെ കാണണം."

"എങ്ങനെയിരിക്കുന്നൂ?" എല്ലാവരും അത്ഭുതപ്പെട്ടു. "ഗങ്കിയെക്കുറിച്ച് യാതൊരു ചിന്തയുമില്ലാതിരുന്ന ഇവനിപ്പോ അവനു വേണ്ടി കരയുന്നു."

"എനിക്കൊരു ചിന്തയുമില്ല, അല്ലെ?" ഡന്നോ പരിഭവിച്ചു. "ഞാനിവിടെയും ഗങ്കിയവിടെയുമായിരിക്കുന്നത്  ഭംഗിയാണെന്നാണോ കരുതുന്നത്?"

"നീയില്ലാതെ ഗങ്കി ചാകത്തൊന്നുമില്ല," സ്വിഫ്റ്റി പറഞ്ഞു. 

"എനിക്കവനില്ലാതെ എത്ര വിഷമമുണ്ടോ അത്ര വിഷമം അവനുമുണ്ട്. എൻ്റെ ഉറ്റ ചങ്ങാതിയാണവൻ. ഞാൻ പോന്നപ്പോൾ എനിക്കവനോട് യാത്രപറയാൻ പോലും  പറ്റിയിരുന്നില്ല."

"എന്തേ യാത്ര പറഞ്ഞില്ലാ?"

"ഞാനവനോട് വഴിക്കിട്ടിരുന്നു. അതു കൊണ്ട് യാത്ര പറഞ്ഞില്ല. നമ്മൾ യാത്രയപ്പോൾ അവൻ എന്നെത്തന്നെ നോക്കികൈവീശിക്കൊണ്ടിരുന്നു.  ഞാനോ, കരുതിക്കൂട്ടി തലതിരിച്ചു. അവനു നേരെ നോക്കിയതേയില്ല. ബലൂണിൽ പോകുന്നതിലുള്ള അഹങ്കാരമായിരുന്നൂ എനിക്ക്. ഇപ്പൊ എന്നെ എൻ്റെ അത് , എന്താ അത്, വേദനിപ്പിക്കുന്നു."

"മന:സാക്ഷി?" ഡോ. പിൽമൻ അവൻ്റെ സഹായത്തിനെത്തി. 

"അതന്നെ --- മന:സാക്ഷി. അവനോട് യാത്ര പറഞ്ഞിരുന്നെങ്കിൽ, എനിക്കു സമാധാനമായിരുന്നേനെ. നമുക്ക് വീട്ടിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങാം. ഗങ്കിയോടെല്ലാം പറഞ്ഞു തീർത്ത് അവനോട് ഗുഡ് ബൈ പറയാം."

"വീട്ടിലേക്കു മടങ്ങിയാൽ അവനോട് ഗുഡ് ബൈയല്ല,  ഹലോയാണ് പറയേണ്ടി വരിക," ഡുനോ പറഞ്ഞു. 

"ആദ്യം ഗുഡ് ബൈ. പിന്നെ. ഹലോ. അപ്പൊ കാര്യങ്ങളൊക്കെ ശരിയാകും." 

"വീട്ടിലേക്കു മടങ്ങേണ്ടി വരുമെന്നാണ് തോന്നുന്നത്, കൂട്ടുകാരേ," ട്രിൽസ് പറഞ്ഞു. "ഡന്നോയ്ക്ക് ഗൃഹാതുരത്വം പിടിപെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു."

"ഞാനും നാട്ടിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങാൻ ഏറെ വൈകിയിരിക്കുന്നു," ഡോ. പിൽമൻ പറഞ്ഞു. "ഞാനില്ലാതിരിക്കേ പൂമ്പട്ടണത്തിൽ ആർക്കെങ്കിലും രോഗമുണ്ടായാലോ?"

"ഏതു ശുഭകാര്യവും ഒരിക്കലവസാനിക്കണമല്ലൊ ," ഡുനോ പറഞ്ഞു. "എപ്പോഴായാലും വീട്ടിലേക്ക് പോയല്ലേ പറ്റൂ. അപ്പൊ, അതു നാളെത്തന്നെയാകട്ടെ."

നൃത്തവിരുന്നിനൊടുവിൽ ധാന്യമണി ഡന്നോയെ സമീപിച്ചു. 

"അപ്പൊ നിങ്ങൾ പോവുകയാണല്ലേ?" അവൾ സങ്കടത്തോടെ ചോദിച്ചു. 

"ഉവ്വ്. പോകാൻ കാലമായി."

"നിങ്ങൾ വന്നിട്ട് അധികനാളായില്ല."

"എനിക്കും കൂടുതൽ നാളുകൾ ഇവിടെ നിൽക്കണമെന്നുണ്ട്. പക്ഷേ, എനിക്കും വീട്ടിൽ പോകണമെന്നുണ്ട്," അവൻ തല താഴ്ത്തിക്കൊണ്ട് പറഞ്ഞു. 

ഒരു നിമിഷം ധാന്യമണി ഒന്നും പറഞ്ഞില്ല. 

"നിങ്ങൾക്ക് വീട്ടിൽപ്പോകാൻ കാലമായെന്നത് ശരി തന്നെ, " അവൾ ഒടുവിലൊരു നിശ്വാസമുതിർത്തു. "നിങ്ങളുടെ ചങ്ങാതിമാർക്ക് നിങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ച് ആധിയുണ്ടാകും. നിങ്ങൾ നിങ്ങളുടെ ചങ്ങാതിമാരെ മറക്കാതിരിക്കുന്നത് ഒരു നല്ല കാര്യം തന്നെ."

രണ്ടുപേരും പിന്നെ മിണ്ടാതായി. ഡന്നോവിന് ചിലത് പറയാനുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. പക്ഷേ, വാക്കുകൾ അവൻ്റെ തൊണ്ടയിൽ കുരുങ്ങി. അവൻ മടമ്പു കൊണ്ട് മണ്ണിൽ കുഴിച്ചു; ധാന്യമണിയെ നോക്കാൻ കെൽപ്പില്ലാതെ കണ്ണുകൾ നിലത്തുറപ്പിച്ചു. അവൻ്റെ കണ്ണുകളിലെ കണ്ണുനീർ അവൾ കാണുമെന്ന് അവൻ ഭയന്നു. ഒടുവിൽ അവൻ തലയുയർത്തി. അവരുടെ കണ്ണുകൾ പരസ്പരം സന്ധിച്ചു. 

"നിനക്ക് ഞാനൊരു സഞ്ചിയുണ്ടാക്കി തന്നാലോ?" അവൾ ചോദിച്ചു.

"ഉണ്ടാക്കൂ."

അടുത്ത ദിവസം ഡുനോയും ചങ്ങാതിമാരും യാത്രയായി. നടന്നുപോകാനാണ് അവർ തീരുമാനിച്ചത്. ബലൂൺ പൊട്ടിപ്പോയിരുന്നല്ലോ. അതു നേരെയാക്കുക കഠിനമായിരുന്നേനെ. പോരാത്തതിന്, കാറ്റും അവർക്കെതിരായിരുന്നു. വടക്കുനോക്കി യന്ത്രവുമായി ഡുനോ മുന്നിൽ നടന്നു. അവനു പിറകിൽ ഡോ. പിൽമൻ. അദ്ദേഹത്തിനു പിറകിൽ ബെൻഡമും, ട്വിസ്റ്റമും മറ്റുള്ളവരും. ഏറ്റവുമൊടുവിൽ ഡന്നോ. 

അവരുടെയെല്ലാം ചുമലുകളിൽ ഗ്രീൻവില്ലിലെ പെൺകുട്ടികൾ ഉണ്ടാക്കിയ സഞ്ചികളുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. അവയിൽ പാഥേയമായി ബണ്ണുകൾ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; ഒപ്പം, പൂമ്പട്ടണത്തിൽ  കിട്ടാത്ത പൂക്കളുടെയും, പച്ചക്കറികളുടെയും, പഴങ്ങളുടെയും  വിത്തുകളും. ട്രീക്ലി സ്വീറ്റർ തൻ്റെ ഓരോ കീശയിലും ഓരോ തണ്ണിമത്തൻ വിത്തു വീതം കരുതിയിരുന്നു. 

ഗ്രീൻവില്ലിലെ എല്ലാ പെൺകുട്ടികളും അവരെ യാത്രയയക്കാനെത്തിയിരുന്നു. അവരിൽ പലരും കരയുകയായിരുന്നു. 

"കരയരുത്," ഡുനോ പറഞ്ഞു. "ഇനിയൊരു ദിവസം ഞങ്ങൾ മറ്റൊരു ബലൂണുണ്ടാക്കി നിങ്ങളെ കാണാൻ തിരികെ വരും."

"വസന്തത്തിൽ വരണം; ആപ്പിൾ മരങ്ങൾ പൂക്കുമ്പോൾ," പെൺകുട്ടികൾ വിളിച്ചു പറഞ്ഞു. "വസന്തത്തിൽ ഇവിടം മനോഹരമാണ്."

പട്ടണത്തിൻ്റെ അതിരിലെത്തിയപ്പോൾ പെൺകുട്ടികൾ നിന്നു. ഉയരമുള്ള          പുല്ലുകളുടെയും കാട്ടുപൂക്കളുടെയും ഇടയിലൂടെ വളഞ്ഞു പോകുന്ന വഴിയിലൂടെ ആൺകുട്ടികൾ യാത്ര തുടർന്നു. 

"ഗുഡ് ബൈ, ഗുഡ് ബൈ!" പെൺമൈറ്റുകൾ കൈവീശി വിളിച്ചു പറഞ്ഞു. 

"ഗുഡ് ബൈ!" ആൺമൈറ്റുകൾ തിരിച്ചു പറഞ്ഞു. 

ധാന്യമണിയാകട്ടെ ഒച്ചയില്ലാതെ കൈവീശുകയായിരുന്നു. താമസിയാതെ ആൺമൈറ്റുകൾ അതിദൂരത്തായി. ഗ്രീൻവില്ലിലെ തങ്ങളുടെ ചങ്ങാതിമാരുടെ സ്വരം അവർക്ക് കേൾക്കാതായി. 

"ഡന്നോ! ഡന്നോ!" പൊടുന്നനെ ധാന്യമണി വിളിച്ചു. 

ഡന്നോ തിരിഞ്ഞു നിന്നു. 

"എഴുതാൻ മറക്കല്ലേ!"

ഡന്നോ തലകുലുക്കി; തൻ്റെ തൊപ്പി വീശി.

"ഓ, അവനെന്നെ കേട്ടിരിക്കുന്നൂ ," ധാന്യമണി സന്തോഷത്തോടെ വിളിച്ചുപറഞ്ഞു. 

വിളംബം വിനാ യാത്രികർ ഭൂപ്രദേശത്ത് വെറും പൊട്ടുകളായ് മാറി. പിന്നീടവർ റോഡിലെ ഒരു വളവു തിരിഞ്ഞ് അപ്രത്യക്ഷരായി. എല്ലാവർക്കും വലിയ സങ്കടമായി. 

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dunno 29

നൃത്തവിരുന്ന്  

ഈ നേരത്ത് സംഗീതകാരന്മാർ ഉന്മേഷമാർന്ന ഒരു സ്വരമുയർത്തി; എല്ലാവരും നൃത്തം തുടങ്ങുകയും ചെയ്തു. ഇരുണ്ട മുടിയുള്ള മിന്നിക്കൊപ്പം സ്വിഫ്റ്റി കറങ്ങിക്കറങ്ങി നീങ്ങി. ഡുനോ ചുവടു വച്ചത് ഹിമബിന്ദുവിനൊപ്പമാണ്; ഗ്രംപ്സ് ബേഡിക്കൊപ്പവും.  എലാറ്റിലും വച്ച് അത്ഭുതകരമായത്, ഡോ. പിൽമൻ തേന്മൊഴിക്കൊപ്പം ചുവടു വെച്ചതാണ്. നേരായിട്ടും! സത്യമായിട്ടും! നൃത്തവിരുന്നിന് തേന്മൊഴിയെത്തിയത് വിചിത്രമെന്നേ പറയാവൂ. തൻ്റെ പതിവു വെള്ള ളോഹക്കു പകരം അവർ ധരിച്ചിരുന്നത് പൂക്കളുള്ള മനോഹരമായ ഒരുടുപ്പായിരുന്നു. ആശുപത്രിയിൽ വച്ച് എല്ലാവരോടും പരുഷമായ് കൽപ്പിക്കാറുള്ള അതേ തേന്മൊഴിയാണ് ഇതെന്ന് ആർക്കും മനസ്സിലാകില്ലായിരുന്നു. മുഖത്തൊരു മന്ദസ്മിതവും, ഡോ . പിൽമൻ്റെ ചുമലിലൊരു കയ്യും വച്ച് അവർ വട്ടം കറങ്ങി ചുവടു വെച്ചു.

"ഞങ്ങളുടെ ചികിത്സയാണ് നിങ്ങളുടേതിനേക്കാൾ മെച്ചമെന്ന് നിങ്ങൾ സമ്മതിച്ചേ പറ്റൂ," അവർ അദ്ദേഹത്തിൻ്റെ കാതുകളിൽ മന്ത്രിച്ചു. "ഏതു മുറിവിനും, ചതവിനും, പോറലിനും, പൊള്ളലിനും, എന്തിന് പഴുപ്പിനു പോലും തേനാണ് ഏറ്റവും നല്ലത്. തേനൊരു നല്ല അണുനാശിനിയാണ്. അത്‌ വ്രണം പഴുക്കുന്നത് തടയും."

"എനിക്ക് താങ്കളോട് വിയോജിക്കേണ്ടി വരും," ഡോ. പിൽമൻ പറഞ്ഞു. "മുറിവുകളും, പോറലുകളും, പൊള്ളലുകളുമെല്ലാം ചികിത്സിക്കേണ്ടത് അയഡിൻ കൊണ്ടാണ്. അയഡിനും വീര്യമുള്ളൊരു അണുനാശിനിയാണ്. അതും പഴുപ്പിനെ തടയുന്നതാണ്."

"പക്ഷേ, നിങ്ങളുടെയീ അയഡിൻ ചർമ്മത്തെ പൊള്ളിക്കുന്നതാണെന്ന് നിങ്ങൾക്ക് നിഷേധിക്കാനാകുമോ? എന്നാൽ, ഞങ്ങുടെ തേനോ, ഒട്ടും വേദനയുണ്ടാക്കുന്നതല്ല."

"താങ്കളുടെ തേൻ പെൺമൈറ്റുകളെ ചികിത്സിക്കുന്നതിന് കൊള്ളാമെന്ന് ഞാൻ നിഷേധിക്കുന്നില്ല. പക്ഷേ, അത് ആൺമൈറ്റുകളെ ചികിത്സിക്കുന്നതിന് പറ്റിയേക്കില്ല."  

"അതെന്താ, അങ്ങനെ?" തേന്മൊഴി ചോദിച്ചു.

"തേൻകൊണ്ടുള്ള ചികിത്സ വേദനയില്ലാത്തതാണെന്നല്ലേ താങ്കൾ തന്നെ ഇപ്പോൾ പറഞ്ഞത്?"

"ചികിത്സ വേദനയുള്ളതാകണമെന്നാണോ നിങ്ങളുടെ അഭിപ്രായം?"

"അതെ," ഡോ. പിൽമൻ പറഞ്ഞു. "ഒരാൺമൈറ്റ് വേലി ചാടി കാലു 

പോറിയാൽ, ആ കാലിൽ അയഡിൻ പുരട്ടണം. വേലി ചാടുന്നത് അപകടമാണെന്ന് അതു വഴി അവനറിയണം. പിന്നീടൊരിക്കലും അവനങ്ങനെ ചെയ്യില്ല."

"അപ്പോഴവൻ മേൽക്കൂരയിൽക്കയറി താഴെ വീണ് തല പൊളിക്കും," തേന്മൊഴി പറഞ്ഞു. 

"അപ്പൊ അവൻ്റെ തലയിൽ അയഡിൻ പുരട്ടണം. മേൽക്കൂരയിൽ കയറുന്നതും അപകടകരമാണെന്ന് അപ്പൊ അവന് മനസ്സിലാകും . വലിയ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസപ്രാധാന്യമുള്ളതാണ് അയഡിൻ."

"ഒരു ഡോക്റ്റർക്ക് മുഖ്യം യാതന ലഘൂകരിക്കലാണ്; അല്ലാതെ,  

വിദ്യാഭ്യാസമല്ല," തേന്മൊഴി പറഞ്ഞു. "നിങ്ങളുടെ അയഡിൻ യാതന കൂട്ടുക മാത്രമാണ് ചെയ്യുന്നത്." 

"ഒരു ഡോക്റ്റർ എല്ലാ കാര്യങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ചും ആലോചിക്കേണ്ടതുണ്ട്," ഡോ. പിൽമൻ പറഞ്ഞു. "പെൺകുട്ടികളെ മാത്രമാണ് ചികിത്സിക്കുന്നതെങ്കിൽ ചിന്തിക്കാനൊന്നുമില്ലെന്നത് ശരിയാണ്. എന്നാൽ, ആൺകുട്ടികളെയാണെങ്കിൽ ---"

"നമുക്കീ വിഷയം മാറ്റാം," തേന്മൊഴി പറഞ്ഞു. "നിങ്ങൾക്കൊപ്പം നൃത്തം ചെയ്യാൻ തീരെ പറ്റില്ല."

"താങ്കൾക്കൊപ്പമാണ് നൃത്തം ചെയ്യാൻ തീരെ പറ്റാത്തത്."

"കുറച്ചുകൂടി മര്യാദയാകാം."

"അറിവില്ലായ്മക്കടുത്ത് മര്യാദ പാലിക്കാൻ പ്രയാസമാണ്."

"നിങ്ങളാണ് അറിവില്ലാത്തവൻ. നിങ്ങളൊരു ഡോക്റ്ററേയല്ല. വെറും മുറിവൈദ്യൻ." 

"താങ്കളൊരു ... താങ്കളൊരു ...," ഡോ. പിൽമന് ദേഷ്യം കൊണ്ട് ഒന്നും പറയാൻ വയ്യാതായി. കരയിൽ പിടിച്ചിട്ട മീനിനെപ്പോലെ വായ അടച്ചും തുറന്നും അദ്ദേഹം വേദിയുടെ നടുക്കങ്ങനെ നിന്നു. മറ്റു ജോഡികൾ അവരിൽ വന്നിടിക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങി. തേന്മൊഴി കാലു തെന്നി വീണുവീണില്ലാ എന്നായി. 

"എന്തു കുന്തത്തിനാണ് നിങ്ങളിവിടെയിങ്ങനെ നിൽക്കുന്നത്?" തേന്മൊഴി അദ്ദേഹത്തിൻ്റെ കുപ്പായക്കൈ പിടിച്ചു വലിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് പറഞ്ഞു. "നൃത്തമാടൂ. നാം മറ്റുള്ളവരുടെ വഴി മുടക്കുകയാണ്."

ആശയറ്റ രീതിയിൽ കൈവീശി, ഡോ. പിൽമൻ വേദിക്കു താഴേക്ക് ചുവട് വച്ചു കറങ്ങി. ആദ്യമൊക്കെ അവർ മിണ്ടാതെ നൃത്തം ചെയ്തു. പക്ഷേ, താമസം വിനാ അവർ വീണ്ടും വഴക്കടിച്ചു. 

ഫ്ലഫിൻ്റെ കൂടെയാണ് റോളിപോളി ചുവടു വച്ചത്. അവരുടെ വർത്തമാനം തീർത്തും വ്യത്യസ്തമായിരുന്നു.  

"നിനക്ക് ബോൺ-ബോൺ ഇഷ്ടമാണോ?" റോളിപോളി ചോദിച്ചു.

"ഒരു പാട്," ഫ്ലഫി പറഞ്ഞു.  "നിനക്കോ?"

"ഉവ്വല്ലോ. പക്ഷേ, എനിക്ക് ഫ്രഞ്ച് കേക്കാണ് കൂടുതൽ പഥ്യം."

"എനിക്കെല്ലാറ്റിലും വച്ച് ഐസ്‌ക്രീമാണ് ഇഷ്ടം."

ചിപ്പിക്കൊപ്പമായിരുന്നു ബെൻഡമിൻ്റെ നൃത്തം. 

"എനിക്ക് കാറൊന്നോടിക്കാൻ പഠിച്ചാൽ കൊള്ളാമായിരുന്നു," ചിപ്പി പറഞ്ഞു. "എൻ്റെ കൂട്ടുകാരിൽ പലർക്കും ഓടിക്കാനറിയാം. അതുകൊണ്ട് എനിക്കുമത് പഠിക്കാൻ പറ്റുമെന്നാണെൻ്റെ വിചാരം. 

"സംഗതി വളരെ എളുപ്പമാണ്," ബെൻഡം പറഞ്ഞു. "ഇഗ്നീഷ്യൻ തിരിച്ച്, ഗിയറിട്ടശേഷം, ആക്സിലറേറ്ററിൽ കാലമർത്തുകയേ വേണ്ടൂ ..."

ധാന്യമണിക്കൊപ്പമാണ് ഡന്നോ നൃത്തം ചെയ്തത്. സത്യത്തിൽ അവനല്ല, അവളാണ് നൃത്തമാടിയത്. അവനൊരു കൊറ്റനാടിനെപ്പോലെ തുള്ളുകയും, അവളുടെ കാൽവിരലുകളിൽ ചവിട്ടുകയും, മറ്റുള്ളവരുമായ് കൂട്ടിമുട്ടുകയുമാണുണ്ടായത്. അവൾക്കത് തീരെ സഹിക്കാൻ പറ്റാതായപ്പോൾ ധാന്യമണി അവനോട് പറഞ്ഞു:

"ഈയൊരു ചുവട് നൃത്തം വിട്ടുകളഞ്ഞ് നമുക്കെവിടെയെങ്കിലുമിരിക്കാം."

അവരൊരു ബെഞ്ചിൽപ്പോയിരുന്നു. 

"എനിക്ക് നൃത്തനംചെയ്യാനേ അറിയില്ല, " ഡന്നോ സമ്മതിച്ചു. 

"നീ അത് പറഞ്ഞു കേട്ടതിൽ സന്തോഷം," ധാന്യമണി പറഞ്ഞു. "മറ്റൊരു ആൺകുട്ടിയാണെങ്കിൽ വല്ല ഒഴിവുകഴിവും പറഞ്ഞേനെ --- തലവേദനയെന്നോ, കാൽകഴക്കുന്നെന്നോ മറ്റോ. നീ നിനക്ക് നൃത്തം ചെയ്യാനറിയില്ലെന്ന് സത്യസന്ധമായ് പറഞ്ഞു. നിന്നോടെനിക്ക് കൂട്ട് കൂടാൻ പറ്റുമെന്ന് തോന്നുന്നു."

"തീർച്ചയായും പറ്റും."

"എനിക്ക് ആൺചങ്ങാതിമാർ വേണമെന്നുണ്ട്," ധാന്യമണി പറഞ്ഞു. "പെൺകുട്ടികളെ എനിക്കിഷ്ടമല്ല. അവർ എപ്പൊ നോക്കിയാലും കണ്ണാടിയുടെ മുമ്പിലാണ്. തങ്ങൾ കാണാനെങ്ങനെയിരിക്കുന്നുവെന്നതിനെക്കുറിച്ചു മാത്രമേ അവർക്ക് ചിന്തയുള്ളൂ."

"കണ്ണാടിക്കു മുമ്പിൽ നിൽക്കാൻ ചില ആൺകുട്ടികൾക്കും ഇഷ്ടമാണ്," ഡന്നോ  പറഞ്ഞു. 

"നീയങ്ങനെയല്ല, ഉവ്വോ?"

"ഹേയ് , അല്ലല്ല!" ഡന്നോ പറഞ്ഞു. (അത് തീർത്തും നേരായിരുന്നില്ല. ആരും കാണാത്തപ്പോൾ, അവനും സ്വയം കണ്ണാടിയിൽ നോക്കാറുണ്ട്. താൻ കാണാനെങ്ങനെ ഇരിക്കുന്നുവെന്നതിനെക്കുറിച്ച് അവനും ഒരു പാട് ചിന്തിക്കാറുണ്ട്. പക്ഷേ, നേര് പറഞ്ഞാൽ, എല്ലാ ആൺകുട്ടികളും അങ്ങനെത്തന്നെയാണ്.)

"നീ അങ്ങനെയല്ലാത്തതിൽ എനിക്ക് സന്തോഷമുണ്ട്," ധാന്യമണി പറഞ്ഞു. "നമുക്ക് രണ്ടാൾക്കും അപ്പൊ ചങ്ങാതിമാരാകാം, അല്ലേ? നമുക്ക് പരസ്പരം കത്തുകളെഴുതാം. ആദ്യം നീ എനിക്കെഴുതണം. പിന്നെ ഞാൻ നിനക്കെഴുതാം." 

"കുടുങ്ങി," ഡന്നോ സ്വയം വിചാരിച്ചു. അവന് എഴുതാനറിയില്ലല്ലോ. അത് ധാന്യമണി കണ്ടുപിടിക്കുന്നത് അവന് വല്ലാത്ത കുറച്ചിലാണ് താനും. 

"നമ്മളെന്തിന് കത്തുകളെഴുതണം?" അവൻ അസ്വസ്ഥനായ് പിറുപിറുത്തു. "നമ്മളത്ര ദൂരത്തൊന്നുമല്ലല്ലോ താമസം? നമുക്ക് വർത്താനം പറയാലോ."

"എന്തൊരു അരസികനാണ് നീ, ഡന്നോ!" ധാന്യമണി പറഞ്ഞു. "ഞാൻ പറയുന്നതൊന്നും ചെയ്യാൻ നിനക്ക് താൽപ്പര്യമില്ല. കത്തുകിട്ടുകയെന്നത് എത്ര രസകരമാണെന്ന് നിനക്കറിയില്ല!"

"എന്നാ, ശരി," ഡന്നോ  പറഞ്ഞു. "ഞാൻ നിനക്കെഴുതാം."

താമസിയാതെ ഇരുട്ട് പടർന്നു. 

(29 തുടരും)

dunno 28

ഡന്നോയെ മാപ്പാക്കുന്നു.  

അടുത്ത ദിവസമായിരുന്നു ദീർഘകാലമായ് അവർ കാത്തിരുന്ന നൃത്തവിരുന്ന്. പ്രസാദമാർന്ന പന്തലുകൾ നൃത്തവേദിയെ ചൂഴ്ന്നു നിന്നു. അവ യക്ഷിക്കഥകളിലെ വീടുകളെപ്പോലെ തിളക്കമുള്ളവയും വർണ്ണപ്പകിട്ടാർന്നവയുമായിരുന്നു. വർണ്ണക്കൊടികളും റാന്തലുകളും കോർത്തിട്ട ചരടുകൾ  നൃത്തവേദിക്കു കുറുകെ കെട്ടിയിട്ടിരുന്നു. മരങ്ങളിൽ തൂങ്ങി നിൽപ്പുണ്ടായിരുന്ന കൊടികളും റാന്തലുകളും അവയെ ക്രിസ്മസ് മരങ്ങളെന്ന് തോന്നിപ്പിച്ചു. 

പത്ത് പെൺമൈറ്റുകളുള്ള ഒരു സംഗീതസംഘം പൂക്കൾ കൊണ്ടലങ്കരിച്ച ഒരു തട്ടിനു മുകളിൽ ഇരിപ്പുറപ്പിച്ചു. ഓരോ പെൺകുട്ടിയും ഒരു വയലിൻ വായിച്ചു. ചില വയലിനുകൾ കയ്യിലൊതുങ്ങുന്നത്ര ചെറുതായിരുന്നു. മറ്റു ചില വയലിനുകൾ, ഒരൽപ്പം വലുതായതിനാൽ, മുട്ടിനു കുറുകേ വെക്കേണ്ടി വന്നു.  ഇനിയും ചിലവ നിലത്ത് കുത്തിനിർത്തേണ്ടി വന്നു. അവയിലൊരു വയലിൻ വായിക്കാൻ വേണ്ടി വാദകന്  ഒരു കൊച്ചേണി വെച്ചു കയറേണ്ടതായ് വന്നു. അത്ര വലുതായിരുന്നൂ ആ വയലിൻ.  

പട്ടംപട്ടണത്തിൽനിന്നുള്ള തങ്ങളുടെ അതിഥികളെക്കാത്ത് പെൺമൈറ്റുകൾ നൃത്തവേദിക്കു ചുറ്റും കൂടി നിന്നപ്പോൾ വൈകുന്നേരമായിട്ടുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. ആദ്യം എത്തിച്ചേർന്നത് നെയിൽസ് ആയിരുന്നു. അവൻ കുളിച്ചു, ചീകി, നല്ല വൃത്തിയുള്ള ഒരു കുപ്പായമിട്ടിരുന്നു. ഒരു മുടിച്ചുരുൾ തലയുടെ നേരെ മുകളിലേക്ക് നീണ്ടു നിന്നിരുന്നുവെന്നത് ശരി തന്നെ. പക്ഷേ, മുടിയുടെ കാര്യത്തിൽ അവനേറെ ശ്രദ്ധാലുവായിരുന്നുവെന്നത് ആർക്കും കാണാമായിരുന്നു.                                                                                                        "നീയിപ്പോ നല്ലൊരു കുഞ്ഞു മൈറ്റായി," കിറ്റി പറഞ്ഞു. "ഇങ്ങനെ വൃത്തിയും വെടിപ്പുമായിരിക്കുന്നതിൽ നിനക്കു സ്വയം സന്തോഷം തോന്നുന്നുണ്ടാകണം, അല്ലേ?"                                                                                                  "പിന്നില്ലാതെ," തൻ്റെ ഷർട്ടൊന്ന് പിടിച്ചു വലിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് നെയിൽസ് പറഞ്ഞു. 

പിന്നീട് വന്നത് ടാപ്‌സും പ്രെറ്റ്സലുമാണ്. അവർക്കു പിറകേ മറ്റുള്ളവരുമെത്തി. ആരും അവരെ ക്ഷണിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. പഴങ്ങൾ തന്നതിന് പെൺകുട്ടികൾക്ക് നന്ദി പറയാൻ എത്തിയതാണെന്നാണ് ഓരോരാളും പറഞ്ഞത്. ഉടൻ തന്നെ അവരെല്ലാം നൃത്തവിരുന്നിലേക്ക് ക്ഷണിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. 

നൃത്തവിരുന്ന് തുടങ്ങുന്നതു വരേക്കും ഡന്നോ പൂച്ചെടികൾക്കിടയിൽ ഒളിച്ചിരിക്കുക തന്നെ ചെയ്തു. അതായത്, അവൻ അവക്കിടയിൽ ഉറങ്ങി. എന്നാൽ, ആൺമൈറ്റുകളുടെ വരവിൻ്റെ ഘോഷം കേട്ടതോടെ അവൻ പുറത്തേക്കിഴഞ്ഞു വന്ന് നൃത്തവേദി നോക്കി വച്ചുപിടിച്ചു.                            "ആഹാ, നുണയനും എത്തിയല്ലോ," അവനെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ അവർ ഒച്ചവെച്ചു. "എടോ, നുണയാ, ബലൂണിൽ നീ തലകുത്തനെ സവാരി ചെയ്തതൊന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു തരാമോ?"                                                                                                                                    "അല്ലെങ്കിൽ, സ്ട്രാബറി ഐസ്ക്രീമിനു പകരം മേഘങ്ങളെ തിന്നതെങ്ങനെയെന്ന് പറ," അവനരികിലേക്ക് ഓടിക്കൊണ്ട്  റോളി പോളി കൂട്ടിച്ചേർത്തു.                                                                                                                          ഡന്നോക്ക് വല്ലാതെ നൊന്തു. നിന്നനിൽപ്പിൽ അവൻ വട്ടം കറങ്ങി നടന്നു പോയി. അവൻ്റെ ചങ്ങാതിമാർ പൊട്ടിച്ചിരിച്ച്, അവനെ തിരികേ വിളിച്ചു. എന്നാൽ, അവൻ വിളി കേൾക്കാൻ കൂട്ടാക്കിയില്ല. 

സങ്കടം കൊണ്ട് താൻ എങ്ങോട്ടാണ് പോകുന്നതെന്ന് ഡന്നോയ്ക്ക് ഒരു പിടിയുമുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. നടന്നു നടന്ന് അവൻ പട്ടണത്തിൻ്റെ അറ്റത്തെത്തി ഒരു വേലിയിൽ തലയിടിച്ചു നിന്നു. അവൻ്റെ തല വല്ലാതെ വേദനിച്ചു പോയി. മുകളിലേക്ക് നോക്കിയപ്പോൾ, അവൻ വേലിയിൽ എഴുതി വെച്ചത് കണ്ടു: "ഡന്നോ ഒരു മണ്ടനാണ്."                                                                                                അവരെന്നെപ്പറ്റി വേലിയിലും എഴുതാൻ തുടങ്ങിയിരിക്കുന്നു, വാൻ നിരാശയോടെ ചിന്തിച്ചു. ആ നേരം അവനവനോട് തോന്നിയത്ര  ഖേദം ജീവിതത്തിലിന്നേവരെ അവനു മറ്റാരോടും തോന്നിക്കാണില്ല. വേലിയിൽ ചാരിനിന്ന അവൻ്റെ കവിളിലൂടെ കണ്ണീർ ഒലിച്ചിറങ്ങി.

ഞാനെന്തൊരു പാവം, അവൻ വിചാരിച്ചു. എന്തൊരു പാവമാണ് ഞാൻ! എല്ലാർക്കും എന്നോട് പുച്ഛമാണ്.  ആർക്കും എന്നെ ഇഷ്ടമല്ല --- ലോകത്തിലാർക്കും!

വേലി ചാരി അവനവിടെ അങ്ങനെ കുറേനേരം നിന്നു. ഹൃദയം നുറുങ്ങും പോലെ കരഞ്ഞു. പൊടുന്നനെ, ആരോ തൻ്റെ ചുമലിൽ മൃദുവായ് തൊട്ടതായ് അവനു തോന്നി. ആരോ ആർദ്രതയോടെ പറയുന്നതവൻ കേട്ടു,"കരയാതെ, ഡന്നോ!"                                                                                                                                            മുകളിലേക്ക് നോക്കിയപ്പോൾ അവൻ കണ്ടതോ, ധാന്യമണിയെ.                      "കരയല്ലേ," അവൾ ആവർത്തിച്ചു.                                                                                    ഡന്നോ മുഖം തിരിച്ചു; വേലി മുറുക്കിപ്പിടിച്ചു; കൂടുതൽ കടുപ്പത്തിൽ കരഞ്ഞു. ധാന്യമണി ഒരക്ഷരം മിണ്ടാതെ അവൻ്റെ ചുമലിൽ തഴുകിക്കൊണ്ടിരുന്നു. അവളുടെ കൈ വിടുവിക്കാൻ ഡന്നോ തൻ്റെ ചുമലിളക്കി; ഒരു തൊഴിയും വച്ചുകൊടുത്തു. 

"അത്ര വഷളനാകണ്ട നീയ്യ്," അവൾ പതിവ് സൗമ്യതയോടെ പറഞ്ഞു. "നീ അങ്ങനെയൊരുവനല്ലെന്ന് എനിക്കറിയാം. നീ നല്ല നന്മയുള്ള ഒരു മൈറ്റാണ്. നീ നുണ പറഞ്ഞതും പൊങ്ങച്ചം പറഞ്ഞതുമൊക്കെ കൂടുതൽ നല്ലവനായ് കാണപ്പെടാനാണ്. എന്നാൽ, ഇനി നീ അങ്ങനെ ചെയ്യില്ല, ഉവ്വോ? ചെയ്യില്ലെന്ന് പറ."                                                                                                                                                        ഡന്നോ ഒന്നും പറഞ്ഞില്ല.                                                                                              "പറയില്ലെന്ന് പറയൂ. എത്ര നല്ലൊരു കൊച്ചു മൈറ്റാണ് നീ."                                           "അല്ല, ഞാനല്ല. ഞാൻ ചീത്തയാ."                                                                              "നിന്നേക്കാൾ വഷളന്മാർ എത്രയോ പേരുണ്ട്."                                                                       "ഇല്ല. തീരെയില്ല. ഞാനാണ് അതിവഷളൻ."                                                             "അതു നേരല്ല. നിന്നേക്കാൾ ചീത്തയായിരുന്നില്ലേ നെയിൽസ്. അവനുണ്ടാക്കിയത്ര കുഴപ്പം നീയുണ്ടാക്കിയിട്ടില്ല. എന്നിട്ടൊടുവിൽ അവനും നന്നായി. വിചാരിച്ചാൽ നിനക്കും നന്നാകാം. ഇനിയുമീ ചീത്തക്കാര്യങ്ങൾ ചെയ്യില്ലെന്ന് തീരുമാനിക്കുക. എല്ലാം പുതുപുത്തനായ് തുടങ്ങാം. പഴയ കാര്യങ്ങൾ ഞങ്ങൾ നിന്നെ ഓർമ്മിപ്പിക്കാതിരിക്കാം."                                                     "ശരി. ഇനി ഞാൻ അങ്ങനെയൊന്നും ചെയ്യില്ല," പ്രസന്നതയില്ലാത്ത മുഖത്തോടെ ഡന്നോ പിറുപിറുത്തു.                                                                                   "നല്ലത്!" ധാന്യമണി സന്തോഷത്തോടെ പറഞ്ഞു. "നീ ധൈര്യമുള്ള, നേരുള്ള, നന്മയുള്ള ഒരു മൈറ്റായിരുന്നാൽ മാത്രം മതി. സ്വയം ചീത്തയാകാതെ നോക്കിയാ മതി. അപ്പൊ, ഉള്ളതിനേക്കാൾക്കൂടുതൽ തനിക്ക് മെച്ചമായിരിക്കണമെന്ന് തോന്നില്ല. ശരിയല്ലേ?"                                                "ആണെന്ന് തോന്നുന്നു."                                                                                                                   അവൻ ധാന്യമണിയെ ഖേദത്തോടെ നോക്കി; കണ്ണീരിനിടയിലൂടെ പുഞ്ചിരിച്ചു.                                                                                                                                    "വാ, നമുക്ക് മറ്റുള്ളവർക്കൊപ്പം കൂടാം," അവൻ്റെ കൈ പിടിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ധാന്യമണി പറഞ്ഞു. 

താമസിയാതെ അവർ നൃത്തവേദിക്കരികെ എത്തി. ധാന്യമണിക്കൊപ്പം ഡന്നോയെക്കണ്ട റോളി പോളി വലിയവായിലേ വിളിച്ചു പറഞ്ഞു, "നുണയൻ  ഡന്നോ! മണ്ടൻ ഡന്നോ!"                                                                                    "നീ മേഘങ്ങളെ വിഴുങ്ങിയതെങ്ങനെയാന്നാ പറഞ്ഞത്," ട്രീക്ലി സ്വീറ്റർ വിളിച്ചു ചോദിച്ചു.                                                                                                                               "നാണമില്ലല്ലോ നിങ്ങൾക്ക്!" ധാന്യമണി പറഞ്ഞു. "നിങ്ങളെന്തിന് അവനെ കളിയാക്കണം?"                                                                                                                                       "ഞങ്ങളെ കളിയാക്കാൻ അവനെന്ത് കാര്യം?" റോളി പോളി ചോദിച്ചു.  "അവൻ നിങ്ങളെയാണോ കളിയാക്കിയത്?" ധാന്യമണി അത്ഭുതപ്പെട്ടു . "അവൻ കളിയാക്കിയത് ഞങ്ങളെയല്ലേ. എന്നിട്ട് നിങ്ങളൊരക്ഷരം മിണ്ടിയോ? അതുകൊണ്ട് നിങ്ങളും അവനോളം തന്നെ വഷളാണ്."                               "അത്രതന്നെ വഷളാണ്," ഹിമബിന്ദു പറഞ്ഞു. "അവൻ നുണ പറയുന്നുവെന്നറിഞ്ഞിട്ടും, വീരസ്യം പറയുന്നതു കേട്ടിട്ടും, നിങ്ങളവനെ  തടഞ്ഞില്ല. അങ്ങനെ ചെയ്യരുതെന്ന് നിങ്ങളിലൊരാളും അവനോട് പറഞ്ഞില്ല. അവനേക്കാൾ  ഭേദപ്പെട്ടവരാണ് നിങ്ങളെന്ന് നിങ്ങൾക്കെങ്ങനെ തോന്നും?" "ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് തോന്നുന്നില്ല," റോളി പോളി പിറുപിറുത്തു.                         "അപ്പോപ്പിന്നെ, അവനെ കളിയാക്കാൻ നിങ്ങൾക്ക് യാതൊരവകാശവുമില്ല," കിറ്റി പറഞ്ഞു. "മറ്റു വല്ലവരുമായിരുന്നെങ്കിൽ, അവനെ സഹായിച്ചേനെ." റോളിപോളിക്കും ട്രീക്ലി സ്വീറ്ററിനും വല്ലാത്ത നാണക്കേടു തോന്നി. അവർ ഡന്നോയെ കളിയാക്കുന്നത് മതിയാക്കി. 

ബേഡി അവനരികിലേക്ക് വന്നു. അവൾ പറഞ്ഞു: "കരയുകയായിരുന്നൂ, അല്ലേ, പൊന്നേ, നീയ്യ്? എല്ലാരും നിന്നെ കളിയാക്കി, അല്ലേ? ഈ ആൺമൈറ്റുകൾ അങ്ങനെയാ. വരട്ടെ, ഇനിയും നിന്നെ കളിയാക്കാൻ ഞങ്ങൾ അവരെ സമ്മതിക്കില്ല,"  ഒന്നു രണ്ടടി നടന്ന ശേഷം, ബേഡി പെൺമൈറ്റുകളോട്  മന്ത്രിച്ചു: "നമ്മളവനോട് നല്ല കരുണ കാണിക്കണം. അവൻ ചെയ്ത തെറ്റിനുള്ള ശിക്ഷ അവനു കിട്ടി. അവനതിൽ ഖേദമുണ്ട്. ഇനിയവൻ നന്നായിക്കോളും."              

"തീർച്ചയായും," കിറ്റി പറഞ്ഞു. "അവനെ കളിയാക്കുന്നത് ശരിയല്ല. അതവനെ കുപിതനാക്കും; പഴയതിനേക്കാൾ കൂടുതൽ അവൻ്റെ സ്വഭാവം വഷളാക്കും. അവനോട് നന്നായി പെരുമാറിയാലോ, അവൻ സ്വന്തം തെറ്റു മനസ്സിലാക്കി തിരുത്തും. 

പെൺകുട്ടികളെല്ലാം അവനു ചുറ്റും തടിച്ചു കൂടി തങ്ങളുടെ ഖേദം എത്രമാത്രമുണ്ടെന്ന് പ്രകടിപ്പിച്ചു. 

"എനിക്കൊരിക്കലും പെൺകുട്ടികളുടെ കൂടെ കളിക്കണമെന്ന് തോന്നിയിരുന്നില്ല," ഡന്നോ പറഞ്ഞു. "ആൺകുട്ടികളാണ് പെൺകുട്ടികളേക്കാൾ ഭേദമെന്നാണ് ഞാൻ വിചാരിച്ചിരുന്നത്. അതു തെറ്റാണെന്ന് എനിക്കിപ്പൊ മനസ്സിലായി. ആൺകുട്ടികൾ എന്നെ കളിയാക്കി; പെൺകുട്ടികൾ എനിക്കൊപ്പം നിന്നു. ഇന്നു മുതൽ ഞാനിനി പെൺകുട്ടികൾക്കൊപ്പമാണ് കളിക്കുക."

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DUNNO 27

ഒരപ്രതീക്ഷിത സമാഗമം 

നൃത്തവിരുന്നിനുള്ള ഒരുക്കങ്ങൾ പൊടിപൊടിച്ചു. ഓർക്കസ്ട്രക്കുള്ള തട്ടും, നൃത്ത വേദിക്കു ചുറ്റുമുള്ള പന്തലുകളും തയ്യാറായി. ഓർക്കസ്ട്രക്കുള്ള തട്ടിൽ ബ്ലോബ്സ് വിചിത്ര മനോഹരമായ ചിത്രപ്പണികൾ ചെയ്‌തു. മറ്റു ആൺമൈറ്റുകൾ പന്തലിന്റെ മേലാപ്പുകളിൽ മഴവിൽ വർണ്ണങ്ങൾ വരച്ചു വച്ചു. പെൺകുട്ടികളാകട്ടേ,  നൃത്തവേദി പൂക്കളാലും തോരണങ്ങളാലും വർണ്ണ റാന്തലുകളാലും അലങ്കരിച്ചു. ഡന്നോ പതിവുപടി ഉത്തരവുകളിറക്കിക്കൊണ്ട് ഓടിനടന്നു. പണി പതിയെയാകുന്നത് അവനത്ര രസിച്ചില്ല. അതിനാൽ അവൻ ഒച്ചവച്ചും ബഹളമുണ്ടാക്കിയും എല്ലാവരെയും അലോസരപ്പെടുത്തി. ആരും പറയാതെ തന്നെ എല്ലാം ചെയ്യാൻ എല്ലാവർക്കും അറിയാമായിരുന്നത് ഭാഗ്യമായി. 

നൃത്തവേദിക്കു ചുറ്റും ബെഞ്ചുകൾ ഒരുക്കിയാൽ നന്നായിരിക്കുമെന്ന് ഒരു മൈറ്റിനു തോന്നി. പക്ഷേ, ബെഞ്ചുകൾ ഉണ്ടാക്കാനുള്ളത്ര പലകകൾ ഇല്ലെന്ന സ്ഥിതി വന്നു. ഡന്നോയ്ക്ക് നല്ല  അരിശമുണ്ടായി.

"എന്ത്! വേണ്ടത്ര പലക വലിച്ചെത്തിക്കാതെയാണോ കാറുകൾ പട്ടം പട്ടണത്തിലേക്ക് മടക്കിയത്!" അവൻ പൊട്ടിത്തെറിച്ചു. "അങ്ങനെയെങ്കിൽ പന്തലുകളിലൊന്ന് പൊളിക്കേണ്ടി വരും."

"അപ്പറഞ്ഞത് ശരി!" അതും പറഞ്ഞ് പ്രാപ്സ് ഒരു മഴുവുമേന്തി തൊട്ടടുത്ത പന്തലിലേക്ക് വച്ചുപിടിച്ചു. 

"നീയെന്തായീ ചെയ്യുന്നേ?" ബ്ലോബ്സ് ഒച്ച വച്ചു. "ഇവയെല്ലാം കെട്ടിപ്പൊക്കി ചായമടിച്ചത് പൊളിച്ചടുക്കാനാ?"

"ഇതിൽ നിനക്ക് കാര്യമില്ല," പ്രാപ്സ് പറഞ്ഞു. "നമ്മൾക്കു ബെഞ്ചുകൾ വേണം, വേണ്ടേ?"

"അതിനു വേണ്ടി പന്തലു പൊളിക്കരുത്." 

"നിങ്ങൾ നിങ്ങളുടെ പണി നോക്ക്," ഡന്നോ പറഞ്ഞു. 'ഇവിടുത്തെ മേൽനോട്ടം ആർക്കാ, നിങ്ങൾക്കോ, എനിക്കോ? പൊളിക്കാൻ ഉത്തരവിട്ടിട്ടുണ്ടെങ്കിൽ, പൊളിച്ചിരിക്കണം."

ആ സമയത്ത് വിദൂരതയിലൊരു കാർ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടില്ലായിരുന്നെങ്കിൽ ഈ വഴക്ക് എങ്ങനെ കലാശിക്കുമായിരുന്നുവെന്ന് പറയാൻ വയ്യ.

"പ്രെറ്റ്സൽ മടങ്ങി വന്നിരിക്കുന്നു!'' എല്ലാവരും ആഹ്‌ളാദത്തോടെ ഒച്ചവച്ചു. "ഇനിയിപ്പോ, പന്തലു പൊളിക്കാതെ തന്നെ ആവശ്യത്തിനുള്ള പലക നമുക്കെത്തിക്കാനാകും."

കാറു വന്നു നിന്നപ്പോൾ, അതിൽ നിന്ന് പ്രെറ്റ്സൽ പുറത്തേക്കിറങ്ങി. അവനു പിറകിൽ മറ്റൊരു ആൺമൈറ്റു കൂടി പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു. എല്ലാവരും അമ്പരന്ന് അവനെ തുറിച്ചു നോക്കി.

"കർത്താവേ, നമ്മുടെ ഡുനോയല്ലേ ഇത്!" ഡോ. പിൽമൻ ഒച്ചയിട്ടു.                       "ഡുനോ വന്നിരിക്കുന്നു!"  സ്കാറ്റർ ബ്രെയിനും ഒച്ച വെച്ചു. 

ക്ഷണനേരത്തിൽ ഡുനോയെ അവൻ്റെ സുഹൃത്തുക്കൾ വളഞ്ഞു. അവരവനെ കെട്ടിപ്പിടിച്ചു; ഉമ്മ വച്ചു. 

"ഒടുവിൽ ഞങ്ങൾ നിന്നെ കണ്ടെത്തി!" അവർ പറഞ്ഞു.

"നിങ്ങൾ എന്നെ കണ്ടെത്തിയെന്നോ!" ഡുനോ അത്ഭുതപ്പെട്ടു. "ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളെയല്ലേ കണ്ടെത്തിയത്?

"അത് ശരിയാ. നീ ഞങ്ങളെയാണ് കണ്ടെത്തിയത്. നീ എന്നെന്നേക്കുമായ് ഞങ്ങളെ വിട്ടു പോയെന്നാണ് ഞങ്ങൾ വിചാരിച്ചത്."  

"ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളെ വിട്ടുപോയെന്നോ?" ആശ്ചര്യത്തോടെ വീണ്ടും ഡുനോ ചോദിച്ചു. "നിങ്ങൾ എന്നെ വിട്ടുപോയെന്നാണ് എനിക്കു തോന്നിയത്."

"നീയാണല്ലോ പാരച്യൂട്ടുമെടുത്ത് തുള്ളി, ഞങ്ങളെ വിട്ടേച്ചു പോയത്," റോളി പോളി പറഞ്ഞു.   

"നിങ്ങളെന്തിനാ അവിടെത്തന്നെ നിന്നുകളഞ്ഞത്? എല്ലാവരോടും ഞാൻ ചാടാൻ പറഞ്ഞതാണല്ലോ. നിങ്ങൾ എനിക്ക് പിന്നാലെ ചാടേണ്ടതായിരുന്നു. ബലൂണിന് കൂടുതൽ നേരം യാത്ര ചെയ്യാൻ പറ്റില്ലായിരുന്നല്ലോ. നിങ്ങൾക്ക് കാലു വിറച്ചു പോയിരിക്കണം."

"അതെ, കാലു വിറച്ചു പോയിരുന്നു," അവർ സമ്മതിച്ചു. 

"അവർക്ക് ചാടാൻ പേടിയായിരുന്നു, " ഡന്നോ പറഞ്ഞു. " അതിരിക്കട്ടെ, ആർക്കാ ആദ്യം കാലു വിറച്ചത്?"

"ആദ്യം വിറച്ചതോ? നിനക്കു തന്നെ," പ്രോബ്‌ളി പറഞ്ഞു.

"എനിക്കോ?"

"അതെ.നിനക്കു തന്നെ," അവരെല്ലാവരും ആർത്തു പറഞ്ഞു. "നമ്മൾ ചാടാൻപാടില്ലെന്ന് ആരാ പറഞ്ഞത്, നീയല്ലേ?"

"ഓ, ശരി. അത് ഞാനായിക്കോട്ടെ," ഡന്നോ പറഞ്ഞു. "പക്ഷേ, നിങ്ങളെന്തിനാ ഞാൻ പറഞ്ഞത് കേട്ടത്?"

"അത് ശരിയാ," ഡുനോ ചിരിച്ചു. "കേൾക്കാൻ പറ്റിയൊരാളേ! ഡന്നോ മണ്ടനാണെന്ന് നിങ്ങൾക്കറിയാത്തതല്ലല്ലോ."

"പറയാൻ പറ്റിയ നല്ല കാര്യം," ഡന്നോ ചുമലിളക്കിക്കൊണ്ട് പറഞ്ഞു. "ഞാനൊരു മണ്ടൻ, അല്ലേ?"

"ഭീരുവും കൂടിയാ," ട്രീക്ലിസ്വീറ്റർ കൂട്ടിച്ചേർത്തു.

"നുണയനും," റോളിപോളി പറഞ്ഞു.

"ഞാനെപ്പൊഴാണാവോ നുണ പറഞ്ഞത്?" ഡന്നോ ചോദിച്ചു. 

"ബലൂണുണ്ടാക്കിയത് ഞാനാണെന്ന് അവകാശപ്പെട്ടതാരാ?" റോളിപോളി ചോദിച്ചു. 

"നിനക്ക്‌ തെറ്റു പറ്റിയതാകും," ഡന്നോ ശ്വാസമടക്കിപ്പറഞ്ഞു ."ജീവിതത്തിലിന്നേവരെ ഞാനൊരു ബലൂണുണ്ടാക്കിയിട്ടില്ല. ഡുനോയാണല്ലോ ബലൂണുണ്ടാക്കിയത്."

"നീയാണിവിടെ മേൽനോട്ടക്കാരനെന്ന് പറഞ്ഞതാര്?" ട്രീക്ലിസ്വീറ്റർ ചോദിച്ചു. 

"ഞാനെങ്ങനെ മേൽനോട്ടക്കാരനാകും? ഞാൻ ആരുമല്ല. ആരുമേയല്ല," ഡന്നോ പറഞ്ഞു.

"ഇനിമുതൽ നീ അങ്ങനെത്തന്നെ ആയിരിക്കും," ട്രീക്ലിസ്വീറ്റർ പറഞ്ഞു. "ഡുനോയാണ് ഇനിമുതൽ മേൽനോട്ടക്കാരൻ."

ഇതൊക്കെ കേട്ടുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുകയായിരുന്ന പെൺകുട്ടികൾ പൊട്ടിച്ചിരിച്ചു. ഡന്നോ വെറുമൊരു വിടുവായനാണെന്ന് അവർക്ക് വ്യക്തമായി. ഡന്നോ ഒരു നുണയനാണെന്നും, അവനല്ല ഡുനോയാണ് ബലൂണുണ്ടാക്കിയതെന്നും മിന്നിയും വിന്നിയും ഓടിച്ചെന്ന് അവരുടെ എല്ലാ കൂട്ടുകാരോടും പറഞ്ഞു. 

ധാന്യമണി ഡന്നോയ്ക്കടുത്തു ചെന്ന് പരിഹാസത്തോടെ പറഞ്ഞു: "നീയെന്തിനാ ഞങ്ങളെ വിഡ്ഢികളാക്കിയത്? നിൻ്റെ വാക്കു വിശ്വസിച്ച് നീയൊരു ധീരനും, സമർത്ഥനും, സത്യസന്ധനുമാണെന്ന് ഞങ്ങൾ ധരിച്ചുപോയി. പക്ഷേ, നീയിപ്പൊ ഒരു ഭീരുവും നുണയാനുമാണെന്ന് വന്നിരിക്കുന്നു."

അവൾ ഗർവ്വോടെ അവനിൽനിന്നുമകന്ന്, മൈറ്റുകളുടെ കൂട്ടം പൊതിഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്ന ഡുനോയ്ക്കടുത്തേക്ക് പോയി. എല്ലാവരും അവനു പറയാനുള്ളത് കേൾക്കാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ചു.   

"ആകാശത്തിലായിരുക്കുമ്പോ ഭൂമി ഒരപ്പകഷ്ണം പോലെ ചെറുതായിക്കാണുമെന്നത് നേരാണോ?" ചിപ്പി അവനോട് ചോദിച്ചു. 

"അല്ലേയല്ല," ഡുനോ പറഞ്ഞു. "ഭൂമി വളരെ വലുതായതുകൊണ്ട്   ഉയരത്തിലെത്തുന്തോറുംഅതു കൂടുതൽ വലുതായി കാണപ്പെടും. കാരണം, നമ്മുടെ കാഴ്‌ച വലുതായി വലുതായി വരും."

"മഴു കൊണ്ട് വെട്ടിപ്പോകേണ്ടത്ര കട്ടിയുള്ളവയാണ് മേഘങ്ങളെന്നത് നേരാണോ?" ധാന്യമണി ചോദിച്ചു. 

"അതും ശരിയല്ല," ഡുനോ പറഞ്ഞു.  "മഞ്ഞുകൊണ്ടുണ്ടാക്കപ്പെട്ടതിനാൽ അവ വായുപോലെ മൃദുലമാണ്. അവയിലൂടെ പോകാൻ മഴുകൊണ്ട് വെട്ടേണ്ട കാര്യമില്ല."

അവരവനോട് ചോദ്യങ്ങൾ ചോദിച്ചു കൊണ്ടേയിരുന്നു: നീരാവികൊണ്ടാണോ ബലൂൺ വീർപ്പിച്ചെടുക്കുന്നത്? അതിനു തലകീഴായി പറക്കാൻ പറ്റുമോ? മേഘങ്ങൾക്ക് മുകളിലായിരുന്നപ്പോൾ തണുപ്പ് പൂജ്യത്തിനു കീഴെ ഒരായിരവും പത്തിൽ രണ്ടും ഡിഗ്രി ആയിരുന്നുവോ? അവയിലൊന്നും ഒരു നേരുമില്ലെന്ന് ഡുനോ പറഞ്ഞു. 

"ഈ അസംബന്ധങ്ങളൊക്കെ ആരാ പറഞ്ഞത്?" അവൻ ചോദിച്ചു.

"ഡന്നോയാണ്," ബേഡി കുലുങ്ങിച്ചിരിച്ചു പറഞ്ഞു.                                     എല്ലാവരും ഡന്നോയെ നോക്കി പൊട്ടിച്ചിരിച്ചു. അവൻ ബീറ്റ് റൂട്ടു പോലെ ചുകന്നു പോയി; ഭൂമി പിളർന്ന് തന്നെ വിഴുങ്ങിയെങ്കിലെന്ന് ആഗ്രഹിച്ചു പോയി. പൊടുന്നനെ, അവൻ ഓടിപ്പോയി ഒരു കുറ്റിക്കാട്ടിലൊളിച്ചു.

"എൻ്റെ കാര്യം അവർ മറക്കുന്നതു വരെ ഇവിടെ ഇരുന്നേക്കാം," അവൻ സ്വയം പറഞ്ഞു.

ഡുനോയ്ക്ക് ഗ്രീൻവിൽ കാണാൻ നല്ല കൗതുകമുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. അതിനാൽ ഹിമബിന്ദുവും, ധാന്യമണിയും, മറ്റു ചില പെൺകുട്ടികളും കൂടി അവനെ കാഴ്ചകൾ കാട്ടാൻ കൊണ്ടുപോയി. പൈപ്പുകൾ ഇട്ടിരിക്കുന്നതെങ്ങനെയെന്നും, വെള്ളം താഴോട്ടു പോകാതെ മേലോട്ടു കുതിക്കുന്ന രീതിയിൽ ജലധാരകൾ സ്ഥാപിച്ചതെങ്ങനെയെന്നും അവരവന് വിശദമായ് വിവരിച്ചുകൊടുത്തു. ഗ്രീൻവിൽ വൃത്തിയും വെടിപ്പുമായ് ഇരിക്കുന്നതു കണ്ട് അവനു സന്തോഷമായി. നടവഴികളിലും തെരുവകളിലും പരവതാനി വിരിച്ചതിന് അവൻ പെൺകുട്ടികളെ അഭിനന്ദിച്ചു. സന്തുഷ്ടരായ അവർ അവനെ വീടുകളുടെ ഉൾഭാഗങ്ങൾ സന്ദർശിക്കാൻ ക്ഷണിച്ചു. അവയും, പുറത്തെന്നതു പോലെ, വൃത്തിയും വെടിപ്പുമുള്ളതായിരുന്നു. ഒരു വീട്ടിൽ പുസ്തകങ്ങൾ വെച്ച ഒരു പുസ്തകയലമാര അവൻ കാണാനിടയായി. വീട്ടിലെത്തിയാൽ അത്തരമൊരു പുസ്തകയലമാര താനുമുണ്ടാക്കുമെന്ന് അവൻ പറഞ്ഞു.  

"അപ്പൊ, അങ്ങനെയൊരു അലമാര അവിടെയില്ലേ?" പെൺകുട്ടികൾ ചോദിച്ചു.

"ഇല്ല" അവൻ ഏറ്റുപറഞ്ഞു. 

"അപ്പോൾ  പുസ്തകങ്ങൾ എവിടെ വെക്കും?"

കയ്യൊന്ന് മെല്ലെ വീശി അവനാ ചോദ്യം അവഗണിച്ചു. തൻ്റെ പുസ്തകങ്ങൾ മേശമേലും, അതിനിടയിലും, എന്തിന്, കിടക്കക്കടിയിലുമാണെന്ന് പറയാൻ അവന് ലജ്ജ തോന്നി. 

ഡുനോയ്ക്ക് തണ്ണിമത്തനിലും കൗതുകമുണ്ടായി. അവനോട് പെൺകുട്ടികൾ തിസിലിനെപ്പറ്റി പറഞ്ഞു. അവരെ കാണാൻ താൽപ്പര്യമുണ്ടെന്ന് അവൻ അറിയിച്ചു. അവരുടെ ജോലിയെപ്പറ്റി അവൻ ഒരുപാട് ചോദ്യങ്ങൾ ചോദിച്ചു. പച്ചക്കറികളും പഴങ്ങളും താൻ വളർത്തുന്ന രീതിയെപ്പറ്റി അവർ പറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ അവനതെല്ലാം സാകൂതം കേട്ടു; നോട്ടുപുസ്തകത്തിൽ കുറിച്ചെടുക്കുകകൂടി   ചെയ്തു. 

ഇതിടയിൽ, ഡന്നോയ്ക്ക് കുറ്റിക്കാട്ടിലൊളിച്ച് മടുത്തു കഴിഞ്ഞിരുന്നു. ഇടക്കിടക്ക് അവൻ പുറത്തേക്ക് ഇഴഞ്ഞു  വന്നു. നിരാശയായിരുന്നു  ഫലം. പെൺകുട്ടികൾ അവനെ കണ്ടതായേ  ഭാവിച്ചില്ല. അവൻ ജീവിച്ചിരിപ്പില്ലെന്ന മട്ടിലായിരുന്നൂ അവരുടെ പെരുമാറ്റം. എന്നാൽ ആൺകുട്ടികളാകട്ടേ, അവനു സ്വൈര്യമേ കൊടുത്തില്ല.

"നുണയനാണ് ഡന്നോ!" അവർ വിളിച്ചു കൂവി "ഭീരുവാണ് ഡന്നോ! വിടുവായനാണ് ഡന്നോ!"

"അവരൊന്നും മറന്നിട്ടേയില്ല," അവൻ സങ്കടത്തോടെ പറഞ്ഞു. "കുറ്റിക്കാട്ടിലേക്ക് തന്നെ മടങ്ങുന്നതാണ് ഭംഗി."

കുറച്ചു കഴിഞ്ഞ് അവൻ വീണ്ടും ഇഴഞ്ഞു പുറത്തേക്കു വന്നു. പക്ഷേ, കാര്യങ്ങൾ പഴയപടി  തന്നെ  തുടർന്നു.

"ഇനിയും പുറത്തേക്കിഴഞ്ഞു വരാൻ ഞാനില്ല," അവൻ തീരുമാനിച്ചു. "മനസ്സുറപ്പുണ്ടായേ പറ്റൂ. ഇവിടെ ഒരുപാടൊരുപാട് നേരം കഴിയേണ്ടി വരും - ഒരു പക്ഷേ, നാളെ രാവിലെ വരെ. നൃത്തവിരുന്ന് തുടങ്ങുന്നതു വരെ ഞാൻ പുറത്തേക്കില്ല."

***

 

 

Title for the series:

A PRE-SUMMER ADVENTURE/

ADVENTURES OF A FEW YOUNG KIDS/

KIDS’ DAY OUT

 

Tag line:

--- Out to Explore and Experience

 

Dramatis Personae:

1. VIVEK: a 12 year-old boy, tall and robust with leadership qualities and a pleasing voice

2. JAYA:  a girl the same as Vivek in age,physique and character

3. MANU: a bespectacled boy of the same age and of modest height and 

weight

4. DEEPA: a feisty girl of medium height and of the same age as others

5. VIJAY: a squat boy of the same age. He loves food and flute

6. MINI: a girl of the same age but short in stature and sedate in manner

7. NIRMAL: an urbanized boy of the same age and of medium height and bespectacled

8. NIRMA: Nirmal’s sister, younger by one year and mild in manner

9. SHANKAR: a middle-aged man of good height and weight and an impressive voice

10.        RAMAN: a middle aged man of rustic appearance

The children can be clad in any dress till episode 12

 

Note: The spelling is of American English.

 

 

Title/theme song:

‘A tale of kids young and keen

Out to explore the world outside.

These kids are from a small village

This gang of six of very young age.

Really, really they were smart

But rarely, rarely they acted smart.

What they knew they knew it well

This gang of kids knew it well.

What they didn’t know, they wanted to;

Really, really they wanted to know.’

 

 

TITLES FOR EPISODES

 

1. A prank with a mask

2. A snake and a hive

3. A scrabble in a shed

4. A few scary things

5. A game of puzzles

6. The man with the jeep

7. The woods are scary, dark & deep

8. A game of names

9. Fireflies

10.   An accident

11.   The newspaper boy

12.   At the farmhouse

13.   A hunting game

14.   Manu has a fall

15.   A mishap at the pond

16.   At the “bank”

17.   A drama at the tree-side

18.   A play at noon

19.   A bull & a snake

20.   A duck that isn’t a duck

21.   To debate or not to debate

22.   A debate

23.   A song & a dance under  a tree

24.   At the meadow

25.   They say farewell

 

The Script follows:

 

 

A PRANK WITH A MASK

 

 

EPISODE 1                                                                                                                                                        

Countryside in late spring                                                                                                                                                          Late morning with bright sun and a balmy breeze

 

After caressing the trees, plants and bushes along with some assorted birds, insects and some stray animals, the camera chances upon a narrow path flanked by overgrown grass and captures a young girl from behind. Swinging her arms and with a spring in her steps, she is walking leisurely and indifferently. A bright tune followed by a song follows the girl on her walk on that sinuous path.    

 

SONG:

‘There’s a season for everything.                                                                                                                                               A season for sowing,                                                                                                                                                              A season for growing,                                                                                                                                                        And a season for reaping          There’s a season for everything’ [repeat]

 

Almost as the song comes to an end the girl stops and looks up. The tune fades. As the girl resumes her walk, the tune picks up and the song continues.

 

‘There’s a time for everything         A time for learning                       And a time for playing.

There’s a time for everything’ [repeat]

 

As the song and the tune fade into silence, the girl sees a young boy lying stretched out in the middle of the path. On hesitantly approaching the young lad, she notices that he has a grotesque mask on his face. As she peers into his face to have a closer look, the boy leaps into the air with a ghastly cry. The young girl screams in horror and runs back. Laughing heartily, the boy calls out after her:

 

THE BOY:

‘Stop! St..o..p, Deepa,

It’s me!  Me,Vivek!’

 

As Deepa stops suspiciously, Vivek removes the mask and grins at her. Deepa is now all anger.

 

DEEPA:

You! You are a useless idiot! Always up to some trick.

 

VIVEK(laughing):

 Wasn’t it fun? You should have seen your face!

You are so wimpy, Deepa.

 

DEEPA:

I’m nothing of that sort. I am no wimpy kid.

 

VIVEK:

Why did you then scream like you saw a ghost?

 

DEEPA:

Anyone would have. You were such a horrible sight! Your idea of fun isn’t my idea of fun.

 

Meanwhile Vivek has been walking towards Deepa. He finds a slab of stone on the wayside and seats himself on it.

 

VIVEK:

Alright, my Ma! I just wanted to see how you would react.

                                                                             He offers his mask to the girl. 

                                                                                                            VIVEK:

Now, you can put it on and scare someone else.

 

DEEPA:

I don’t want anyone to die from shock.

                                                                                                  Nevertheless, she takes the mask and playfully puts it on her face.

VIVEK:

You look very lovely in the mask!

 

DEEPA(unmasking herself):

Enough of your teasing, you crazy nut! It is not for nothing the teachers call you a pain in the neck.

 

She does not give him back the mask. She keeps it with her

 

VIVEK:

 A pain in the neck, I may be for others.

But, for me, it is clean fun.

 

By this time Deepa has joined him in sitting. For a while, both look all around and take in the scenery. Chirping of birds, distant barking of dogs and mooing of cows can be heard intermittently.

 

VIVEK (pulling up some grass and biting it and spitting):

This vacation is so boring. How long can you watch the dumb TV!

 

DEEPA:

Find some hobby.

 

VIVEK:

I mean to. In fact, I was just going to ask you.

 

DEEPA:

Ask what?

 

VIVEK:

Would you like to go trekking?

 

DEEPA:

With you? Not in my lifetime!

 

VIVEK:

It will be pure fun. See, there are these woods nearby.

 

DEEPA:

I do enjoy going into the woods. It’s almost the summer now and, I think, it’s the best time to explore the woods

 

VIVEK:

That is what I say.

 

DEEPA(deep in thought):

It would be real fun if we could get our other friends too.

 

VIVEK:

I don’t mind, you know.                                                                                                                     (Then, with a sullen face, he continues): But, if I invite them, I don’t think, they will come. They too think I am a pain in their neck

 

DEEPA:

That you leave to me. But, are you okay with all of us coming with you?

 

VIVEK:

I told you I don’t mind. (Then, laughing, he continues): The more, the merrier. That is my motto.

 

DEEPA:

I will then inform Mini and Manu. In fact, on my way, I have just seen Manu sitting in a tree, reading something.

 

VIVEK:

Manu? You mean that nerd? What will he do in the woods? He is always at his laptop or with his nose in a book.

 

DEEPA:

You don’t know a thing about the guy. He is an A-class poet. And, you know, poets love woods and clouds.

 

VIVEK:

Okay. But inform your friends fast. We have to plan the whole trip in a day. Ask them to gather themselves in the maidaan in the evening.

 

DEEPA:

Fine! See you! I’ll first catch hold of Manu

 

Deepa gets up to leave. Vivek also gets up.

 

VIVEK:

See you soon!

 

Deepa and Vivek  part ways. The camera follows Deepa. As she retraces her step, the earlier gay tune is again heard.

                     

The scene fades gradually into a cluster of trees, where a bespectacled young boy is sitting under a tree, engrossed in a book. The book seems to be too big for him. A wind rustles through the trees. Apart from the noises of nature, only silence reigns. Presently, Deepa is seen creeping up behind the boy with her mask on. She hisses like a snake. Half-scared and half-intrigued, the boy turns his head towards her. Seeing the masked girl, he opens his eyes wide, his goggles fall on to his nose. Within seconds, he lies flat on the ground, motionless. Deepa, now scared, shakes him vigorously and shouts in frightened tones.

DEEPA:

Manu! You, chicken! Get up, I say! Don’t try to scare me with your antics. Manu! Manu!

 

Manu doesn’t stir. Deepa is now really scared. Getting his head on to her lap, she screams.

DEEPA:

Help! Is somebody around? Help! Please, help

 

A fat young boy munching some fries, and a tall young girl with a cricket bat come running. Deepa has her mask still on. The tallish girl stares at her and shouts.

 

THE GIRL:

Deepa, is it you? Take the mask off, you moron.

 

Deepa realizing her mistake removes the mask and sheepishly speaks.

 

DEEPA:

I just wanted to have some fun, Jaya. And, now, it seems he is conked out

 

THE FAT BOY (continuing his munching):

He looks deader than unconscious.

 

DEEPA:

Don’t rub salt into the wound, Vijay.

 

VIJAY:

But, then, he always seemed to me more dead than alive

 

Meanwhile Jaya was poking Manu with the bat.

 

JAYA:

Don’t pull our legs, man! Get up! Else, I’ll give you a whack.

Still there is no response from Manu. The children look at one another in dismay. Deepa is on the verge of tears. Jaya turns to Vijay and shouts at him testingly.

 

JAYA:

Don’t just stand there eating like a pig. Go and call someone who can help.

As Vijya runs off, we hear the footsteps of children rushing towards the scene. A young boy and a young girl along with Vivek appear on the scene, asking what actually happened. A lot of commotion ensues. They look at Manu lying on Deepa’s lap. As their gaze falls on Deepa, Deepa bursts into sobbing. The scene closes on Manu lying seemingly lifeless on Deepa’s lap.

 

 

 

A SNAKE AND A HIVE

 

 

 

 

 

EPISODE 2

Exterior

The same scene continues                                                                                                                                       The cluster of trees, where the children are assembled                                                                                        The time has advanced

Before the scene opens a song is heard as voice-over:                            

‘Many a thing we learn from books               so soon sweeps the broom of time.          Many a thing we learn from the streets    stays in there for a long, long time’

As the song comes to a close we see these young boys and girls in different stances; some sitting and some standing or leaning against the trees. Jaya is leafing through the book which has fallen from the hands of Manu. The title is ‘The Arabian Nights’, which we see clearly as she holds the book. Deepa has got up, leaving Manu on the ground and Vivek is scanning the sky. The newly arrived boy and girl look at each other not knowing what to say. The boy, eventually, turns to others and speaks:

THE BOY:

Hi, guys!

                                                                                                                                                        The others turn to face him.                                                               

THE BOY timidly continues):

Hello, everyone! I ..er.. I .. hmm … In fact, Nirma and I were passing along and heard a lot of noise.. er..so

JAYA:

Hi and Hello! And who may you be?

 

NIRMA:

This is Nirmal. And I’m Nirma. We came to your place last week for vacation.

ALL THE OTHRS:

Nice to meet you.

 

One by one the children, smilingly, shake hands with Nirma and Nirmal and for a while, they forget poor Manu.                                              JAYA:                                                                               I’m Jaya.

 

DEEPA:                                                                                                                                                             My name is Deepa.

 

MINI:

I am Mini.

VIVEK:  

You can call me Vivek.

 

Mean while Mini notices that something slimy is crawling towards Manu. She lets out a cry.

MINI(with eyes wide-open in horror):

OOO…. See, something is creeping towards Manu.

 

Everyone looks in that direction and backs off to a safe distance. They all holler in one voice:

“It’s a SNAKE!”

 

As the word ‘snake’ is uttered, Manu jumps on to the tree in a flash, yelling “AMMAAA” and tightly clings on to a branch. Everyone looks at him in surprise and, then, laughs out aloud.

VIVEK:

So you were taking us for a ride, weren’t you? Just you get down from the tree, and I will show you. Just you wait!

 

MANU:

No, Vivek! I was really out cold. The snake gave me a jolt. I’m sorry I gave you all a bad time.

 

DEEPA (really in a rage):

Sorry ke bacche! I will make you feel really sorry. Acing dead, Eh? Who do you think you are? Dulqar or Prthivi Raj?

VIVEK:

He is more like Suraaj. But don’t you worry. It is only a rat-snake

 

NIRMAL:

The one you call the farmers’ friend.

 

VIVEK:

Yes. It eats only rats and frogs. It won’t harm this idiot.

 

NIRMAL(to Nirma):

See, that is Manu. Haven’t I told you that there is a poet in this village? That’s him.

 

MINI:

Poet, my foot! He is more a pest than a poet.

 

Meanwhile ants have been invading Manu from all sides and he has started scratching wildly all over his body.                                                                                  MANU:

Ayyo, Ammaa! These ants are going to be my death!

                                                                                        All others laugh.

                                                                 DEEPA:

What is it there over your head, that dark thing?

 

Manu looks up, scratching vigorously and sees a beehive buzzing with bees.                          

MANU:

Ammo … A hive! A bee hive!

                                                                                                              DEEPA:

A very nice punishment for fooling us.

 

Others burst into a song:

                                                           

‘A snake on the ground,

And ants in the tree;         

Over your head the stinging bee

And if it stings how will you be?’

 

VIVEK(to Deepa):

And you wanted this fool to be with us for our adventure?

 

OTHERS:

Adventure? What do you mean?

 

DEEPA:

Oh, Vivek has been planning to go trekking to the forest.

 

MANU (shouting):

Somebody help me, please! These ants are biting me and the bees are flying down. Please, do something. At least, help me come down. The snake is gone, I suppose.

 

DEEPA:

You be there for a while, you smarty!

 

 

VIVEK:

Jump down you, man! We will catch you.

 

MANU:

No way! I don’t trust you.

 

VIVEK & JAYA:

Then be there where you are.

 

As Manu helplessly looks around, Vivek speaks to Deepa.

VIVEK:

And you wanted this bro to be in our trekking group?

 

JAYA:

Let him be. It will be fun.

 

VIVEK:

If you say so. But I have my doubts

 

DEEPA:

We will be a group, won’t we? So, let him join if he would like

 

MINI:

I would rather be at home than with him

 

JAYA:

Don’ be so nasty. He is just a loud mouth.

 

By now, Manu has jumped from the tree without any complications.

 

MANU:

You are no friends

 

VIVEK:

Stop whining. We are planning to go to the nearby forest. Would you like to join?

 

MANU:

If Deepa is there, okay.

 

ALL OTHERS:

Arre, He seems to have a crush on Deepa. Deepa!

 

DEEPA (in mock anger):

You hopeless creatures!

 

JAYA:

Where is this Vijay? He had gone out to get some help.

 

VIVEK:

Maybe, he is helping himself; Please, let’s find him out

 

All of them march out in search of Vijay, when a wind suddenly erupts and it starts drizzling.

 

 

A SCRABBLE IN A SHED

 

EPISODE 3

A half-dilapidated shed                                                                                                                                          Very late in the morning

As the wind gains momentum and the rain grows strong, the boys and the girls start running towards a nearby shed and take refuge there. The shed has sundry things in it: a broken bench, a two-legged stool, a wobbling table and such bric-a-brac. As the children hustle into the shed, the camera captures the rain and the wind outside. A song as voice-over is heard, as the swaying tree-tops get drenched:

Like a bolt from the blue                   the naughty wind blew.                                               The birds in the sky                                        to their perches soon flew.      

Little drops of summer rain                                                                                                                                  and glistening rays of sunshine                                    announce the hour of wedding                                                         for the foxes in the woods.

 

With the music of rain and wind we enter the shed to see the boys and girls in various positions. Manu is seen clutching his book, Deepa on a stool, Jaya near the table, Nirma and Nirmal on the unsteady bench and Vivek looking out at the sky. Mini is standing and starts to complain.

MINI:

I’m hungry. Rats are crawling in my stomach. May I run home in the rain, what do you people think?

 

VIVEK (looking at the rain):

If you ask me, I would say it is unwise. You may catch a chill.

 

MINI:

But… My gut is rumbling.

 

VIVEK:

My gut-feeling is that you grin and bear it for a while. This    is an early summer rain. It won’t last, I dare say.

 

Meanwhile Nirmal approaches Mini, takes out some chocolates from his pockets and hesitantly offers her some.

NIRMAL:

I have some foreign chocolates. Would you like to have some?

OTHRES (in chorus):

Yummy! Foreign chocos! Please do give us some!

 

As Nirmal distributes chocolates, Nirma also takes some from her pockets and shares among the children.

 

MANU(turning the chocolate in his mouth, with half-closed eyes):

This is HEAVEN, I say! There is nothing in the world like Swiss chocolates.

 

JAYA(putting her bat on the table):

So, the scholar has come alive! The poet of chocolates!

Meanwhile, Vivek claps his hands to get attention of others, and speaks dramatically.

VIVEK:

Friends, my country cousins, lend me your ears!

 

OTHERS (in chorus, munching chocolates):

We are all ears!

 

VIVEK:

Let us gather here again in the evening and see who are all eager to go trekking. This will be our so called war-room, where we hammer out a plan. Do you have any questions, queries or doubts?  Please be free to air your opinions.

 

EVERYONE(in chorus):

Yep! We are all in. Let’s sort it out in the evening. Now, we go home and have our lunch, before our parents get worried.

By this time, Vijay rushes into the shed, panting

JAYA:

Where have you been all this time?  We sent you off to get some help.

 

VIJAY:

I didn’t eat in the morning much. So I went home to get some food. You know, I have been rather peckish.

 

JAYA (angrily):

What you need is a peck in your dirty stomach. Irresponsible rascal!

VIVEK:(looking out at the rain):

There seems to be no let up in the rain. The wind is also strong.

 

MINI:

I’m getting bored.

VIVEK:

Shall we play some game?

 

DEEPA:

What game in this weather?

 

VIVEK:

A word game like scrabble?

 

NIRMA:

A bird game?

 

VIVEK:

No, a word game. But we can make it a bird-game too.

 

NIRMAL:

How?

 

VIVEK:

Look! I say the name of a bird and you take up its last letter and name another bird.

 

DEEPA:

Like anthaakshari?

 

VIVEK:

Exactly. Are you game for the game?

 

OTHERS:

We are! You start, dude.

 

VIVEK:

Parrot

 

MINI:

My God! Where do you get a bird with its name starting ‘T’?

 

Everyone looks at one another and seems to have lost the game. Suddenly, Manu raises the hand.

MANU:

Tern

 

JAYA:

Is there bird like that? Are you sure?

 

MANU:

There is. I can get you its pics from google. Terns are seabirds. Like our cranes, they are seen near wetlands.

 

JAYA:

Okay, scholar boy. It is then ‘tern’, ending with an ‘n’

DEEPA:

Nightingale! The cuckoo kind.

 

VIVEK:

It ends in an ‘e’

 

NIRMA:

Eagale. The one that soars high.

 

NIRMAL:

Kill me! Again it is an ‘e’

 

MANU:

Egret. The kind that looks like a heron or a crane.

 

VIVEK:

You always come up with some exotic names! Anyone with a ‘t’

 

VIJAY:

Thrush

 

VIVEK:

Now it is an ‘h’

 

MANU (raising his hands):

Hornbill

 

DEEPA

‘L’ for lark

 

VIJAY:

And ‘k’ for kite

MINI:

Ammo, Again it is an ‘e’

MANU:

Emu

 

Suddenly there is a crashing sound outside the shed. It is a branch of a tree broken off, falling to the ground. The children shriek.

 

 

A FEW SCARY THINGS

 

Episode 4

The shed and its surroundings              Almost nearing noon

 

The rain has stopped and the wind subsided. Mini, Vijay, Deepa and Jaya venture out to see what happened. We see them staring at a fallen branch. As they move towards the branch, we go back to the shed to see the remaining children. Vivek is sitting near Nirma and Nirmal. Manu is poring over his book. 

 

VIVEK(to Manu):

Hey, man! The rain has stopped. Don’t you want to go home? You must be hungry.

 

MANU (raising his head from the book):

Let me be, please. You go ahead and have your lunch. Please, don’t be so bothersome. I love to sit here and browse through my book.

 

VIVEK:

No offense, dude! Sorry, if I hurt your sentiments.

MANU:

It’s okay. I know you always like to play the big bro.

JAYA (off screen):

Vivek, I’m off. Mini, Deepa and Vijay have already set off.

 

VIVEK(calls out to Jaya):

It’s alright, Jaya. Be here back in the evening with them, won’t you?

 

JAYA:

Sure, bro! See you! So long!

 

VIVEK, NIRMA & NRMAL:

So long, Jaya!

 

JAYA(shouts back):

So long, friends. And Nirma.. Nirmal… a ton of thanks for the yummy chocos!

 

NIRMAL & NIRMA (responds in kind):

You are welcome, Jaya! It’s our pleasure.

 

In the ensuing silence we see Manu turning the pages of the book. Vivek looks at him intently. A spider falls on Nirma’s shirt and she jumps up and down hysterically:

NIRMA:

EEEEkk.

 

All others turn to her

 

OTHERS:

Get a hold on yourself, Nirma! What happened?

 

NIRMA (trying to be calm, gingerly):

A spy… spy .. der on my dress.

 

MANU:

A TARANTULA?

 

VIVEK:

Pipe down, you pundit! Nirma, it’s harmless. And, I think it’s gone.

 

NIRMA:

Yes. But this shed seems spooky to me. See in that corner, there you see, CENTIPEDES.

 

VIVEK:

If you touch them, they round themselves into a kinda wheel.

 

Nirmal:

We are not used to these creepy creatures. In the city, we never see these things.

VIVEK:

Once you know them, you will be at ease

 

MANU (shouts):

Nirma! At your back! There is a big lizard… as big as a dinosaur.

 

Nirma shrieks and turns to see what is at her back. We see a lizard gawking at her. She shouts and shrieks:

 

NIRMA:

 MOOOMMMY!

 

NIRMAL:

Stay calm, Sis! I’ll shoo it off

 

As he tries to scare off the lizard, it jumps on to him and, now, he is hysterical. As he wriggles and wiggles the lizard leaves him and goes into some nook.

 

MANU:

Lizards actually evolved from dinosaurs. That’s why we, humans are so mortally afraid of them.

 

VIVEK:

Where do you gather all this JNANA from, my maa!

MANU:

From books. Books tell you more than the teachers.

 

By now Nirma and Nirmal have become calm and listen to Vivek and Manu.

VIVEK (to Manu):

Do you find reading so interesting?

 

MANU(pompously):

What you read that you experience.

 

VIVEK:

And what you experience, you don’t have to read.

 

Nirma and Nirmal laughs out.

 

MANU(displeased):

What is so funny?

 

NIRMA:

You seem to be very touchy. A touch-me-not.

 

MANU:

I’m not. You people were so easily sacred by a spider and lizard. And you call me touchy!

 

VIVEK:

Forget it my friend! They are new to our village. Show some courtesy …. be a little hospitable … they are our guests… try to be a host.

 

MANU:

Oh! So, now you want me to teach hospitality.

 

NIRMAL:

Vivek, if you want my opinion, I say Manu is very sensitive. You know, these poets are very sensitive… touchy.

 

VIVEK:

Sensitive, okay. Sensible, I doubt.

 

Manu ignores them and goes back to his book. As he leafs through the book, Nirmal turns to Vivek.

 

NIRMAL:

If you don’t mind, may I invite you to lunch at home?

 

VIVEK:

Not at all! It’s a pleasure. What is your father?

 

NIRMA:

His name is Shankar.

 

VIVEK:

Sorry. I didn’t ask you who he is, but what he is.

 

NIRMAL:

Oh! He works in the U S Consulate in Delhi.

 

VIVEK:

So, all of you came here for your vacation?

 

NIRMA:

You are right.

 

NIRMAL:

Manu, would you mind coming with us?

 

MANU(looking up from the book):

I would rather be here.

 

VIVEK:

But aren’t you hungry? Your soul won’t survive if your body is starved.

 

MANU(closing the book):

I think you are right. But, Nirmal, I’m a vegetarian.

 

NIRMA:

No issue, Manu. Let’s get going

They step out of the shed and walk along a narrow path. As they move, a song is overheard:

 

SONG:

It’ all calm

after the turbulent storm;

the sun is at his best

and the earth is now at rest.

 

As the three walk, a jeep comes towards them and screeches to a halt. Nirmal and Nirma run towards the jeep, shouting:

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

Papa, papa!

 

VIVEK(to Manu):

Now, see that you behave yourself. Don’t be a nerd!

 

MANU:

I know my P’s and Q’s. Please, don’t act like you’re my papa.

 

VIVEK:

No, my Pa. Please, move on.

 

NIRMAL & NIRMA(shouts at them):

Hurry, friends. We’re getting late.

 

As Vivek and Manu approach the Jeep, the wind again picks up and starts howling. The branches of the trees sway and, with a thud, something falls on the windshield of the jeep.

 

 

 

A GAME OF PUZZLES

EPISODE 5                                                                                                                                                The shed                                                                                                                                                  Early evening

As the scene opens, it’s all calm in the surroundings of the shed. The camera is loitering around the shed. Broken branches, drenched trees and plants, fluttering butterflies and some other insects are seen. A song as voice-over is heard as the camera pans the scenery.

SONG:

‘Deep in the heart of our country side                                                 there is a charm nobody can harm.                     No charm in the world is like bucolic charm            which is so calm as well as warm.’ (repeat)

 

As the song comes to a close, the camera peeps into the shed, bathed in early evening light. In the soft rays of the sun, we see the interior of the shed a little tidier than earlier. It is swept clean and the furniture is arranged as best as possible. We can even see a black board hanging on one side of the shed. On the crippled table, we see some snacks and bottles of water. Deepa, Jaya, Mini and Vijay are seen sitting in various positions in whatever seats are available. Vijay is still munching something from a snack packet he holds on his lap. Deepa is looking out and Jaya browsing in her mobile. Mini is fidgeting and starts speaking.

MINI:

I think we came too early for the meeting. It has been ages since Vivek left. Where is he? Is he coming at all?

 

VIJAY:

I never liked that guy. He is always trying to prove that he is smarter than us. An arrogant fellow!

 

JAYA(raising her head from the mobile):

Oh, don’ be so biased, Vijay. I find nothing wrong with him. Don’t you remember, at school, he is always there to save us from trouble? Don’t be so nasty (and she continues her browsing).

DEEPA:

Still, I think he should have been here by now.

 

VIJAY:

He wants to turn up late to show that he is a V I P.

 

MINI:

Him? A V I P? Don’t tell me!

 

VIJAY:

Do you know what V I P stands for?

 

MINI:

I know: A very important person.

 

VIJAY:

No, silly! A very idiotic person!

 

As Vijay, Deepa and Mini laugh, Jaya rears her head from the cell phone.

 

JAYA:

Would you please stop your foolish jokes? A very idiotic person, indeed!

 

VIJAY:

Why are you so cross Jaya? Is it that you are also a V I P (and he laughs aloud)?

 

JAYA: 

Yes, daa… I am so much of a V I P that I’ll shove this mobile down your throat. Come here, you hog.

 

DEEPA:

Jaya, please, you know how silly he is!

 

JAYA:

I’ll show this silly lily what it means to be a V I P.

 

MINI:

Oho, have we come here to have a tiff? Jaya, just try Vivek on his mobile.

 

VIJAY:

I don’t think he has his cell with him.

 

DEEPA: 

If he is at home, he may have.

 

JAYA:

But I saw him going in a jeep with Nirmal.

 

MINI:

Still, there is no harm in trying, no?

 

DEEPA:

I think she is right

 

As Jaya calls Vivek, Vijya moves to the table to get some snacks. But Mini prevents him from taking any snack.

 

MINI:

Keep off, Vijay! You have already eaten for a week. Have some thoughts for others too, man!

 

VIJAY:

Sorry, I couldn’t help it.

 

MINI:

I know you always want to help yourself.

 

VIJAY:

That’s not true. I love helping others.

 

JAYA:

Ayyo, Ammaa… will you stop this bilge! You people are getting on my nerves. I’m not able to get Vivek on his mobile.

 

DEEPA:

Try his mom

 

JAYA:

She hates the ground I walk on.

 

MINI:

I’ve to be home before it gets dark.

 

JAYA:

I know.

 

DEEPA:

Jaya, would you please give me the mobile? I’ll call Vivek’s mother.

 

Jaya hands the phone to her and, as she pushes the numbers, others watch her intently. Deepa lays the phone to her ears. She sets the phone down in dismay.

 

DEEPA:

She is not picking up the call. Maybe, she is busy.

 

VIJAY:

Or maybe, she is a V I P (and laughs out aloud)

 

JAYA:

I’ll kill this idiot one day.

 

VIJAY:

What, Jaya? Can’t you take a joke?

 

JAYA:

Not from jokers like you.

 

VIJAY:

You always side with Vivek. He is such a show-off.

 

MINI:

It is really getting late. My parents will soon start looking for me.

 

JAYA:

If so, Mini, you go home. We will tell you about the meeting in the morning.

 

MINI:

But . . .

 

JAYA:

But what?

 

MINI:

I don’t want to miss the meeting.

 

DEEPA:

Then stay and don’t whine. Even my parents will be looking for me when it’s dark.

 

MINI:

But I’m afraid of the dark

 

JAYA:

Then, please, go! Who is holding you back?

VIJAY:

Waiting here without a thing to do is killing me. Jaya, please do something.

 

Jaya has been again at the mobile. She smiles looking into the mobile, and turns to Vijay:

 

JAYA:

Hear, dunderhead! Here is a question for you. If you are smarter than Vivek, answer it.

 

DEEPA:

I am ready to answer. Is it a puzzle?

 

JAYA:

Sort of. (She reads the puzzle from the mobile):

A room that has no floor, ceiling, windows or doors.

 

MINI: (unexpectedly):

Mushroom

 

JAYA:

Atta, girl! (She goes back to her mobile): What does a kidnapper do?

 

As Vijay thinks hard, Deepa suddenly says.

DEEPA:

Puts baby goats to sleep.

 

Deepa and Mini do a high five.

 

JAYA:

Answer at least this Vijay. What do you call an elephant that flies?

 

VIJAY (triumphantly):

That one I know! A jumbo jet!

 

JAYA(appreciatively):

Atta boy! Can you tell me the name of one whose work is in ruins?

 

DEEPA(without batting an eyelid):

An archaeologist!

 

JAYA:

Okay. This one I really like! Can you dig this one? What did a plank of wood say to the electric drill?

 

VIJAY(bored):

This is boring, Jaya.

 

JAYA:

No, It said, “you are boring me!”

 

As Jaya laughs out aloud, others join her. At the same time we hear the pathetic cry of a frog. Everyone turns to the place from where the sound came. A rat-snake has caught a frog in its mouth. As the frog struggles, Mini, Vijay and Deepa run out screaming in fear. Jaya, but, calmly move out

 

THE MAN WITH A JEEP

 

EPISODE 6

Outside the shed                                                                                                                                             Evening

 

The children stand outside the shed in fear. They are looking towards the shed, when a jeep comes to a halt near them. The front windshield of the jeep has cracks on it and the children look at Vivek, Nirma and Nirmal getting off it. The driver of the jeep is an affable oldster who waves to the children in good spirit. Vijay, Deepa, Jaya and Mini look at the front shield questioningly and the oldster shrugs his shoulders.

THE OLDSTER:                                                                                                                                         Nothing that matters. A heavy bird fell on the shield. An eagle. No harm done!

Nirma and Nirmal bid good bye to him:

NIRMA & NIRMAL

Bye, papa! We’ll be back soon.

 

FATHER :                                                                                                                                              Take care you, guys!

 

Meanwhile Vivek is moving towards the shed. Deepa detains him.

DEEPA:                                                                                                                                                     No, Vivek! Hold on! There’s a snake in the shed.                              

VIVEK (aloud):                                                                                                                                                                              “A snake! What kind?” 

                                                                                                                  DEEPA:

We don’t know, it was gobbling a frog.

Hearing their talk, the man gets off the jeep and moves towards the shed. He peeps into the shed. 

                                                                                                                                                     THE MAN:                                                                                                                                                  Snake or no snake; this is no place for you children to be. Such a dismal place! Why don’t you assemble in our community hall? I’ll take you there in my jeep. This is no place for a meeting in the evening.”

VIVEK:                                                                                                                                                     Won’t it be a bother for you, Sir?

 

THE MAN:                                                                                                                                                       I told you Viv, not to call me sir. Call me Uncle or just by my name, Shankar.

 

VIVEK:                                                                                                                                                      Sorry Sir; I mean uncle.

 

SHANKAR:                                                                                                                                                        You guys hop into the jeep. Meanwhile I’ll get your things from the shed.

 

As the children get into the jeep, Mr. Shankar gets their things (some knapsacks, snack packets and bottles of water) into the jeep. As he piles them up in the back, he speaks.

 

SHANKAR:                                                                                                                                                   “Settle yourselves comfortably. I’ll get you to the community hall in a jiffy. There you have lights, toilets and other amenities. Once you are done, just call me; and, I’ll get all of you back home safely. Okay, guys?”

CHILDREN(in chorus):                                                                                                                                Okay, Shankar uncle. And, thank you a lot!

 

Mr. Shankar climbs into the driver’s seat. Vivek is already in the front and others at the back of the seat.  Mr. Shankar starts the jeep. The children are excited and the drive begins. After a while Shankar speaks.

SHANKAR:                                                                                                                                                    Why are you guys so silent? I thought it’ll be fun driving you. I have never seen children so silent.

VIVEK:                                                                                                                                                      They are still in shock. The rat-snake really rattled

 SHANKAR:                                                                                                                                                        “Fie! It was no venomous snake. A harmless frog-eating reptile.

JAYA:                                                                                                                                                              Still, a snake always sends a shiver down your spine.

SHANKAR:                                                                                                                                                    Forget it, man! Now, who among you can sing?

VIJAY:                                                                                                                                                       “Mini is a mini-star singer.”

SHANKAR:                                                                                                                                                 Fine! Mini, sing a merry song and make us all merry.

MINI(in mock timidity):                                                                                                                  Ayyo! My voice is not that good.

OTHER CHILDREN:                                                                                                                                         O, come on, Mini. A few bars won’t be of any harm.

MINI:                                                                                                                                                         But, will any of you join me?

OTHERS:

We will!

 

SHANKAR:                                                                                                                                               Even I will.

Mini clears her throat. Others expectantly look at her.

MINI:                                                                                                                                                      This is an old song.

SHANKAR:                                                                                                                                                   Old or new, sing away baby!

Now Mini is all set and as she sings, others join in the song.

CHILDREN (singing):                                                                                                                                      ‘The wheels on the jeep go round and round                                                                                         round and round,                                                                                                                                round and round (repeat)                                                                                                              The doors of the jeep go open and shut                                                                                                                    open and shut, open and shut                                                                                                         all through the land(repeat)                                                                                                                                    the wiper on the jeep go swish, swish, swish                                                                                              swish, swish, swish                                                                                                                                             all through the land (repeat)                                                                                                                                                      The signals on the jeep go blink, blink, blink                                                                                    blink, blink, blink                                                                                                                                        all through the land’ (repeat)

Everyone in the jeep is enjoying Mini’s song and clapping with their feet and hand. As the song reaches its crescendo, there is a loud burst. The jeep shakes violently and comes to a halt. Shankar gets down to see what the matter is. He looks at the tires and sees that one is punctured.

VIVEK:                                                                                                                                                       What happened sir, I mean, uncle?”

SHANKAR:                                                                                                                                                      A tire is punctured. We’ll have to change it.

VIVEK (to others):                                                                                                                                  Please, do get down. We have to change a tire.

SHANKAR:                                                                                                                                                     No. Let them sit there. We can fix it.

But all children get down and watch Shankar going to the booty of the jeep and getting the tools and the spare tire. Shankar starts unscrewing the punctured tire. Vivek helps him in the task. As they engage in fixing the spare tire, the others watch fascinated.

 

THE WOODS ARE SCARY, DARK AND DEEP

 

EPISODE 7

The wayside                                                                                                                                   Late evening

As the scene opens, we see Manu sitting on the punctured tire and browsing through a book. A little away from him we see the jeep and Shankar fixing the spare tire. Vivek is active in helping the man, handing tools and holding up the tire. Vijay is munching some chips from his packet and watching the scenery. Jaya is at her mobile, and Mini, Nirma, Deepa and Nirmal are watching Vivek and Shankar. While fixing the tire, Shankar speaks to Vivek.

SHANKAR:

Vivek, may I make a suggestion?

 

VIVEK:

Of course, Sir.

 

Shankar (in mock anger):

Viv!

 

VIVEK:

I’m terribly sorry, Uncle!

 

SHANKAR (laughs):

That’s better!

VIVEK:

And, you were saying … ?

 

SHANKAR:

See, it is getting dark, and the people at home would get worried sick, if the children were late.

 

Shankar has by now fixed the tire. He removes the jack and hands it over to Vivek. As he gathers the jack and other tools and keeps them in the kit, he speaks.

 

VIVEK:

I know. Even I was thinking about it. Mini’s and Vijay’s parents will especially be worried.

 

After that he hollers to Manu.

 

VIVEK:

Manu, get that tire here. Roll it to the jeep.

 

He turns to Vijay and shouts.

 

VIVEK:

Why don’t you help him, Vijay?

 

As Manu gets up from the tire, Vijay runs towards him to help. As both of them start rolling the tire towards the jeep, we come back to Vivek and Shankar.

 

SHANKAR:

So, why don’t you have your meeting tomorrow morning?

 

VIVEK:

I think that is a good idea.

 

At this juncture we hear a cry from Manu. As we look at Manu and Vijay, we see that the tire had fallen on Manu’s leg and Vijay is helping him get up. The other children except Vivek also go to their side.

 

MANU (holding Vijay’s hand and getting up):

You clumsy oaf!

 

VIJAY:

I’m really sorry, Manu

 

Manu (leaving his hand and waving at him):

Never mind! I’m okay.

 

Meanwhile Nirma and Nirmal have taken hold of the tire and deposited it at the back of the Jeep. Vivek places the toolkit near the tire. Jaya, Deepa and Mini are with Vijay and Manu. Jaya is consoling Manu, rubbing his leg. They slowly approach the jeep. Meanwhile, Shankar speaks to Vivek:

 

SHANKAR:

Not just that, Vivek. There is one more thing.

VIVEK (looking at him questioningly):

Yes, Uncle?

 

SHANKAR:

Isn’t this idea of trekking to the woods a little risky?

NIRMA:

That is true. There would be creepy, crawly things like spiders

 

NIRMAL:

Squealing, squelching and hissing things like snakes

MANU:

But woods are lovely, dark and deep

JAYA:

But only from a distance, you creep!

SHANKAR:

That is true. See, this Mini and Vijay couldn’t stand even a simple snake! And in the woods there will be plenty!

 

Mini shudders and looks at Vijay. He has opened his eyes wide. Now, Jaya speaks:

JAYA:

What’s more, there will be bats and scorpions!

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

Eeeeek ….

 

VIJAY:

Elephants and apes!

 

MANU:

Bears and Bisons!

 

MINI:

Wasps and Bees … Ammaa…

 

SHANKAR (laughing merrily):

My God! You’re painting a picture of horror.

VIJAY:

I thought the woods would be fun. But, now, it seems everyone has some fear or the other.

MANU:

Not fear, if you ask me. I would say it is a bias.

 

SHANKAR (still laughing):

Anyway, the majority seems to be against the woods. So, Vivek, why don’t we change the destination, I mean, the place.

Vivek slips into deep thought. He raises his eyes upward, then murmurs.

VIVEK (murmuring):

We have the beach to go to or …

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL (turns to Shankar):

Papa, could we all visit your farm house?

 

SHANAKAR:

Why not? All of you are most welcome!

He turns to Vivek.

SHANKAR:

What do you say Viv?

 

VIVEK:

I have no issues.

He turns to the other children:

VIVEK:

What is your opinion?

 

ALL (in one voice):

We have no issues either.

 

JAYA:

In fact, it’s an excellent idea.

DEEPA:

Truly

 

MINI:

A gem of an idea. Thank you Nirma, Nirmal.

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

You are most welcome!

 

VIVEK:

So, that is now set. And, one more thing; today’s meeting is called off. We will meet tomorrow.

SHANKAR:

Vivek, may I say something.

 

VIVEK:

Of course! Go ahead, uncle.

 

SHANKAR:

Look here, you guys and gals! It’s getting late. Right now, I’m going to drop you at your homes.

 

CHILDREN:

That’s so nice of you, Shankar Uncle!

 

SHANKAR:

Thank you. I’ll come back at 10 in the morning tomorrow to pick you up. All of you have your breakfast and wait for me. Lunch will be at my farm. Is it okay with you?

 

Children express themselves in various ways.

 

CHILDREN:

Great!

Capital!

Awesome!

Wonderful!

 

Suddenly a crow cawing lands atop the jeep. At the sight of the crow, Manu bursts into a song.

 

MANU:

You, cawing crow,

Back home you go.

The sun is set

Return to your nest.

 

As he sings, he waves at the crow, and it flies away.

 

SHANKAR:

Ah! Our instant poet!

 

NIRMAL & DEEPA:

He is our genius, uncle.

SHANKAR:

Alright. Now, hop into the jeep youngsters.

 

Everyone clambers into the jeep. Shankar takes the wheel and the jeep is on the move. On the move the children repeat   Manu’ s song.

 

CHILDREN:

‘You, cawing crow

Back home you go

The sun is set

Return to your nest.’

 

As they repeat the song Vijay’s body convulses and he shows signs of vomiting. The children stop the song and Shankar turns his head to see what the matter is. Sensing something amiss, he stops the jeep carefully.

 

A GAME OF NAMES

EPISODE 8

The jeep on the way.                                                                                                                                     The evening has darkened.

We see the jeep at a standstill. Its headlights, taillights and the interior light are all on. From the front seats of the jeep Sankar and Vivek are looking at Vijay. From the backseat the other children have come near Vijay who is evidently suffering. He is about to puke.

VIVEK:

Get him out, Jaya. I don’t want him to puke in here.

 

Jaya guides Vijay out.

JAYA:

I told him not to eat too much. How much can your stomach hold?

 

VIJAY(weakly):

It isn’t food, I swear. It’s the smell of the jeep

JAYA:

Nice excuse, brave-heart!

 

Meanwhile Shankar, with a torch, and Vivek have also got off the jeep. Jaya takes Vijay to the wayside. There he sits and retches as Shankar beams the flashlight towards them. A few moments pass. Vijay vomits with effort and stands up. Vivek fetches a bottle of water from the back of the jeep and hands it over to Jaya who, in turn, gives it to Vijay. He drinks the water and hands it back to Jaya. She rubs his back.

 

JAYA:

How do you feel? Are you alright, now?

 

Vijay speaks in a feeble voice.

VIJAY:

Yes.

He walks towards the jeep with her assistance. Shankar turns off the flashlight and hands a lemon to Vijay.

SHANKAR:

Smell it. And keep on smelling it, my boy.

 

They get into the jeep. Shankar starts the jeep. And the journey resumes

                            VIVEK:

Let’s drop Vijay first.

 

SHANKAR:

Yup. Fair enough

 

The vehicle moves in silence for a while. Then, Vivek points at a house at some distance.

VIVEK:

That’s Vijay’s house.

 

The jeep comes to a halt near Vijay’s house.

 

SHANKAR:

Vivek, please see to it that he gets home safely. Take my flashlight.

 

He gives his flashlight to Vivek. Vijay gets off the jeep with his knapsack. Mini also gets down.

 

MINI:

My house is next to his. Good night, Shankar Uncle, and thank you; good night, friends.

SHANKAR & OTHER CHILDREN:

Good night, Mini. Take care

 

VIJAY:

Good night, everyone. Uncle, I’ m sorry for the mess I made.

 

SHANKAR:

It’s okay, my boy. Good night. Get some good sleep.

 

OTHERS:

Good night, Vijay! Take rest.

 

VIVEK:

See, Vijay, if you don’t feel well, you needn’t come tomorrow. Take rest; get well.

 

VIJAY:

No. I want to come. I don’t want to miss the trip.

 

VIVEK:

Okay, we’ll see in the morning. Now, walk on.

 

Vivek guides Mini and Vijay towards the house. We see only the beam of the flashlight in front of them. After following the light for a few seconds, we return to the jeep.

 

SHANKAR:

Do all of you go to the same school?

 

JAYA:

Yeah. To the school in the nearby town. We have none in our village.

 

Suddenly Manu starts reciting.

 

MANU:

‘The six of us from this village

Go to the nearby town-school.

Inside it and outside it

We do learn a lot of things.

Things very great and things very trite

We learn all that we are taught’

 

At that point Deepa and Jaya also join in the recital.

 

JAYA, DEEPA & MANU:

‘The six of us from this village

We are called the gang of six. . .

 

By the time they repeat the lines and finish it, Vivek returns and climbs into the jeep. He returns the flashlight to Shankar. Starting and moving the jeep Shankar asks him:

 

SHANKAR:

Is everything alright?

 

VIVEK:

I hope so. I didn’t wait to meet their parents.

 

SHANKAR:

That’s fine. Otherwise, it would have delayed us. What do you say, you the members of the gang of six?

 

DEEPA, JAYA & MANU:

Yeah, Uncle.

 

SHANKAR (to Vivek):

They say, you call yourselves the gang of six

 

Vivek laughs.

SHANKAR:

Do you know what a gang actually means?

 

NIRMA& NIRMAL:

It is a set of robbers or thugs, isn’t it?

 

SHANKAR:

Yep. True.

 

MANU:

The six thugs of the village. Yes!

 

He makes a fist and pushes his hand up and down. Deepa and Jaya laugh.

SHANKAR:

To come back to you, Nirma and Nirmal. You know a gang is set of robbers. Then, what is a set of dogs or thieves called?

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

A pack.

 

SHANKAR:

And a set of lions?

 

Silence follows for a few seconds and, then, Vivek speaks.

 

VIVEK:

Isn’t it a pride?

 

SHANKAR:

You’re spot on. What do you call a set of elephants?

 

DEEPA & JAYA:

That’s easy. A herd

 

MANU:

It has another name.

 

EVERYONE:

What?

 

MANU (triumphantly):

A group of elephants is called a memory.

 

SHANKAR:

That is news to me! Hats off to you, scholar thug! Now, what is a set of giraffes called?

 

VIVEK (laughingly):

That I’ve read somewhere. It is a tower.

 

THE OTHER CHILDREN:

Really?

 

SHANKAR:

Yes. A group of giraffe is a tower. Now, for the next one. What do you call a group of swimming fish?

 

Everyone is racking their brain. At last Manu comes up with the answer.

MANU:

A set of fish is called a school.

 

SHANKAR:

Right, ho! So you are all fish in the school!

 

Everyone laughs.

SHANKAR:

The answer to the next will surprise you. What is the name for a group of crows?

 

Again, everyone thinks hard. But no one seems to get an answer.

MANU:

I give up.

 

DEEPA:

No bell rings in the head.

JAYA:

Too tough, it looks.

 

VIVEK:

As you said, must be something surprising

 

SHANKAR:

So, brace yourself up for a shock. A group of crows is called a … MURDER!

 

DEEPA:

My God!

 

MANU:

Incredible!

 

JAYA:

But crows in a group can really be murderous

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

True. I remember the movie ‘The Birds’.

 

SHANKAR:

Exactly!

 

The jeep moves on and we only hear the murmur of the people inside the jeep. From the distance the howls of jackals could be heard followed by the barks of dogs and the scene gets filled with alternating barks and howls.

 

FIREFLIES

 

EPISODE 9

The dirt road                                                                                                                                                 Early night

The jeep is on the move on a dirt-road, accompanied by the howls of foxes and the barks of dogs. It has grown dark and the only light is from the jeep. Occasionally an odd vehicle passes by the jeep ---- a motor bike, a bicycle or an auto rickshaw. The noise from the animals gets strident and it seems to affect Nirma and Nirmal. They cover their ears and grimace.

NIRMA:

It’s believed that a village is all quiet and calm.

 

NIRMAL:

… all fresh air and natural beauty

 

Manu laughs heartily and in between laughs he speaks.

 

MANU:

You city folks have weird ideas

 

JAYA:

Very true. They think the countryside is all heaven. They have their own superstitions

 

DEEPA:

Uncle, I’m a little scared. Please drop me next.

 

SHANKAR:

Sure, Deepa. But, don’t you worry. These noises will stop by and by.

 

DEEPA:

But, still…

 

MANU:

Deepa, why you fear, when I’m here?

Manu holds her hand in a tight grip. She leans towards him. Jaya holds them both.

 JAYA:

There, we are all with you, Deep.

 

For some time, there is silence in the jeep. It is now almost very dark outside except for the skylight. Shankar turns to these children and speaks.

 

SHANKAR:

Shall I put a song on?

 

MANU:

Okay, Uncle.

 

Shankar tries to play some song. At that moment Vijay speaks:

 

VIJAY:

Uncle, please stop the jeep. We’re near Deepa’s house.

 

The jeep stops.

SHANKAR:

Take your things, Deepa and get down carefully.

 

As Deepa gathers the things Vivek asks.

 

VIVEK:

Do you have my mask with you? If you have, give it back, Deepa

 

DEEPA:

I have it with me. But… do you want it?

 

VIVEK:

Why? Do you want to keep it?

 

JAYA:

I think she is up to some mischief.

 

DEEPA:

No; let me keep it, please I love it, Vivek

 

VIVEK:

Okay, but don’t play any mischief.

 

Deepa, wearing the mask, gets out of the jeep. Jaya murmurs.

 

JAYA

Naughty girl! Wily beast!

 

As Deepa gets down Jaya also gets down. Deepa, now, has the mask on. Nirmal and Nirma see something at a distance and are fascinated.

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

Look there!

Everyone look at the place they point at. We see the trees aglow with golden specks. The specks are twinkling and throbbing. Manu also gets out of the jeep, staring at the glow.

 

MANU:

Fireflies!

JAYA:

Glow worms!

 

The trees and plants are full of fireflies glowing intermittently, creating a spectacle in the night. Manu, Deepa and Jaya clap their hands and dance, singing the following lines. Vivek, Nirma, Nirmal and Shankar appreciate it from the jeep.

JAYA, DEEPA & MINI

Twinkle, twinkle little stars,

Glow-worms you’re summer stars (repeat)

Just as we’ve stars above

So have we you stars below (repeat)  

Deepa and Jaya are beside themselves with excitement. Exhausted, Deepa falls on the ground with her mask on and Jaya sits beside her. Manu continues the song on his own.     

MANU

Fireflies, fireflies burning bright

In the forest of the summer night (repeat)

Up above the stars aglow

Down below the flies aglow (repeat)

Shankar gets down with the torch and helps Deepa get up.

SHANKAR:

Take off your mask, and run home, Deepa.

 

Deepa gets up and walks home.

 

DEEPA:

Bye, Uncle! Bye, friends! It was a nice ride, Uncle.

 

SHANKAR:

Thank you, Deep… Now, scoot as fast as you can.

 

As Deepa goes Shankar lights her path with the torch. As she disappears, he and Manu get back into the jeep. A few fireflies land on Nirma and Nirmal. They shriek in fear and try to ward the flies off.

VIVEK:

Don’t  you worry, guys. They’re harmless.

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

Don’t they bite? Don’t they sting … like bees and mosquitoes?

 

SHANKAR:

No, They are harmless. They don’t bite; nor do they sting.

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

They give us the creeps

 

VIVEK:

You know, glow-worms stand for hope and spirit

 

MANU:

Yes, just as doves stand for peace

 

NIRMAL:

You mean they are symbols like the doves

 

MANU:

Yes. Just as we say Vivek is as brave as a… what’s it Vivek?

 

VIVEK:

A lion; but it is just a way of speaking

 

SHANKAR:

Just as you say, as afraid as a chicken.

 

MANU:

Like, as clever as a fox

 

SHANKAR:

Whose house is next?

 

VIVEK:

Manu’s

 

SHANKAR:

Just tell me when his house comes

 

MANU:

It’s just a few feet away. Okay, it is here, please stop.

 

The jeep stops near Manu’s house. But there are no lights outside the house. As Manu gets down, Shankar too gets down.

SHANKAR:

It seems something is amiss. I’ll come with you.

 

MANU:

No, Uncle. It is okay. I will find my way on my own. Thanks for your concern.

 

SHANKAR

Okay, my boy. I’ll stand by. You proceed

As Manu moves towards the house, Shankar lights his torch for Manu to see the way.

 

AN ACCIDENT

Episode 10

Near Manu’s home                                                                                                                             Early Night

 

As Manu moves in the light of the flashlight, Vivek and Jaya also come out of the jeep and stand near Shankar. Suddenly, the porch of Manu’s house is lit and a big ferocious dog charges after the strangers. With an agile leap, Vijay and Jaya gets into the jeep, but Shankar stands calm. In the light of the porch Manu rushes to the dog.

MANU:

Halt, Fido, Halt! Get back and stop your bark!

At Manu’s command the dog goes back, growling.

MANU:

I’m sorry Uncle. Fido doesn’t like strangers.

 

SHNKAR:

You go and get in Manu. Bye and Good Night

 

MANU:

Good night, Shankar Uncle. See you tomorrow.

 

Shankar:

Bye

 

He walks back to the jeep. Inside the jeep Nirma, Nirmal and Jaya are still in fright, with their mouth agape. Vivek, in the front seat, is rubbing his hands. As Shankar gets into the jeep, he speaks.

SHANKAR:

A barking dog seldom bites. You know the proverb, Vivek!

 

VIVEK:

But, does the dog know the proverb?

 

Shankar laughs hilariously and slaps Vivek on his back. Vivek also smiles. Nirma speaks from behind in a terror-stricken voice.

NIRMA:

The dog was so fierce-looking

 

NIRAMAL:

Hoo! My hairs are all still standing on their ends

 

JAYA:

Goosebumps as big as gooseberries

 

SHANKAR:

It is just a lap-dog. What will you do if you come across a real, mean street cur?

 

The jeep is traversing smoothly along. We hear the chirps of crickets, odd cries of owls and well-paced howls of foxes or barks of dogs. There are few fireflies settled on the bonnet of the jeep.

VIVEK:

You mean the street dogs are mean?

 

SHANKAR:

What do you say, Nirma and Nirmal.

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

I remember a dog-poem

 

SHANKAR:

Sing on, lads

 

Nirma and Nirmal start reciting the poem.

 

NIRMA & NRMAL:

‘I’m a lean dog, a keen dog, a wild dog and lone

I’m a rough dog, a tough dog, hunting on my own.’

 

VIVEK:

We had this poem to learn at school.

 

SHANKAR:

Surprise! Even I had learnt this at school

 

JAYA:

I too remember those lines

‘I’m a lean dog, a keen dog … or was it a mean dog?’

 

VIVEK:

Mean or keen, it rhymes so well. Nirmal, carry on

 

NIRMAL & NIRMA:

‘I’m a lean dog, a keen dog, a wild dog and lone

I’m a rough dog, a tough dog, hunting on my own’

 

Jaya and Vivek joins.

 

JAYA, VIVEK, NIRMA & NIRMAL:

‘I’m a bad dog, a mad dog, teasing silly sheep’

 

SHANKAR:

‘I love to sit and bay at the moon, to keep fat souls from sleep.’

 

Everyone laughs and start singing together.

 

ALL TOGETHER:

‘I’ll never be a lap dog, licking dirty feet

A sleek dog, a meek dog, cringing for my meat’ (repeat)

 

JAYA (Solo):

‘Not for me the fireside, the well-filled plate

But shut door, and sharp stone, and cuff and kick and hate’ (repeat)

 

The jeep swerves as an auto from the opposite approaches. Then, it is steadied and cruises smoothly. Now, we see the jeep from the outside as the song wafts into the air.

 

THE SONG:

‘Not for me the other dogs running by my side

Some have a short while, none of them would bide

O mine is still the lone trail, the hard trail, the best

Wide wind, and wild stars, and hunger of the quest.’ (repeat)

 

As the song fades, we get into the jeep. All of them are singing. Once the repeat is over, Jaya picks up the first lines.

 

JAYA:

‘I’m a lean dog, a keen dog, a wild dog and lone

I’m a rough dog, a tough dog, hunting on my own’ (repeat)

 

Then Nirma, Nirmal and Vivek join.

NIRAMAL, NIRMA & VIVEK:

‘I’ll never be a lap dog, licking dirty feet

A sleek dog, a meek dog, cringing for my meat’ (repeat)

Shankar takes up the thread.

SHANKAR:

‘I’ll never be a lap dog, licking dirty feet

A sleek dog, a meek dog, cringing for my meat’ (repeat)

Once he finishes, Shankar speaks:

SHANKAR:

Looks like a rebel dog. A communist!

 

VIVEK:

‘I’m a red dog, a kind dog

And an army of one dog

Fighting in the street’

Shankar laughs.

SHANKAR:

You’re so innovative, Vivek

 

JAYA:

Manu will grow jealous.

 

VIVEK:

Let him be jealous. I’ve medicine for his jealousy.

 

SHANKAR:

They say there is no medicine for jealously and baldness

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

If you can cure jealousy, Vivek bro, we need some.

 

SHANKAR:

Jaya, tell me when your house comes

 

JAYA:

Vivek and I will get down at my place.

 

SHANKAR:

Okay, just tell me when we reach

 

The jeep passes by a bicycle, which skids and falls into a ditch.

SHANKAR:

O, my god!

He stops the jeep and ventures out.

 

 

THE NEWSPAPER BOY

 

Episode 11

The cut-road

Night progresses

 

Shnkar goes towards the ditch and Vivek and Jaya join him. Nirma and Nirmal sit in the jeep watching the other three in anxiety. We see in the sky a crescent moon coming up, accompanied by some fearsome music. An owl hoots. A dog barks. In return a fox howls. During this time Shankar, Vijay and Deepa reach the ditch. As they look in, the music stops and we see a young boy in trousers and shirt disentangling himself from the bicycle. Vijay and Jaya recognize the boy.

 

VIJAY & DEEPA:

Arrey, this is our newspaper boy, Ravi!

Ravi, are you hurt?

 

RAVI(struggling to get up):

I hope not. Only some bruises here and there.

 

Ravi gets up. Vivek and Jaya help him out of the ditch. After that they haul the cycle out. Meanwhile Shankar speaks.

 

SHANKAR:

I’m so sorry, Ravi, my boy.

 

RAVI (dusting himself off):

NOoo, No, Sir. It was my fault. I didn’t see the ditch.

By now Vivek and Jaya have put the cycle in position. Vivek takes the cycle to Ravi.

VIVEK:

The bike is okay. Can you pedal it?

 

RAVI (taking the cycle):

Thanks, Bhai. I’m fine. Thanks for the help.

 

SHANKAR:

What about your bruises?

 

Ravi examines his limbs and smiles.

RAVI (smilingly):

Nothing so serious

 

He turns to Shankar and shakes his hand.

 

RAVI:

Sorry for the bother, Sir. It was my mistake

 

SHANKAR:

Shall I take you home?

 

RAVI (Smiles):

No need sir. I’m fit and so is my bike. See you, people.

 

He gets on the bicycle and rides off. Shankar, Jaya and Vivek watch him depart. From the jeep Nirma and Nirmal also watch him ride away. As Ravi goes, we hear a snatch of song in his voice, slowly fading into distance. We follow Ravi till the song fades.

 

RAVI (V/O):

I was on a roll

Riding on my bike.

Then, all of a sudden

There was a hitch

And there was a glitch

And I was in a ditch.(repeat)

The witches of the night

Wanted me in a ditch. (repeat)

That’s what I think

But my stars I do thank

As out of the ditch

I came out with some scratch (repeat)

No harm done

It’s all well-done” (repeat)

 

Shankar, Vivek an Jaya walk back to the jeep where Nirma and Nirmal are waiting in anxiety. As the three get into the vehicle Nirmal speaks:

NIRMAL:

Papa, is he hurt?

 

SHANKAR:

Thaks to our luck, no, my son.

 

NIRMA (with folded hands):

Thank God!

 

Shankar gets into the driver’s seat and Vivek into the front seat. Jaya joins Nirma and Nirmal. As Shankar starts the jeep, he talks to Jaya.

SHANKAR:

Jaya, call your parents and say you are on your way.

 

JAYA:

Sure, uncle.

 

Jaya punches the numbers on her mobile. Nirmal and Nirma watch her.

JAYA (with the phone on her ear):

Uncle, not reachable

 

VIVEK;

Don’t you worry, we’re almost there. Uncle, please stop at the next bend. We’ll get down there. The jeep can’t go near our homes.

SHANKAR:

As you say, my boy

The jeep comes to a bend in the road and stops. Jaya bids farewell to Nirma and Nirmal and gets out with her kit.

 JAYA:

See you tomorrow at the farm. Good night

 

She then goes to the side of Shankar and gives him her hand.

 

JAYA:

Thank you so much uncle!

 

SHANKAR (shaking her hand):

You are always welcome, dear girl!

Vivek now turns to Shankar and speaks.

VIVEK:

Uncle, may I venture a suggestion?

 

SHANKAR:

Why not?

 

VIVEK:

If you don’t mind …

 

SHANKAR:

I don’t at all

 

VIVEK:

Then, you need not pick us up, uncle.

 

SHANKAR:

Then?

 

VIVEK:

We will reach your farm on our cycles. I’ll inform everyone.

 

SHANKAR:

But, my boy, do you know the place?

 

VIVEK:

Just send me the location by Google map.

 

SHANKAR:

Are you sure you can reach?

 

VIVEK:

Yep, uncle. We’ll reach.

 

SHANKAR:

Okay, then. I’ll send the location map.

 

VIVEK:

Now, for the time being, bye, uncle

 

SHANKAR:

Bye, man! Have a good night’s sleep.

 

VIVEK:

Good night, uncle

 

Vivek turns to Nirma and Nirmal.

 

VIVEK:

Good night, buddies

 

NIRMA&NIRMAL:

Bye, bro.

 

SHANKAR (to Vivek and Jaya):

You must be tired, with all that excitement on the way. Sleep tight. And see you tomorrow. Vivek, once I reach home I’ll send you the location map.

 

VIVEK&JAYA:

Thank you, uncle. You too have a nice night

 

SHANKAR:

And Jaya, once you reach home, just message me.

 

JAYA:

Fine, Uncle

 

SHANKAR, NIRMA & NIRMAL:

BYE!

 

JAYA & VIVEK:

BYE!

 

As they walk off, Shankar starts the jeep. As the jeep moves, we see the sky and the surroundings. The sound of the crickets, the hooting of an owl and other nocturnal sounds follow the jeep. The newspaper boy’s song echoes as the jeep moves on.

‘I was on a roll

Riding on my bike.

Then, all of a sudden

There was a hitch

And there was a glitch

And I was in a ditch.’(repeat)

 

 

AT THE FARMHOUSE

 

EPISODE 12

Outside the farm house

About 9.30 a.m.

It’s a bright morning with the sky clear. We see the farmhouse and its arched gate from above. We see the legend, ‘SHANKAR’S RANCH’ on the arch of the gate. As though uninterested, we move away from the gate to the narrow approach road and set out backward towards the main street. We pass stray vehicles, people on the way and discover the six children cycling towards the farm. They are all in casual trousers and T-shirts and carry a rucksack /backpack / knapsack. They are gay and are cycling relaxed. Vivek brings up the rear and Jaya holds up the front. We go past them and have a glance at various things on the wayside: flowers, birds, dragonflies, bees, a cat or a dog or a cow here and there, a man or a woman or a child moving on. Then we come back to the rear of the cycling gang and realize that Manu has started singing and the other five are singing in support.

MANU:

‘Uncle Shankar, he has a farm

Eeya eeya o.

 

Others repeat the snatch.

MANU:

On his farm he has a cow

A cow that goes ‘round moo, moo, moo.

 

OTHERS:

A moo, moo here and a moo, moo there

A moo, moo, moo, moo everywhere.

 

MANU:

Uncle Shankar, he has a farm

Eeya eeya o.’

 

Others repeat the lines.

MANU:

‘On his farm he has a dog

A dog that goes ‘round bow, bow, bow.

 

OTHERS:

A bow, bow here and a bow, bow there

A bow, bow bow bow every everywhere

 

MANU:

Uncle Shankar, he has a farm

Eeyaa eeyaa o.’

 

Others repeat the lines.

MANU:

On his farm he has a duck

A duck that goes ‘round quack, quack, quack.

 

OTHERS:

A quack, quack here and a quack, quack there

A quack, quack, quack, quack everywhere

 

MANU:

Uncle Shankar, he has a farm

Eeyaa eeya o.’

 

Others repeat.

MANU:

‘On his farm he has a chick

A chick that goes ‘round cluck, cluck, cluck.

 

OTHERS:

A cluck, cluck here and a cluck, cluck there

A cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck everywhere.’

 

Now, everyone including Manu sings:

 

MANU & OTHERS:

‘Uncle Shankar, he has a farm

Eeya eeya o!’

 

Cycling the children reach the gate of the farm. The gate is seen closed. All the children at the same time ring their cycle bells. A man in dhoti and T-shirt is seen coming from the farm to the gate. As they see the man, they stop the bells. The man hurriedly opens the gate and lets in the children. They park the cycles in the shade of a huge tree with thick foliage. At the same time we see Nirma and Nirmal rushing towards them.

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL (raising their arms)

Hi, guys!

 

The children greet back.

 

CHILDREN:

Hi, good morning!

 

Nirma & Nirmal:

A very good morning, guys.

 

They turn to the middle-aged man.

 

NIRMAL:

Rametta, get them to the sitting room. We’ll fetch Papa.

 

RAMAN:

Very well, Dear.

 

He turns to the children, as Nirma and Nirmal go to fetch Shankar.

RAMAN:

Shall I carry your bags?

 

VIVEK:

No, Uncle. They aren’t heavy. Jaya, Deepa, Mini, Manu, Vijay … follow us.

 

He turns to Raman.

VIVEK:

So, you name is Raman, isn’t it, uncle?

 

RAMAN (guiding them to the farmhouse):

Yes.

JAYA:

How long have you been with this farm?

 

RAMAN:

Very long

 

MANU:

Do you live here or …

 

RAMAN:

Yes, I live here

 

DEEPA:

And your children?

 

RAMAN:

I have no children.

MINI:

What about your wife?

 

RAMAN:

I’ve no wifey.

 

JAYA & DEEPA:

So, you stay here all alone.

RAMAN:

Not when Sir is around

All laugh.

VIJAY:

How is the food here?

 

DEEPA:

I knew, it was coming

 

Again all laugh.

RAMAN:

As good as food can be.

 

VIVEK:

Is there a chef here?

 

By now, they have reached the porch and Raman guides them into a spacious sitting room. There is a bookshelf against one of the walls, stuffed with books. There are two large sofas, into which the children plunge. They throw their bags on the large teapoy before the sofas. There is a world-map on one of the walls. A door leads into the dining room and another into a bedroom. The other two walls have minimum decoration.

Raman continues the thread of conversation.

RAMAN:

No; I am the cook here.

 

VIVEK:

O!

 

Manu is examining the bookshelf. Vijay takes a snack packet and a bottle of water out of his bag. Deepa snatches his packet and keeps it away from him.

DEEPA:

There is a time for everything!

 

VIJAY:

You, brute!

 

JAYA:

Shut up! Vijay, you can have a cookie if you can show Belarus on this map.

 

She points towards the map on the wall.

 

VIJAY (sneeringly):

Is there such a country?

 

JAYA:

Yep. It’s near Latavia.

By now, Raman has disappeared through the kitchen. Except Manu the children, some sitting and others standing, are focusing on the map.

MINI:

Latavia? Never heard of such a country.

 

VIVEK:

A mini-country

 

Vijay tries hard to locate Belarus on the map. He takes a long scale on the teapoy and starts searching. Suddenly, without lifting his face from the book he has taken from the shelf, Manu speaks up.

MANU:

Look near Russia

 

Vijay follows his advice and locates Belarus near Russia.

 

VIJAY:

There it is, your blasted Belarus; (turning to Jaya) Now, hand me my cookie.

 

DEEPA:

But without Manu you wouldn’t have made it.

 

JAYA:

It’s fine; let him have it.

 

Jaya gives Vijay cookie.

 

VIJAY (while munching the cookie)

Would you give me another one?

 

VIVEK:

Sure; but you have to locate another country

 

MINI:

A cookie for a country

 

JAYA:

And anyone can join the game. All are welcome.

 

DEEPA:

And Manu, no more helping with any clues! One has to win on one’s own

MANU:

Leave me out. I want to read this book.

 

Manu settles in the sofa with the book.

 

JAYA:

Let’s begin the game. You can use the scale to point out the country.

VIJAY:

Name the country, please.

 

VIVEK:

Austria

 

MINI:

The one who names cannot participate.

VIVEK:

Fair enough!

 

Others start looking for Austria. Vijay triumphantly points at a country and shouts.

 

VIJAY:

Eureka! Austria! Hand over my cookie.  A cookie for my beloved Austria.

 

He keeps on pointing at a country and jumps up and down.

Deepa gets up and yells at him.

DEEPA:

You international idiot! That’s AU-STRA-LIA, not AUS-TRIA. You have saucer-sized eyes. Can’t you see?

 

Vijay looks at the map and Australia stares at him. For a second he stands with his mouth agape. Then he speaks.

 

VIJAY:

But Vivek said Australia. I remember. You are pulling my leg.

 

VIVEK:

No. Austria was what I said

 

MINI:

True. And, you know, I know where Austria is.

 

Mini goes to the map and locates Austria

 

MINI:

Some of our people have settled there. There they speak German.

 

DEEPA (laughing):

Ask our Vij to show Poland and he will give you Holland

 

JAYA:

And he will change Algeria to Nigeria. Mini, here is your biscuit.

 

MINI:

No, thanks. You give it to Vij.

 

VIJAY (sulking)

I don’t want your charity.

 

VIVEK:

Take it Vij; be a sport.

 

Vijay accepts the biscuit.

 

JAYA:

Now, who can locate Estonia?

 

MINI:

What Sonia?

 

JAYA:

ES-TO-NIA

 

Everyone looks for Estonia on the map except Jaya and Manu

 

MANU:

Estonia got its independence on 20^th August 1991

 

When everyone fails to locate the country Jaya speaks:

JAYA(to Manu):

If you are such a walking encyclopedia, come and show it.

 

Manu walks to the map calmly, takes the scale and points at the country.

MANU:

Here it is!

 

Everyone claps the hand and Jaya gives him a biscuit. As Manu takes it, Shankar in casual dress enters from outside, followed by Nirma and Nirmal.

SHANKAR:

I see, you young thugs are enjoying your time. Well, well! Very good

 

Everyone stands and turns to him and greets.

 

ALL:

Good morning, Shankar uncle

 

SHANKAR:

Good morning, gang of six. Please move into the dining room. We will have some refreshment. Go, wash your face and hands.

 

All of them move into the dining room, where there is a large dining table flanked by ten chairs. As the children take their turns at the wash basin, Shankar calls out:

 

SHANKAR:

Ramettaaaa…

 

Suddenly a crashing sound is heard from the adjoining kitchen. The children freeze at the washbasin and Shankar moves to the kitchen.

 

A HUNTING GAME

 

EPISODE 13

Interior: The kitchen                                                                   Morning

We are inside the kitchen. The kitchen is well-equipped. There is a separate pantry in the kitchen where wares and items for cooking are stored. Raman is standing and staring at some broken glasses and plates on the floor. Shankar is looking at Raman. On the kitchen ledge we see a large glass jug of orange juice just taken out the fridge. We can see the vapors on the jar.

SHANKAR:

Rametta …

 

There is no response from Raman; he is dreamily staring at the shards and splinters on the floor.

 

SHANKAR (raising his voice):

Rametta … where’re you lost?

 

RAMAN (suddenly waking up)

Eh?

SHNAKAR:

Have you lost it? What happened? Are you hurt?

 

RAMAN(remorsefully):

No, Master. I was bringing the plates and glasses. Suddenly, I don’t know what happened. I lost my balance and ---

SHANKAR:

I understand. Don’t you worry. Just sweep the broken things away and put them in the trash bin. I’ll get one of those boys to help you out.

 

As Raman picks up a broom and dust pan, Shankar calls out into the dining room.

SHANAKAR:

Viv, could you step in here for once?

 

VIVEK (v/O):

Of course,Uncle.

 

Vivek steps into the kitchen. Raman is depositing the some remains in a bin in a corner and comes back to sweep what remains.

SHANKAR:

Sorry to trouble you, Viv. Would you serve the juice to the kids in there?

 

Vivek looks at the jug of juice.

 

VIVEK:

Uncle, first let me get the glasses. Where are the glasses?

 

SHNAKAR (showing the pantry)

There in the pantry. How many of you are there?

VIVEK (going to the pantry):

There are eight of us, including your kids. So, this is what you call a pantry.

 

SHANKAR:

The very same. Haven’t you seen the pantry in a train?

 

VIVEK:

The pantry car! Sure, I have visited one in a train.

RAMAN (busy removing the remains and ditching them into the bin):

We keep our cups, saucers, forks, spoons and other cutleries in there.

 

Vivek gets the glasses and sets them on a tray. Raman tries to pour the juice from the jar into the glasses. Vivek stops him.

 

VIVEK (restraining Raman):

Hold on a second, Uncle Rametta…

 

Raman looks at him questioningly.

VIVEK:

Let’s first set glasses on the dining table.

 

SHANKAR:

That’s proper. That way, if there’s some mess, we can handle it.

 

Vivek then calls out into the dining room.

 

VIVEK:

Jaya, would you please come here for a minute.

 

Jaya comes into the kitchen, talking on her cell phone:

 

VIVEK:

Cut the call, Jaya, please and help us.

 

JAYA:

It’s my mom. She is asking when I will be back.

 

SHANKAR:

Gimme the phone, girl. I’ll speak to her. You help Vivek and Ramettan.

Jaya gives the phone to Shankar and he, talking on the phone, goes into the balcony adjoining the kitchen.

VIVEK:

I need you to take these glasses to the dining table. Please, place a glass each before everyone. Put them on coasters and ask them to use the napkin on the back of their chairs. Please.

 

Jaya takes the tray of glasses and disappears into the dining room. Vivek turns to Raman.

VIVEK:

Rametta, you stay here. Gimme the jar. I’ll serve them. If we want anything we’ll call out. Is it okay?

 

RAMAN:

Very much Okay, my boy! You’re a good egg. God bless you!

 

VIVEK (smiling and delicately picking up the juice-jar):

Because I’m a good egg, don’t you try to turn me into an omelet.

 

RAMAN (suddenly laughing)

Never in my life, kiddo

Vijay with the jar goes into the dining room.                                  

Cut to the dining room.                                                             The kids are sitting round the table with napkins tied around their necks. Manu has the book with him; Deepa has her earphones on; Vijay is staring at an empty packet; Mini is just looking at the scene around. Nirma and Nirmal are engaged in playing a game on their phones. Jaya has almost finished placing glasses on the coasters before everyone.

VIVEK:

Attention, everybody! Keep your things off and enjoy a glass of cool orange juice! No multi-tasking! Just one thing at a time! When you drink, just drink. Taste every drop, like it is the last drop.

 

DEEPA (laying away her earphones):

Stop your sermon and serve the juice

 

VIJAY:

He is always playing leader.

MANU (keeping his book aside):

Let him. History shows that all leaders eventually bite dust.

 

MINI:

What do you mean?

 

Nirma & NIRMAL (keeping their phones away):

That history won’t be kind to Vivek.

JAYA (finishing her task):

Come back from history and be here and now, will ya?

 

And Jaya takes her seat at the table. Vivek starts serving. First, he fills Vijay’s glass. As soon as it gets filled, Vijay starts drinking. Deepa stops him.

 

DEEPA (reproachfully):

Wait, you, lout! Let him fill everyone’s glass. Why this tearing hurry?

 

Vijay keeps the glass down and wipes its brim. Vivek fills all the glasses and seats himself down.

 

JAYA (raising her glass):

Now, the toast

MANU:

To whom or what?

VIVEK (raising his glass):

To our Ramettan! And all of you keep your hands off the table

 

VIJAY:

Now, can we have the juice?

 

ALL TOGRTHER(raising their glasses):

To our Ramettan Uncle!

 

MANU:

Before we down it, a small prayer

 

Manu closes his eyes and recites a song:

 

MANU:

A jar of juice                                                   Poured into my glass.                                           Before I drink                                                      For a minute I think. (repeat)                                            Ramettan our Uncle                                                Long live our uncle(repeat)

 

OTHERS:

Amen!

 

As they finish drinking, Shankar enters the dining room and gives back the phone to Jaya. Raman also comes to collect the empty vessels and the tray. Vijay and Jaya help him.

 

SHANKAR:

None of you have to worry about getting back home. I’ve told Jaya’s mom to inform everybody that I’ll get you back home safely, however late. It’s my responsibility. Okay?

CHILDREN:

Okay, Uncle. Thank you so much.

SHANKAR:

Now that you’re refreshed, I want you to go round the farm and see all that you wanted to see. But, for that I’ve devised a game

 

ALL:

A game?

 

SHANKAR:

Precisely! I’ve hidden a trophy in the farm, and to find it I’ve scattered some clues all over the farm.

 

The children make excited sounds and get up from their places.

 

ALL:

Clues?

 

SHANKAR:

Yes. Whoever finds the trophy, will also get another reward from me.

 

VIVEK:

When you say farm, isn’t it too big?

 

SHANKAR:

You just have to wander around the house. No need to go very far.

 

JAYA:

As far as the fish pond?

 

MINI:

The meadow where the cows graze?

 

RAMAN:

No need to be so bothered. I’ll come with you

 

DEEPA:

Thank you, Rametta. If I find the trophy, I’ll take a selfie with you.

 

MINI:

And we’ll post it on instagram

 

RAMAN:

If I find the trophy, then?

 

VIVEK:

Still, we’ll post your pic and give a reward from our side.

 

SHANKAR:

Two clues are here in the dining room. Whoever gets them can proceed. Other clues are outside the cottage. In the open air. Your time starts now.

 

The children start searching frantically for the clue in the dining room. Manu takes his book and shakes it. A piece of folded paper falls from it. Manu takes it and reads the writing on it. We see the writing:

 

THE WRITING:

‘In the shade of the tamarind tree’

 

A soon as he reads it, he bolts out of the room to the open grounds. Vijay calls after him.

 

VIJAY:

Where are you running off to, like a nut?

 

SHANKAR:

He got his clue. There is one more clue in the room. Try. All the best, Kiddos! Good Luck!

 

CHILDREN (looking for clues here and there):

Thanks, Uncle!

 

SHANKAR:

See, Manu has got a head start. I think he is going to beat you at it.

 

VIJAY (Searching under the bookshelf):

Manu? That egghead? Let’s see.

 

Suddenly Vijay finds a piece of cardboard under the shelf. He examines it and gets excited. Without a word, he darts out of the room. Others look at him in surprise. Shankar chuckles.

 

DEEPA:

Even that dunderhead got a clue

 

MINI (to Shankar):

Is there any more clue in this room?

 

SHANKAR:

No more. Now the clues are all in the open. Try your luck. Luck favors those who try. Rametta, help these kids, if you please.

 

Shankar chuckles and goes back into the kitchen. Raman and children go out. We see Vijay much ahead of them, darting towards a tree. As he rushes, he trips on a boulder and falls flat on the ground. Deepa rushes to him and snatches his paper and reads it. She runs towards a tree with all her might. Other children too run after her without minding Vijay. Only Vivek and Jaya stop at Vijay to see whether he is hurt.

 

 

MANU HAS A FALL

 

 

EPISODE 14

Exterior: outside the house.                                    It’s still morning.

As the scene opens, we see Deepa standing by a tree and looking at its trunk. There’s a thick arrow mark there, with the inscription ‘GO TO THE TAMARIND TREE’. She looks around and sees a tamarind tree at a little distance. She rushes there to find Manu looking up and down that tree. There are two thick arrows pointing in opposite directions on the tree. She looks at Manu and Manu looks at her.

MANU:

Here you are.

 

DEEPA:

Yeah, here I’m.

 

MANU:

Where’re the others?

 

DEEPA:

They were on my heels. I don’t know where they are now

 

By now, Nirma, Nirmal, and Mini reach the spot.

 

NIRMA, MINI & NIRMAL:

Did you find the treasure, Manu? I knew you would find it.

MANU:

Find, my foot! Look at these clues of arrows! Confounding,to say the least. Where are the other three: Vij, jaya and our self-styled leader?

 

DEEPA (laughing):

You know, Vijay tripped on a block of stone and fell. Jaya and Viv are playing Good Samaritans.

 

MANU:

So, sad that Vijay had to fall.

 

DEEPA:

What is sad about it? The useless guy had coming it to him.

 

NIRMA & NIRAMAL:

Don’t be so callous, Deep. It is really fun having him around.

 

DEEPA:

Fun, indeed! If he is fun, I’m Donald Trump.

 

MANU:

Still, isn’t he one of us? Whatever fault he has, as friends, we are the ones to be there for him.

 

DEEPA:

Manu, you are too generous.

 

MANU:

No Deep, I know he is not a bad egg. I have often wished I could enjoy food as he enjoys it.

 

As this conversation fades, we return to Vijay and friends. Vivek, Jaya and Raman have taken him back to the portico of the house and seated him comfortably. Vijay is weeping. Shankar enters the portico with a bag full of snacks and bottles of water and hands it over to Raman.

 

SHANAKAR:

What’s the fuss? Is anything wrong?

 

RAMAN:

Vijay babu here hurt himself.

 

Shankar goes to Vijay and lifts his face.

 

SHANKAR:

Vijay?

 

VIJAY (weeping):

I’m all right, uncle

 

Shankar moves away from him and turns to Raman.

 

SHANKAR:

Rametta, give him some water, please.

 

Raman opens a bag and hands over a bottle of water to Vijay. He takes it and drinks a little. His weeping doesn’t stop.

JAYA:

Why cry, silly?

 

VIJAY:

I’m so useless. I can’t sing; I can’t write like Manu; I can’t dance like Deepa; I have no gift. I’m a useless bugger. Even when I play the flute, my parents don’t like it.

 

As he weeps, Jaya comes forward and gets him into a hug. She caresses his head and kisses there.

 

JAYA:

How did you get all this cow dung into your head?

 

VIJAY (trying to suppress his tears):

 I know no one ever loves me! I’m jinxed.

 

VIVEK (putting his hands over his shoulders):

That is not true. All of us without any exception love you. We make fun of you precisely because we love you. Now, cheer up and join the treasure hunt

 

VIJAY:

I was racing because I wanted, at least in this to be the winner

 

SHANKAR:

Take heart, my kid. You will be the winner.

 

Raman takes a packet of potato chips from the bag and extends it to Vijay.

RAMAN:

I know you love these chips. Take it. You need energy to go for the hunt.

 

Vijay accepts the packet and gets up.

 

SHANKAR:

Let the fun begin.

 

Vivek and Jaya get into a jig, singing and guiding Vijay. Raman follows them with the bag of snacks and water-bottles.

VIJAY & JAYA (cutting a caper):

With a skip and a hop                                               And hearts full of hope                                            We embark on a hunt                                        Without any stunt (repeat)                                                The sun may set                                                        And the moon all wet                                             Still we’ll find                                                 What’s to be found (repeat)

 

 

Raman also joins in their joy, as Shankar looks on them. They turn a bend and reach the tree at which Deepa was looking earlier. They see the arrow and go to the tamarind tree where we see Manu, Deepa, Mini, Nirmal and Nirma talking.

VIVEK:

Hi, Manu!

 

MANU, DEEPA, MINI, NIRMA & NIRMAL (wishes back):

Hi, friends!

 

VIJAY:

Never even in my dreams I thought that Manu will be going on his own

 

JAYA:

Maybe, he feels as the same as you. Jinxed

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

Uncle, Rametta … Could you get us some water? It is so hot here.

 

Raman takes a few bottles from the bag and distributes among the children.

RAMAN:

Keep them with you, kids. And, anyone needs any snacks, just holler at me, okay?

 

NIRMA, NIRMAL, DEEPA & MANU:

Thank you, Rametta … May you prosper for long!

 

RAMAN:

You are always welcome, my children!

 

VIVEK (looking at the arrows):

These signs are puzzling! One to the West and the other to the East. Where do we go?

 

JAYA:

We split into two groups. One set to the West and the other to the East.

 

MINI:

But which is the East and which the West?

 

VIJAY (popping potato fries into his mouth):

ARREY, look at the sun and see. Now, the sun is in the East and you figure it out

 

DEEPA:

East or West, look at the beast, hogging like a pig.

 

VIVEK:

Deep, mind your words. He’s no pig. And don’t you be one

 

DEEPA:

I was just…

 

JAYA:

Cut it, babe

Deepa sulks.

MINI:

Deepa, let’s focus on the hunt

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

That’s right. And fair

 

VIVEK:

Okay, let’s divide ourselves. Nirma, Nirmal, Manu and Jaya one set. Vijay, Mini, Deepa and me in the other. Ramettan will be with us.

 

DEEPA:

I don’t want to be in Vij’s group

 

VIVEK:

That’s fine. You move to Jaya’s group and let Manu join us. And, remember, Jaya will be your leader and captain. Whatever she says, follow her.

 

DEEPA:

That’s alright, as long as Vij is not in the party

 

VIVEK:

So, that’s settled. Now let us move. Jaya, you go to the East and I take them to the West

 

The two groups move in opposite directions. We first follow Vivek’s group going away from the tamarind tree. Then we go to the other group moving in the opposite direction. Again, we come back to Vivek’s set. Manu has taken a paper out of his pocket. Deepa curiously watches him.

 

DEEPA:

What’s it Manu? A new poem?

 

MANU:

A folksong turned into a poem

 

DEEPA:

Vivek, listen to this. Manu has written a new poem

 

VIVEK:

Okay, Let’m recite it as we move. It may lighten our walk. Manu, sing it on

 

MINI:

Yes, Manu, carry on

 

RAMAN:

A poem on our way is a nice thing to hear. On with it, my boy

 

VIVEK:

Let’s hear as we tread looking for the treasure

 

Manu clears his throat and recites from the paper. Others move forward listening.

MANU:

Jack told Jill not to leave home;                                  Not to leave home,                                                    Not to leave home. (repeat)

Yet Jill didn’t stay                                              But went astray.

Jimmy the snake, lean and mean                                   Jacked off Jill,                                                   The four-legged frog (repeat)

 

Manu is all concentration on the paper. He steps on a trap-hole on the ground and falls through. Others look at the sight and are horrified. They surround the deep hole into which Manu has fallen. Grim music follows. We look into the ditch and see Manu struggling to get out. Raman comes to the ditch and tries going in.

 

 

 

A MISHAP AT THE FISH_POND

EPISODE 15

Exterior: The trap-hole on the way                              Morning

 

The scene opens on Manu being helped out of the small ditch by Raman. Manu is covered in leaves and soil. As he scampers out Mini, Manu, Deep and Vivek also help him to the ground. Manu sits panting for a while. He has a small spear in his hand. He has lost his water-bottle. Raman gives him a bottle of water. He drinks greedily.

MINI:

What’s this in your hand?

 

MANU:

It was there in the hole.

 

He hands over the spear to Mini who turns it in her hand as she looks at it.  

DEEPA (to Manu):

Where’s your poem? Is it there in the ditch?

 

MINI:

Shall we get it out?

 

MANU:

Please don’t bother. I know it by heart

 

Meanwhile others were watching Mini and the spear. Mini finds something on the spear and exclaims.

MINI:

Gee, there is something written on this!

 

VIVEK (taking the spear into his hand examining it):

Lemme have a look

 

Others, including Manu, surround him and try to read what is on the spear.

DEEPA & MINI:

What does it say?

 

VIVEK (without taking his eyes off the spear):

‘To the Fish Pond’

 

MANU (striking his hands together):

So, that is meant to be a clue. And, just imagine, of all the places, Shankar uncle put it in a trap-hole!

 

RAMAN (chuckling):

He knew we would be passing this way.

 

DEEPA:

He must have been a real rascal in his younger days!

 

VIVEK (laughing):

Hats off to him for his impishness!

 

MANU:

Anyway, it was fun. No complaints!

 

MINI:

But do we know where exactly the pond is.

 

VIVEK (turning to Raman):

Rametta . . .

 

RAMAN (in mock-seriousness):

Yes, boss!

All laugh.

VIJAY: (in equal mock-seriousness):

Be our boss. And lead us to light.

 

Again laughter from everyone

 

RAMAN (showing the way):

Follow me, my darlings!

 

VIVEK:

Let me carry your bag, uncle

 

RAMAN (giving the bag):

If you don’t mind . . .

 

VIVEK (taking the bag):

I do not at all

 

The children follow Raman and we follow them from a distance. On their way they pass trees and brushes, and birds and insects. We see them talking indistinctly among themselves. A group of butterflies or a set of dragonflies flits away. We follow them a little more closely and see Mini speaking.

 

MINI:

What kind of fish do you grow in the pond? Sardines and mackerels?

 

RAMAN:

No, we . . .

 

MANU (cutting in):

Don’t be an ass, Mini. Sardines and mackerels grow in brackish water

 

DEEPA:

Brackish? What do you mean?

 

VIVEK (explaining):

Saline. Salty. Those kinds grow in the sea

 

EVERYONE:

Oh!

 

RAMAN:

Ours is a freshwater pond and have only some small fries.

 

MANU:

Minnows, pike, trout, bass . . . such ones we can expect

 

VIVEK (laughs):

I think Manu will become an ichthyologist one day.

 

MINI:

Kill me! What … ologist?

 

MANU:

AIKTHI...OLA . . .GIST

 

DEEPA:

What do these … er… ologists do?

 

VIVEK:

They study fish

 

MINI:

But Manu is a vegetarian!

 

DEEPA:

Amma, Mini . . . one need not eat what one studies.

 

They have almost reached the pond now. We take a look at the pond now. It is a clear pool but there are some plastic bags and bottles drifting at the edges of the pond. We return to the group with Raman in the lead.

VIVEK (turning to Manu):

So, my fish-expert, which is the biggest fish in the world?

 

MANU (protesting):

I’m no expert on fish. But I do know the name of the hugest one: The whale shark

 

MINI:

Tut! Everyone knows a whale is no fish. Whales are mammals

 

MANU (bowing down to her):

I bow down to thee, ye Pundit! But the whale shark is not a whale. It is a SHAA…RRR … K. Grrr.

 

DEEPA:

Then, why call it a whale?

 

VIVEK:

Owing to its size. It’s colossal. The Bahubali of the sea

 

They reach the pond.

RAMAN

Now, on to the clue-hunt, babes. Else our other friends will beat us to it.

They start looking for a hint at the nearby trees and brushes. After a while, all of them come back to the poolside, frustrated. They sit near the pool, dangling their legs in water.

VIVEK:

No clue as to where the clue is. Let’s take a break

 

MANU:

That’s fine by me.

 

DEEPA:

Just as he put a clue in the hole, maybe there’s a clue in the pond

 

MANU:

If it’s there, fine! I need a breather.

 

Meanwhile the children have relieved themselves of their foot-wears. Mini gets up and does a jig. Deepa joins her.

 

MINI & DEEPA (cutting a few steps):

‘Bright is the sun                                                And the grass is so green;                                         Blue is the sky                                                      And the breeze passes by. (repeat)                                          When things are so nice                                        Why do we wince?                                               Let’s all have                                                      A moment of peace.’ (repeat)

 

As they dance, Raman, Vivek and Manu are sitting at the poolside, talking.

RAMAN:

You know, when we were children, we used to throw stones into ponds. It was great fun.

 

VIVEK:

What fun is there in tossing stones into a pool?

 

RAMAN:

No, not just throwing. Flinging it across the water to see in how many places it touches on water.

 

MANU:

Could you show us?

 

Raman takes a pebble and flings it across the surface of water. It touches water at several points before it dips.

 

VIVEK (impressed):

Amazing! Awesome! Capital, uncle!

 

Vivek and Manu take a pebble each and throw them across the water. We watch them racing with the pebbles and also take look at the girls dancing. The girls repeat the song and dangerously come to the brink of the pool. They are unmindful.

 

MANU:

I could get it hit only at three places

 

RAMAN:

Practice makes a human perfect

 

Vivek laughs. And, suddenly we see Deepa slipping and falling into the pond.

MINI (in horror):

DEEP! Manu, Vivek, Ramettaa . .. Help!

 

They turn to look at the girls and Manu jumps into the water instantaneously. Vivek too jumps. Mini is crying. Raman goes to her.

RAMAN (holding her):

Be Cool. Chill. The pond is not so deep.

 

But Mini continues crying. We see Manu and Vivek fishing Deepa out. The song plays in the air in with a somber tune.

 

 

AT THE BANK

 

EPISODE 16                                                   EXTERIOR: Beside the fishpond.                                   Morning

We see Deepa all wet and sitting by the pond. Manu dries his hair and limbs. Vivek brings a bottle of water for her.

RAMAN:

There is nothing to worry. She just had a little shock. Nothing bothersome.

 

MINI:

I was so scared!

 

RAMAN:

That is natural. Now, if you want a change of clothes we can go back. There are enough dresses of Nirma and Nirmal you can choose from

 

VIVEK:

That’s all right, Rametta. Thank you. But I think the sun is strong enough to dry us fast

 

DEEPA (giving back the bottle to Vivek):

I need no water. Enough already in here

 

She points at her stomach.

RAMAN:

Kids, I have to make a move back

 

MANU:

Whatever for?

 

RAMAN:

See, it’s getting late. I need to see to it that your lunch is ready in time.

 

VIVEK:

Okay, Uncle. You rush. Do you need any help from our side?

 

RAMAN:

No, boy! We have a maid to help us cook

 

MANU:

A girlfriend?

Everyone laughs.

RAMAN (hitting Manu lightly):

You mind your girlfriend, hero!

 

Saying this Raman goes his way. Deepa gets up. Vivek puts the bag down. Manu and Mini start looking for a clue.

 

MANU:

There seems to be no clue anywhere here. Will it be on the other bank?

 

MINI:

Is there a bank here?

VIVEK:

Mini, grow up, please! ‘Bank’ simply means the other side of the pond. The opposite shore.

 

MINI:

Then why call it a bank?

 

MANU (flipping a pebble across the pond):

See, Mini, a word may have the same spelling and sound but different meanings. Their origins may be different.

 

VIVEK:

They call them homonyms.

 

He also throws a stone across the pond. It touches on five places on the water. He is jubilant.

 

VIVEK:

See, Manu! I hit five spots!

 

MANU:

I could touch only three.

 

They again try the game. Deepa shakes her head and body to get off the water drops.

MINI:

So, what does this ‘bank’ as in the State Bank mean?

 

VIVEK:

Explain scholar boy.

 

MANU:

Bank as in an institution came from Banco. B..a..n c..o banco is a bench. You go to a bench for borrowing.

 

VIVEK:

The lender and the borrower talk across the bench.

 

DEEPA (suddenly cuts in):

So a bank is bench between the lender and the borrower.

 

VIVEK (throwing a pebble across the water):

Yep! A bank is a bench for give and take

 

MINI:

So, what about the other bank ... I mean the shore?

 

MNAU:

From banko with a kay not a c . . . elevation

 

DEEPA:

Would you please leave this bank with ‘see’ and ‘kay’

 

VIVEK:

What’s wrong Deep?

 

DEEPA:

When I was in water I was more scared about the plastics than about the water

 

MINI& MANU:

Where is plastic?

 

DEEPA:

Don’t you have eyes? See.

 

She shows the plastic bottles and bags on the fringe of the pond. Vivek and Manu get into the pond and collect them.

 

MINI & DEEPA:

Haul it up. It will choke the pond.

 

All of them together haul up the plastic waste and keeps them in Vivek’s bag.

MANU:

What do we do with the waste?

 

VIVEK:

We take it to the farmhouse and keep it in the trash bin.

 

DEEPA:

That’s an idea! They may take it for recycling

 

All of them collect a little more plastic waste from the pond, when they hear a whistle from the other shore. We have a look at the other shore now from this end. We see a few young children (Jaya, Vijay, Nirma and Nirmal)over there. They are milling around a tree. Vijay whistles again.

VIJAY:

(WHISTLES)

 

VIVEK:

(WHISTLES BACK)

 

JAYA (shouts from beyond):

Viv, we’ve a clue here.

 

VIVEK (shouts back):

Where, my ma?

 

JAYA:

Here on a jack tree.

 

We concentrate on Vivek and the gang. Manu speaks.

 

MANU:

Anyway we are wet. Let’s swim across and join them. Mini, Deepa, skirt the pond and reach the other side.

 

Mini and Deepa walk and bypass the pond to reach the other shore. Vivek and Manu swim across. Meanwhile Manu sings, in between, stifled by water.

 

MANU:

Swim, swim gently down                                        Swim across the pond (repeat)                              Merrily, merrily down the pool                                  We swim across the pool so cool (repeat)

 

VIVEK:

Never had I a day so cool                                       And never have I seen such a pool                                  A pool so cool                                              And a sky so blue (repeat)

 

We again come back to Manu’s song. Mini and Deepa now reach the other shore. The other friends are surprised at her wet dress.

 

JAYA:

What happened, dearie?

 

MINI:

She fell into the pond.

 

VIJAY:

Really? Suits her.

 

JAYA:

Shut up, Vij, for once.

 

VIJAY:

Sorry.

 

NIRAMAL & NIRMA:

Are you hurt, Deepa?

 

DEEPA:

No, I am not. Thank you

JAYA:

See, we were guided to this place by arrows

 

By now Vivek and Manu have reached the shore. They are shaking off water from their dresses.

 

VIVEK:

We couldn’t find a clue over there

 

JAYA:

That’s because it is here.

 

She points at a jack-fruit tree nearby.

 

MINI:

Where?

 

NIRMA:

Up this jack tree

 

NIRMAL:

Up?

 

VIJAY:

Yeah, boy! One has to climb the tree to get the clue

 

NIRMA:

I can’t climb such a huge tree

 

DEEPA:

Manu can climb

 

MANU:

Not me, not even for the world! I have already had enough of trees

 

VIVEK:

Then who’s going to be the hero?

 

VIJAY:

I shall

 

Everyone claps. Vijay tries to climb. Everyone cheers him.

 

EVERYONE:

Hurray!

 

Vijay climbs and latches on to a branch. The branch snaps and he falls down.                                           

 

A DRAMA AT THE TREE-SIDE

 

EPISODE 17

By the pond and the jack-fruit tree                               Late morning

 

Vijay is seen surrounded by the children. He seems motionless. Vivek kneels down to shake him, calling his name. No response from Vijay. He lies his limbs sprawled.

 

JAYA (kneeling down near Vivek):

Is he out cold?

 

VIVEK (keeping his ears close to Vijay’s chest):

I don’t think so. He is breathing and his heart is beating.

 

DEEPA (mockingly):

He is just posing. Give him a slap, and he will sit up

 

JAYA (admonishingly):

DEE ... EEP!

 

DEEPA (shrugging her shoulder):

Just stating facts. He is very good at acting ... and . . . at fooling

 

VIVEK (turning to Nirmal):

Please get some water from the pond. Take a few tree-leaves and make a bowl. Make it fast

 

Nirmal picks a few leaves and stitches them with some thorns to make them into a bowl and runs off to the pond. Manu watches Nirmal going. Meanwhile Jaya jumps on to the tree and climbs high. That sight horrifies Mini and Nirma.   

 

MINI & NIRMA:

My ma! Jaya, watch your steps. We don’t want you to fall like Vijay

 

VIVEK: (calls out aloud)

Come down, you tomboy!

 

JAYA (snaps back):

Why, are trees meant only for boys to climb?

 

MINI:

If my Ma sees me climb trees, she’s sure to skin me alive

 

NIRMA:

But Jaya is a sportsman --- er --- a sportswoman

 

MANU:

A sportsperson. To be neutral.

 

NIRMA:

So she must be very agile

 

MANU:

As agile as a cat

 

In the meantime, Nirmal gets back with water in the leaf-bowl and gives it to Vivek. He splashes some onto Vijay’s face gently. Vijay does not respond. Vivek again splashes water on Vijay’s face, this time vigorously. Still, no response from the boy. He lies there as though knocked out.

 

VIVEK (helplessly looking around at the others):

I am all at sea. Shall we carry him back?

 

DEEPA:

He is faking it. The great faker!

 

MANU:

Let’s ignore him for a while. You see, when he gets no attention, he will put a stop to his act

 

NIRMAL:

That is an idea!

 

NIRMA:

Yes!

By now Jaya is back on the ground. She has piece of cardboard in her hand.

MINI (excited):

Jaya seems to have got the clue

 

JAYA:

Yep! It was there stuck between two branches.

 

ALL THE OTHERS TOGETHER:

What does it say!

 

JAYA (reads from the cardboard piece):

Back to the sitting room

 

MINI (disappointed):

O! This looks like ring-a-ring-o’-roses . . .

 

VIVEK (getting up):

Anyway, let’s raid the sitting room.

 

MINI:

But what do we do with this Vijay?

 

Everyone looks at Vijay. He is still unresponsive.

 

MANU:

We wait for a little more while. If he keeps faking, we will leave without him

 

ALL OTHERS:

Agreed.

 

DEEPA:

Once we leave, some animal or snake may eat him up.

 

Everyone laughs heartily. Still, Vijay lies without any reaction. They turn their back to him and start talking among themselves. Manu is drawing something on the ground and Mini is chewing a leaf. Nirma and Jaya play throw-and-catch with the cardboard piece. Deepa walks here and there, occasionally watching Vijay.

 

VIVEK (to Nirmal):

What kinds of trees do you have in the farm?

 

As Nirmal speaks, he points to the trees he mentions. Some are nearby, some in the distance.

 

NIRMAL:

These trees here are jackfruit trees. Those are mango trees. Beyond them, there are some cashew-nut trees

 

VIVEK (pointing at some plants not in the scene):

What do you call those plants with red fruit?

 

NIRMAL:

I don’t really know

 

VIVEK:

Looks like strawberries

 

DEEPA:

I always wondered why the Jackfruit tree is called jackfruit tree.

 

MINI:

Because it bears jackfruit

 

MANU:

The name Jack is from Portuguese.

 

NIRMAL:

How come, Portuguese?

 

VIVEK:

Even I would love to know the origin of our jackfruit

 

Others also listen in. They seem to have forgotten poor Vijay.

 

MINI (spitting the leaf she was chewing):

Our Manu seems to know everything!

 

DEEPA:

Of course!

 

MANU:

The Portuguese came to Kozhikode in 1499.

 

JAYA:

Just a year before the sixteenth century

 

MANU:

That’s correct. And, they saw our Chakka.

 

NIRMA:

Naturally. Chakka is so common in Kerala

 

NIRMAL

The common man’s fruit

 

MANU:

They called it Jaca. In time Jaca became Jack

 

VIVEK (slapping Manu on his back):

Attaboy, Manu! That was a real treat!

 

JAYA:

So, Manu the ichthyologist is now Manu the historian

 

DEEPA:

An expert on word-origins. What is such an expert called?

 

NIRMA:

Ask the expert himself

 

MANU:

An etymologist . . . a kind of philologist

 

NIRMAL:

Phi-lo -logist?

 

MANU:

‘Phil’ for love and ‘logy’ for language. . . A lover of language.

 

VIVEK:

Give him a round of applause, everybody

 

Everyone applauds Manu. Even the loud applause doesn’t wake up Vijay.

 

MINI:

I thought Jack was the name for people.

 

MANU:

It is. It is indeed the most common name for a boy . . . like Jill for a girl

 

NIRMAL:

Yes. Jack stands for common man and Jill for common woman

 

NIRMA (to Nirmal):

Remember watching ‘Titanic’, the movie?

 

NIRMAL:

Yes. The hero was Jack.

 

JAYA:

That must be because he was a common man

 

DEEPA:

But his friend, the girl, the heroine was not named Jill

 

VIVEK:

Arrey … That was because she was an aristocrat.

 

MANU:

Hence, her name Rose. Befitting to a delicate woman of noble class

 

In between Jaya has been looking at Vijay.

 

JAYA:

I think Vijay is taking it too far.

 

VIVEK (going towards Vijay):

Let me have a go at it, for the last and final time.

 

Vivek turns Vijay over and slaps hard on his backside.

 

VIVEK:

Get yourself up, jackass!

 

As he is slapped, Vijay sits up and everyone laughs. Vijay has a weird look on his face. He looks around. Others start teasing him with a song.

 

CHILDREN (singing and going round Vijay clapping their hands):

 

‘If you play possum, and we know it

We spank your butt (repeat)

If you play the fool and we know it

We smack your cheek (repeat)

If you pull our leg, and we know it

We punch your gut (repeat)’

 

The pace of the song and dance increases. Vijay looks at each of them as though in a daze. Even after the song is over, the children go round him clapping and stomping. Vijay covers his ears and screams.

 

VIJAY:

Will you stop it!

 

Children stop their dance.

 

DEEPA:

See, all this time he was laughing at us. Now, when we laugh at him, he’s all put out

 

VIVEK & JAYA:

Vijay, what’s the matter with you? Why did you behave the way you did?

 

VIJAY (wide-eyed):

Where am I?

And, who are you people?

 

Nirmal, Mini, and Nirma try to suppress their laughter.

 

DEEPA:

There he goes again, the drama king!

 

VIVEK & JAYA:

So, you don’t know who we are. Eh?

 

VIJAY (with all innocence, to all of them):

Who am I?

 

MANU:

He’s gone cuckoo.

 

DEEPA:

Nut number one!

 

MINI:

Stop it, Vijay, please

 

VIJAY (to Mini)

Who may you be?

 

VIVEK (to Vijay):

So, you don’t know who we are and you don’t know who you are. Great! Fantastic! Mind-blowing!

 

VIJAY (holding Vivek and pleading):

Help me sir; please, do.

 

As Vivek looks at others puzzled, some heavy object falls down from the tree and everyone’s attention is diverted.

 

 

 

A PLAY AT NOOON

 

EPISODE 18

The same place as in the previous episode

Time is nearing noon

 

The children (except Vijay) rush towards the fallen object. It is a branch of a nearby gooseberry tree. It has broken off the tree and a few berries lie strewn here and there. The children, with the exception of Vijay, start picking the berries and tasting them.

VIVEK (looking up):

Manna from heaven!

 

MINI (picking up a gooseberry):

It is time we ate something. I’m hungry.

 

She eats. Others also eat. We can see their grimaced faces. Nirmal and Nirma do so gingerly. Manu smells one, before he pops it into his mouth

 

NIRMA:

Is it safe? I mean hygienic?

 

VIVEK:

What can be more hygienic?

 

JAYA:

A treat straight from nature herself . . . fresh.

 

NIRMAL (grimacing):

It’s so sour

 

MANU (delightedly):

‘The words of elders

And gooseberries old

May taste sour first

But later turns sweet’

 

MINI:

It’s vitamin C

 

DEEPA (to Nirmal):

It improves your eyesight

 

MINI:

And fortifies your teeth

 

JAYA:

It boosts your immunity system

 

MANU:

A gooseberry a day keeps the virus away.

 

All laugh

MINI:

Even the new corona virus?

 

NIRMA:

I think the best bet against the corona virus is immunity

 

MANU:

‘Reinforce your immunity

Therein lies your safety

You keep it strong at any cost

And never let it debilitate’

 

MINI:

They now want us to wear masks

 

DEEPA:

And sanitize our hands

 

MANU:

‘Masks for your nose and lips

Sanitizer for your hands

That’s the trick we all use

To beat the virus hands down’

 

JAYA:

If you ask me, between us it’s okay to be without a mask

 

NIRMAL:

But, I think, when we get into crowds the mask is a must.

 

NIRMA:

In my opinion, it’s safe here in the farm.

 

VIVEK:

If you drink water now, it will taste very sweet, what do you say?

 

And suddenly he remembers something and turns to Nirmal.

 

VIVEK:

Can you fetch Ramettan’s bag from the pond-side. I left it there on the other side. We have our water and snacks in it. 

 

NIRMAL:

Sure, boss

 

Nirmal goes to fetch the bag. Forgetting Vijay, the other children eat the berries.

 

JAYA:

Some of these are very raw

 

MANU:

Be rather careful. Raw berries can be nasty

 

DEEPA:

Some may get stomachache

 

MINI:

I am not in that some.

 

VIVEK (remembering Vijay):

Give some to that ‘I-don’t-know-who-I-am’

 

JAYA (calling out Vijay):

Hey, who-am-I!

 

We now see Vijay. He is standing with a long stick in his hand. He is striking a pose.

 

VIJAY

I’m not who-am-I

 

DEEPA:

Then, who are you?

 

VIJAY:

I’m Puck

 

MINI & NIRMA:

What?

 

VIJAY:

I’m Puck, the hobgoblin!

 

MANU (laughs):

He is enacting the story we had last year in our English text.

 

VIVEK:

Midsummer Night’s dream?

 

MANU:

The same. Shakespeare’s comedy turned story.

 

MINI:

But Puck had magical power

 

DEEPA:

And now, he’ll claim he has the power

 

VIJAY (witheringly):

Do you doubt my power, wench? (To Vivek)Oberon my Lord! Chide her for her cheek!

 

VIVEK:

So you have made me Oberon

 

Others are silently enjoying Vijay’s play-acting.

 

VIJAY (turning to Jaya, with surprise in the eyes):

Titania, milady! What happened to our lordship?

 

JAYA (plays along; to Vijay):

You wanderer of the noon

Oberon is just jesting

 

VIJAY (to Deepa):

The gooseberry you eat

I brought it down

 

DEEPA:

And the stick in your hand

I put it there you know

 

Vijay takes the stick and shakes it at Deepa.

 

VIJAY (dancing with the stick as a prop):

I am the wanderer of the noon

The emperor of gooseberries

I will lead you about a round

Through bog, through bush

Through brake, through brier

 

Others join him and sing in chorus as they do a round (a circular dance).

OTHERS:

Through bog, through bush

Through brake, through brier

We will join you in the round

 

Meanwhile a spider lands on the shoulder of Mini and she shrieks.

 

MINI:

EEEE…K! A SPI… DEEE!

 

As Nirma helps her get rid of it Vijay points the stick at the spider.

VIJAY:

‘Weaving spiders come not here;

Hence, you long-legged spinners, hence!

Beetle black approach not near;

Worm or snail, do no offence’

 

By this time Nirmal has arrived with the bag of snacks and bottles. Vivek takes the bag and gives the children water-bottles. They drink. As the water tastes sweet, we see their faces glowing with pleasure.

 

VIJAY (extending his hand to Vivek):

‘Oberon, milord!

Have mercy my God!

I am all athirst

My throat will now burst.’

 

As Vijay gives him a bottle, Nirmal looks on mystified.

 

NIRMAL:

What on earth is happening?

 

MANU(laughs):

Vijay is having a pre-summer noon’s dream

 

DEEPA:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream turned into a pre-summer madcap act

 

NIRMAL:

Really?

 

VIJAY (to Nirmal)

‘Up and down up and down

I’ll lead you up and down’ (repeat)

 

Others join in his mad act, as Nirmal watches with amusement.

 

OTHERS:

‘He is feared in field and town

Goblin leads us up and down’ (repeat)

 

VIJAY:

‘Sometimes a horse I’ll be

Sometimes a hound

A hog, a headless bear

Sometimes a fire’

 

Now Nirmal also join others. As Vijay repeats the lines others contribute to the song.

 

VIJAY:

Sometimes a horse I’ll be

 

JAYA (imitates a horse)

Neigh

 

VIJAY:

Sometimes a hound

 

NIRMAL: (imitates a hound)

Bark

 

VIJAY:

A hog

 

MANU (imitates a hog):

Grunt

 

VIJAY:

A headless bear

 

VIVEK: (imitates a bear):

Roar

 

VIJAY:

A fire at every turn

 

MINI (imitates fire):

Burn

 

EVERYONE TOGETHER:

And neigh and bark and grunt and roar and burn

Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire at every turn. (repeat)

 

By now the children are tired.They sit on the ground and slowly some of them start reclining. Vijay points the stick at them and sings.

 

VIJAY:

‘On the ground

Sleep sound

In your waking

You shall see

Jack has Jill

And nothing is ill

All is well

That ends well’

 

Everyone sleeps on the ground. Vijay also lies down. A pleasant breeze blows. A few birds and squirrels approach the broken branch. Big ants, red and black, mill around the branch. Once again we have a look at the sleeping kids and move towards the pond. The water is crystal clear, reflecting the blue sky above. We cross the pond and move along the path leading to the farm house, watching the scenes on the way. The scene fades into the kitchen of the farmhouse.

 

 

 

A BULL and a SNAKE

 

EPISODE 19

Interior: The kitchen of the farmhouse

Noon

 

We see Ramettan and a middle-aged maid busy cooking in the kitchen. Shankar enters the kitchen with a shotgun in his hand. 

 

SHANKR (disappointedly):

Rametta, couldn’t get a single thing. Not a bird; nor a beast.

 

Shankar keeps the shotgun away in a corner.

 

RAMETTAN:

That is alright. We have enough to go around.

 

SHANKAR:

Where are our thugs? Haven’t they come back yet?

 

RAMETTAN:

Must be still hunting for the trophy

 

SHANKAR:

But it’s already noon. They must be hungry.

 

RAMETTAN:

I left them at our fishpond.

They must be having fun.

 

SHANKAR:

Fish them out. (pointing at the maid)

She can take care of this.You just go, get the kids

 

RAMETTAN:

Okay, Master

 

Ramettan keeps away his tools and leaves the kitchen.

 

SHANKAR (calls out):

Make it fast, Rametta.

 

Exterior:

Outside the house

 

We follow Ramettan through the door out into the open. He is walking fast. When he reaches the pond he does not see the children. A little worried, he looks around and finally spots the children sleeping on the other side of the pond. He shouts; whistles; gestures. But there is no response from the children. Worried, he starts running to the other shore. We follow him to the spot where the children are asleep. He looks at each of them turn by turn. A smile spreads on his face.

 

RAMAN (to himself):

How sweet these angels sleep!

 

Now he sees the bottles left by the children. He takes one and sprinkles its water on Vijay.

 

RAMAN:

Get up guys. It’s time for lunch

 

VIJAY (getting up and staring at Raman):

 Who are you, old man?

 

RAMAN (shaking a finger at him):

Now, now! Don’t be a smart ass, young man!

 

VIJAY (genuinely):

I’m so sorry, uncle! I’m a little dazed

(rubs his eyes)

 

 RAMAN:

All is forgiven and forgotten.

Get your friends up.

 

Vijay shakes up everyone else.

They sit up and rub their eyes.

 

RAMAN:

Wash up and get ready to walk back home. Your lunch is waiting there.

 

The boys wash their faces with the water from the bottles and then return them into the bag.

Raman takes the bag.

 

RAMAN (checking the bag):

There is many a bottle in the bag

 

VIVEK:

From the pond, sir! We cleaned the pond.

 

RAMAN:

Really?

That is what I call a nice act.

Now, you guys get started for the house.

 

DEEPA:

But we didn’t see much.

It was just the pond and the trees.

 

RAMAN:

We’ve still time after our lunch.

 

VIJAY:

What do we have for lunch?

 

JAYA:

Don’t you worry, glutton.

You’ll get enough.

 

VIJAY:

But, be informed is be prepared

 

DEEPA:

Prepare for the worst, then.

 

MINI:

Deepa, no more teasing of Vijay!

 

DEEPA:

See, who is hurt now!

 

MANU:

She is not hurt.

She is reminding you of your comportment

 

NIRMA:

Com. . . . port. . . ment?

 

The group is now walking back to the farm house, conversing.

As they walk and talk, we too get glimpses of

the bucolic scenery.

 

NIRMAL:

The way one walks and talks

 

NIRMA:

Oh!

 

MANU:

Your com – port – ment tells a lot about you.

 

JAYA:

So, you are now what?

A psychologist?

 

VIVEK:

Manu is Protean!

 

RAMAN:

What do you mean, Pro… te… an?

 

MANU:

Protean is from Greek mythology. 

 

NIRMAL:

Tell us more Manu.

 

NIRMA & OTHERS

Yes, please!

 

MANU: (grievously with gestures):

See, protean is from Proteus, a character from old Greek lore.

 

MINI:

Like Puck?

 

MANU:

No, Puck is an invention

 

JAYA:

And Proteus?

 

MANU:

He is the Old man of the Sea.

He can take on any number of forms . . . shapes 

 

VIVEK:

Multi-faceted

 

DEEPA:

Like our Manu. Versatile!

 

Suddenly Vijay sees something and gets scared.

 

VIJAY:

Did you see that?

(points forward to a sight)

 

Everyone looks at the direction pointed and they see a bull trotting at a quicker pace followed by some cows. The children step back from the way into the under-brushes.

 

THE CHILDREN:

A bull!

 

VIVEK:

Earlier this idiot of a Vijay gave us quite a turn. Now come this bull and his girlfriends!

 

DEEPA:

If anyone is wearing red, please do hide!

 

RAMAN:

You silly! It’s all bullshit.

Bulls don’t get differences between colors.

 

NIRMA:

Is it true?

 

RAMAN:

Quite.

 

MINI:

 I always thought red makes a bull enraged

 

RAMAN:

I know my bulls and cows.

They are going to the pond to slake their thirst. It happens every noon.

 

JAYA:

Where are they from?

 

RAMAN:

From our pen

 

MINI:

Your – er— pen?

 

MANU:

The enclosure for cows is called a pen.

As a matter of fact, any enclosure is a pen.

Monkey pen, pig pen . . .

 

NIRMA:

Even for dogs?

 

MANU:

No, for dogs it’s a kennel.

 

VIVEK:

Like a hutch for rabbits

 

MANU:

Yep!

 

DEEPA:

Just as chickens have a coop.

 

RAMAN:

For chickens we have a run

 

NIRAMAL:

A run?

 

RAMAN:

A place where they can move freely.

 

JAYA:

See how the cows follow the bull.

 

RAMAN:

Cows follow the one who is in the lead.

Haven’t you heard it before?

The herd mentality, attitude, I mean.

 

MNAU (sings):

‘The cows follow blindly

The one that sets the lead.

When the blind lead the blind

The result is not very kind’ (repeats)

 

VIVEK (sings):

‘Very true my friend

Let’s not be blind

And be in a bind’

(Others play it out)

 

JAYA:

That’s, if Vivek buys a thing,

everyone wants to buy the same thing.

The herd mind!

 

The others repeat the lines, clapping their hands and stomping their feet.

 

OTHERS:

‘Very true my friend

Let’s not be blind

And be in a bind’

 

RAMAN:

Let’s move on guys!

 

OTHERS (in chorus):

Lead on, uncle, Rametta!

 

They move. The bull and the cows have passed them. But Mini notices a green snake in a bush. She screams.

 

MINI:

What is this greenish thing?

 

RAMAN:

It’s okay.

A harmless snake.

A greenie, weenie thing.

 

VIJAY:

The flying snake?

 

The children are frightened by now.

 

MINI:

I’ve heard that it flies into your ears

and resides there

 

RAMAN:

You idiots know a lot of old-maid superstitions.

 

NIRAMA:

Is it just a superstition?

 

RAMAN:

What else?

Do you want to test it?

Come here.

 

NIRMA:

No,uncle.

Just get rid of it.

 

Raman takes a stick and get the green snake out, He flings it back into the bushes, The children look on. Suddenly the snake flies or jumps and the children scream. Raman laughs.

 

 

 

 

A DUCK THAT ISN”T A DUCK

 

EPISODE 20

INTERIOR:

The sitting room at the farm house

Noon

 

The sitting room is first seen empty. Though we have seen it earlier, we scan the room once again: the bookshelf, the sofas, the teapoy with the bags and newspapers. On one of the walls there is one new tem: A framed picture of a fish at a moderate height. There is a stool in one of the corners. We also peep into the dining hall as the door leading to it is ajar. On returning to the sitting room door, we see the children along with Raman stepping in. They are all talking among themselves. Once they are inside the room they pick up their bags, flop into the sofas, fish out their cell phones and start checking. Only Manu starts scouring the room. He is looking for the clue. Raman, with his bag, disappears into the dining room, and, then, into the kitchen. Manu is now looking behind the bookshelf and finds a piece of cardboard. Something is written on it.

 

MANU (shouts):

Eureka! At last I got my hands on the clue

 

He displays the clue for everyone to see. Others put their phones back in their bags and surround Manu.

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

What is the clue?

 

VIVEK & JAYA:

What does it say?

 

MINI & DEEPA:

Is it the final clue?

VIJAY:

Read it out, Manu

 

All this talk happens almost at the same time. Manu looks at the card, puzzled.

 

MANU (to himself):

I don’t get it

 

VIJAY:

What? Can’t you read English?

 

VIVEK (stretching his hand):

Let me have a look

 

Manu gives the cardboard piece to Vivek. Everyone now surrounds him to have a glimpse at the writing.

 

VIVEK (staring at the writing):

This looks like a puzzle

 

MINI:

Solve the puzzle and, lo! You get the clue.

 

VIJAY:

So simple!

 

DEEPA:

Where’s our human Google Manu?

 

NIRMA:

Or we can search it in Google in our phones

 

NIRMAL:

Anyway, what is the puzzle?

 

MANU:

‘Look behind the picture of a duck that isn’t a duck.’

 

JAYA:

So the next clue is behind a picture

 

MINI:

What picture?

 

DEEPA:

The picture of a duck

 

VIJAY:

Only, the duck isn’t a duck.

 

JAYA:

What kinda mumbo-jumbo is this?

 

MINI:

See if there is a picture of a duck in the room

 

Everyone takes a look at the walls. There is no picture of a duck.

MANU:

It’s silly of us to look for a duck. It says a duck that isn’t a duck. That means it isn’t a duck.

 

NIRMAL:

Then there must be something which is not a duck, but is called a duck.

 

MINI:

Like, ‘the whale shark isn’t a whale’.

 

NIRMA:

Like, ‘a ruler that isn’t a ruler’.

 

JAYA:

Which ruler is that ruler?

 

NIRMA:

The scale

 

Everyone laughs.

JAYA:

Oh!

 

NIRMAL:

Like, ‘a plant that is not a plant.’

 

VIVEK:

You mean a chemical plant?

 

NIRMAL:

Yep.

 

By now Manu gets an idea, takes the stool and goes to the wall where the picture of the fish is hung. He gropes behind the frame and takes out a tiny bronze cup. While he does these acts the children speak to him.

 

VIVEK:

What are you up to, you crazy bum?

 

JAYA:

Are you off your onion?

 

DEEPA:

Manu, you will hurt yourself.

 

VIJAY:

You will damage the picture

 

MINI:

He has something in his hand

 

EVERYONE:

A cup!

 

Manu climbs down holding the cup. Everyone surrounds him.

 

EVERYONE:

At last we found the trophy. Let us call Uncle Shankar.

 

MNAU:

Not now. After lunch

 

VIVEK:

But how did you know the cup was there?

 

He takes the cup from Manu and keeps it on the teapoy. Everybody takes their seat.

MANU:

I knew it from the clue

 

JAYA:

But it was about a duck

 

DEEPA:

A duck that isn’t a duck

 

MANU:

A duck that is not a duck is a fish

 

VIJAY:

A fish? Nonsense!

 

MINI:

Which fish?

 

NIRMA:

Clarify, Manu

 

VIVEK:

Cast some light on the mystery, man

 

MANU:

I suddenly remembered that there’s a fish called Bombay duck.

 

EVERYONE (exclaims):

Bombay Duck!

 

NIRMAL:

It isn’t a duck?

 

MNAU:

It’s a fish

 

VIJAY:

Then why should anyone call it a duck?

 

MINI:

If you want my opinion, calling a fish a duck is stupid

 

MANU:

There’s a reason for that

 

JAYA:

And, that is. . .

 

VIVEK:

Tell us.

 

DEEPA:

Please.

 

MANU:

During British Raj this fish was transported on a train. The train was called Bombay Daak.

 

NIRMAL:

Daak?

 

VIVEK:

‘Daak’ is the Hindi word for ‘Mail’.

 

MANU:

‘Daak’ finally got corrupted as ‘Duck.’

 

JAYA:

So fish carried by Bombay Daak finally became Bombay Duck.

 

MANU:

And the fish in the picture is that of a Bombay Duck.

 

 DEEPA (in admiration):

Manu is a wonderful etymologist!

 

NIRMA (joins her)

And sleuth

 

MINI:

Sleuth? What is a sleuth?

 

NIRMAL:

A detective. Like, Sherlock Holmes

 

VIJAY (sulking):

What is so great about it? If I had known Bombay Duck was a fish, I would also have dug out the cup.

 

DEEPA:

But you didn’t know, did you? There lies the difference

 

JAYA (to Vijay and Deepa):

Hush, don’t spoil the party

 

VIVEK (to Deepa and Vijay):

Don’t be spoilsports

 

MINI (suddenly remembering):

There was duck that wasn’t a duck in a fairy tale book. I remember having read it

 

NIRMAL (enthusiastically):

Yes! The Ugly Duckling!

 

MANU:

Which was in fact a cygnet

 

MINI:

What’s a cygnet?

 

NIRMA:

A baby swan. It is spelt c-y-g-n-e-t and pronounced ‘signit’

 

VIJAY:

Difficult

 

MANU (starts reciting extemporaneously):

‘Once upon a time

In a nice green farm

There lived a cygnet

Mistaken as a duckling’

 

Everyone now turns to Manu and claps their hands rhythmically.

 

MANU:

‘A duckling he was called

And ‘ugly’ he was termed.’

 

OTHERS:

‘A duckling he was called

And ‘ugly’ he was termed’ (repeat)

 

MANU:

‘A cob was his father

And a pen his mother’

 

OTHERS:

‘His father was a cob

And his mother was a pen’

 

MANU:

‘But no one called him ‘cygnet’

All called him ‘duckling’’

 

OTHERS:

‘Duckling, duckling, ugly duckling

They all called him

UG-LY DUCK-LING’

 

The children go in a round singing those lines again.

 

CHILDREN:

‘Duckling, duckling, ugly duckling

They called the cygnet

An ugly duckling’

 

The children take three or four rounds and plop back into the sofa. As they rest, we see an oversized lizard on the wall watching them. It inches towards where Mini is sitting.

 

 

 

TO DEBATE OR NOT TO DEBATE

 

EPISODE 21

Interior

The same sitting room as in the previous scene

Early afternoon

 

The scene opens on the lizard on the wall. It’s looking at the children, especially Mini. It seems to be in deep thought. With the lizard on the foreground, a song is heard as V/O.

 

THE SONG (in the background, as V/O):

‘Will ya walk into my room?

my sitting room?’

So said the lizard

in a voice very weird.

 

In a voice very weird

So said the lizard,

‘Will ya walk into my room

my sitting room?’

‘The way to my room is up the wall

and once up the wall

ye will see things

that will charm you all.’

 

At the end of the song, we hear a clap of hands so vigorous that the lizard scampers off, and the children get up. We see Shankar in the doorway to the dining room, clapping his hands.

 

SHANKAR:

Get into the diner, guys!

 

The children leave their things and rush into the dining room. The dining room has a ten-seater-table. Each chair has a napkin and a glass of water before them. In the middle of the table, there is huge jug of water. The children, except Vivek and Jaya, rush to the seats.

 

SHANKAR:

Please wash your hands first. There is a bottle of sanitizer on the ledge of the wash basin.

 

The children take their turn at the washbasin in the corner and wash their faces and hands and come to the dining table.

 

SHANKAR:

I need a couple of you to help Ramettan serve. Our maid has gone out and be back only in the evening

 

CHILDREN:

We are all ready

 

SHANKAR:

Excellent! But just two of you will suffice. Vivek, Jaya, would you two please go into the kitchen?

 

VIVEK & JAYA (in mock seriousness):

Yes, Sir!

 

As they move into the kitchen we follow them and enter the kitchen. There everything is ready and Raman is checking the dishes.

 

VIVEK & JAYA:

Rametta, shall we get the plates?

 

RAMAN (turning to them):

No, my darlings! We are not using plates for lunch. There are items galore. We need plantain leaves. Banana leaves.

 

VIVEK:

That’s awesome! Then, let’s get the leaves.

 

RAMAN:

There’s knife over there. Grab it and come with me

 

Jaya and Vivek look for the knife and get it. All the three now move out of the kitchen to the backyard. As they move out, we come back to the diner where everybody is seated. Nirma, Vijay and Mini sit opposite to Manu, Deepa and Nirmal. Shankar occupies the head seat.

 

SHANKAR (apologetically):

We need to be patient for another ten to fifteen minutes before the food is served.

 

OTHERS:

That’s fine, Uncle! We aren’t starving.

 

SHANKAR:

Meanwhile, to while away the time, can we have a brief debate?

 

MANU:

Of course. I’m game for any debate.

 

SHANKAR:

Just for fun. And for a few minutes

 

VIJAY (raising his hand):

I hate debates.

 

DEEPA:

But why?

 

SHANKAR:

Yes, why, my boy?

 

VIJAY:

We have a debating club at school. There nobody gets any chance to speak. Some smart kid always speaks all the time.

 

SHANKAR (laughing):

Have you people ever watched the political debates on TV channels?

 

MANU:

I have, Uncle. But they always end up in abuse. They are no more than slanging matches.

 

NIRMAL:

Everyone there has a preset opinion, and they never would vary from it.

 

NIRMA:

Everyone there thinks that they are in the right and everyone else wrong.

 

SHANKAR:

There is a book named, ‘I’m Right and You’re Wrong’. Have you ever come across it?

 

MANU:

Whose book?

 

SHANKAR:

Edward de Bono’s. He encourages lateral thinking.

 

MINI:

What do you mean by lateral thinking?

 

SHANKAR:

Don’t you see, generally we think logically, linearly. If A is there and B is here, then C must be over there. In lateral thinking you think otherwise. Out of the box, as it were

 

MANU:

As in?

 

SHANKAR:

You have heard this puzzle before, I think: if there are five birds on a tree and if you shoot one, how many will remain?

 

MINI:

None, naturally

 

SHANKAR:

But if the other birds are deaf and blind, then?

 

Everyone laughs.

 

MANU:

That’s interesting!

 

SHANKAR:

Nirma, how much is one plus one?

 

NIRMA:

Why, it is two.

 

MANU:

I get it! One plus one can be a bigger one. Vaikom Muhammed Bsaheer once told so.

 

SHANKAR:

True. A rivulet and another rivulet joining together becomes a big river. One and one becomes a bigger one!

 

DEEPA:

A wife and a husband together can make three when they have a child. So one plus one can be three, too!

 

SHANKAR:

That is how lateral thinking works. Imaginative, creative.

 

VIJAY:

But they don’t teach this at school

 

NIRAML:

What they don’t teach at school, we learn on our own

 

MANU;

That’s called initiative

 

MINI:

Initiative means?

 

NIRAML:

Getting things done or understood on our own. Utilizing the available resources.

 

SHANKAR:

I’m impressed by you people. You’ll grow great.

 

MNAU:

Uncle, I think we need to have a debate and see how everyone fares in it.

 

SHANKAR:

Sure, my boy.

 

VIJAY:

Still, I think a debate is a bad idea

 

SHANKAR:

Don’t you worry, my boy! I’ll be there as a moderator. And I’ll see to it that everyone has a say. Nobody will hog the limelight

 

MINI:

Not hog the lime light?

 

MANU:

Meaning, no one will steal the show. Everyone will have his turn to say.

 

SHANKAR:

Let’s have our lunch first

 

MINI:

I’m really excited about the lunch.

 

DEEPA:

It’s coming, Mini, it’s on the way

 

VIJAY:

My appetite is gone, thinking all the time about the debate

 

DEEPA:

If you don’t want to be in debate, just keep off

 

VIJAY:

Deepa!

 

DEEPA:

I don’t want to see you defeated, that is why.

 

VIJAY (sarcastically):

Thank u!

 

We now see Vivek and Jaya entering with the plantain leaves. They start to neatly place the leaves before everyone.  The children get ready. Leaves are placed even before the empty chairs meant for Jaya and Vivek. Raman comes with the appetizers and starts distributing them. As soon as Vijay gets something on the plate, he starts tasting it.

 

JAYA:

Vijay, wait till everyone is served and every item is served. Behave yourself, for once

 

VIJAY (meekly):

I’m sorry.

 

Vivek, Jaya and Raman go into the kitchen and come back with other items to serve. Once everything is served Vivek and Jaya also sit to eat. Raman goes to the kitchen.

 

SHANKAR:

Now, let’s start our feast.

 

As he begins to eat everyone else also starts eating. As they eat the scene comes to a close.

 

 

A DEBATE

EPISODE 22

Interior

The dining room

Afternoon

 

As the scene opens a song is heard from the background:

 

‘As we gather at your table

It’s as if we’re in a fable (repeat)

 

‘As we feast at your table

You nourish us with your tales (repeat)

 

‘As we imbibe at your table

We marvel at your largesse (repeat)

 

‘As we gather at your table

It’s as if we’re in a fable’ (repeat)

 

As the song concludes we see everyone relaxing after the meal. The table is cleared, only glasses of water remain there. The children are just stretching out their arms and legs. Shankar at the head of the table begins to speak.

 

SHANKAR:

So, how was the lunch? Did you enjoy it?

 

The children speak almost at the same time.

 

VIVEK:

Marvelous!

 

MINI:

Yummy. It was really a feast

 

JAYA:

Fabulous!

 

MANU:

Fantabulous

 

DEEPA:

Yep. Fantastic!

 

VIJAY:

I enjoyed all those curries.

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

Once a week we have this kind of party here

 

MANU:

A veritable fiesta. After which a siesta will be in order.

 

VIJAY (irritated):

What’s this fiesta and siesta? I don’t get ya.

 

NIRMAL:

‘Fiesta’ for party and ‘siesta’ for afternoon nap.

 

NIRMA:

Spanish words

 

VIJAY (scoffing):

What a show-off!

 

SHANKAR (interfering)

Anyway, no siesta now. We agreed to have a fun debate

 

DEEPA:

That’s true.

 

SHNAKAR:

Now, attention everyone! We start our debate now. I’ll announce the topic presently. I will sit as the moderator and give all of you one minute each to speak. Jaya will monitor the time. When one minute is up, you show it like this, Jaya.

 

(He keeps his left palm on top his raised right palm)

 

In case you are in the middle of something we will give you another half a minute. Is it clear?

 

EVERYONE:

Crystal!

 

SHANKAR:

Both pros and cons of the issue have to be debated. ‘Pros’ means points in favor and ‘cons’ means points against. Alright?

 

EVERYONE:

OOKKAYY!

 

SHANKAR:

Okay! No slangs. Only formal language is to be used

 

VIJAY:

Yeah!

 

Everyone bursts into laughter.

 

DEEPA:

Don’t be an ass Vijay!

 

VIJAY:

Ass, my eye! You shut up

 

SHANKAR:

No abuse. No slang. No personal agenda. If anyone wants to come in between someone’s talk, please raise your hand. No cutting in, please.

 

VIVEK:

Let’s come to the topic, uncle

 

SHANKAR:

Yes. Alright. The topic is: ‘Is inculcating competitive spirit in school children good or bad?’ In short, the issue is competitive spirit in children. Now, think over it for a minute. Just one minute for preparation.

 

The children start thinking hard. After one minute Shankar resumes his talk.

 

SHANKAR:

Alright. Preparation time is over. Now, as the moderator I open the debate. Our topic is about competition with reference to children. Let me say, originally, ‘to compete’ meant ‘to aim at’ or to ‘strive for’. That was what the word in the beginning meant.

 

Manu raises his hand.

 

SHANKAR:

Yes, Manu. Speak up, please

 

MANU (getting up):

If that were the case today, there is nothing wrong with ‘competition’. But as the markets, and later athletics came into being, the word gained a different meaning. ‘To compete’ meant ‘to measure against’. That is what we mean when we say ‘compete’ today. That is, measure oneself against others. Therein lies the rub.

 

VIJAY (cutting in):

What crap!

 

JAYA:

Vij, No slang. No interruption. We agreed, didn’t we?

 

VIJAY:

What is this? If I wanna speak, won’t you let me?

 

Meanwhile Manu has sat down.

 

VIVEK:

Incorrigible idiot!

 

SHANKAR:

Anyway, Manu has said his piece. Now, Vijay, you can speak

 

VIJAY (getting up):

I don’t like competition. It is no good. It creates two kinda children. Winners and losers. Winners are always admired and losers ignored ... or even mocked at.

 

At this point Mini claps her hands. Everyone looks at her.

 

VIJAY (continues):

 I know it first-hand (he is on the verge of tears). Look at Deepa here. She always makes fun of me, because I am a loser.

 

JAYA:

Vij, we agreed not to make this personal.

 

Wiping his tears Vijay sits and we see Mini raising her hand.

 

SHANKAR:

Yes, Mini.

 

MINI (getting up):

I agree with Vijay. Competition does create two classes of people. And, thus it creates complexes. Superiority complex in winners and inferiority feeling in losers

 

Mini sits down looking at Vijay. Vijay sits with his head bent down. Nirma raises her hand and gets up.

 

NIRMA:

Mini has a point there. Don’t we see even school children killing themselves for not making the grade?

Their pride gets hurt and their self-possession goes for a toss. Their self-esteem takes a beating.

 

As she sits down Nirmal gets up.

 

NIRMAL:

But competition in the market is good news for consumers. Prices get cheaper and product-quality improves.

 

SHANKAR (interferes):

You forget the topic, son. This is with reference to children, school children

 

NIRMAL:

I’m sorry.

 

As he sits down Deepa rises.

 

DEEPA:

I would like to add a couple of points to what Mini said. Competition without doubt brings in jealousy and comparison. Losers become jealous of winners and parents start comparing their children with other children. See, how good Manu is? Why can’t you be like that kid who is always scoring high? We’re ashamed that you are such a loser. Why are we wasting money on your education if you’re such a duffer? All these blaming and shaming take confidence out of oneself. One feels like digging a hole and disappearing into it.

 

As she sits Vijay gets up once again.

 

VIJAY (wiping tears):

I’m sorry for being personal. But competition brings in comparison. Even my parents keep on comparing me with others and say I’m good-for-nothing … that I know only how to eat and sleep.

 

He breaks down and sits and hides his face on the table.

 

VIVEK (standing up):

I think it is pointless to compare one kid with another. One may be good at painting; another at singing and yet another at caring, or writing, or building. Each kid is unique in his or her own way. Why then compare and measure everyone against the same scale? I think it is stupid.

 

SHANKAR:

Jaya, would you like to say something?

 

JAYA (getting up):

I would. I think when it comes to children competition is bad. I would like to say that cooperation is much, much better than competition. In competition, you have commands. Do this. Don’t do that. Commands and commands. You have to be the first in whatever you do. Be the first by hook or crook. Even cheating comes into play. But in cooperation, there are only suggestions. You may do this or you may better avoid this. Therefore I think in schools and colleges it is better to be cooperative than competitive.

 

SHANKAR:

So, would you say competition is altogether bad?

 

JAYA:

No. I would like to say that competition should be healthy. It should not be at the cost of someone else.

 

As she sits down, Manu gets up.

 

MANU;

I disagree. Competition, as Vijay and Mini said, is always unhealthy. There is no such thing as healthy competition. It’s always cut-throat and a rat race

 

VIVEK (cutting in):

Even if you win a rat-race, you are still a rat!

 

Everybody laughs. Then, we see Vijay crying and running out of the room. Everyone is stunned and go after Vijay.

 

 

A SONG AND A DANCE UNDER A TREE

 

    EPISODE 23

Exterior

Outside the farm house

Afternoon

 

Vijay is seen running towards the tree under which the children have parked their bicycles. On his way he has picked up his knapsack from the sitting room. Others are also running after him, shouting out his name. Shankar is also seen following them.  Vijay reaches the cluster of bicycles and start picking out his cycle. The other children reach the spot. Vivek stops Vijay by taking his hand and bag.

 

VIVEK:

Stop, Vij

 

VIJAY (resisting):

No. I want to go home.

 

DEEPA:

Anyway, we will all be going home in a while.

 

VIJAY:

No. I don’t want to stay. I’m not well

 

MANU:

You feel out of sorts?

 

Meanwhile Jaya feels his forehead and neck.

 

JAYA:

You don’t have any fever

 

DEEPA:

What is eating you, bro?

 

JAYA:

Pipe down, Deepa, will you? (to Vijay)

Do you have a headache?

 

By now Vivek has taken Vijay’s cycle and put it on stand. He keeps the bag on its seat.

 

VIJAY:

It isn’t that. I don’t want to stay

 

SHANKAR:

See, Vijay. You’re to me like my children, Nirma and Nirmal. You can tell me if you have any trouble

 

NIRMAL:

I think he feels lonely in our gang

 

NIRMA:

Or, maybe, he felt hurt by some of us

 

SHANKAR:

Vijay, a little teasing and fighting is alright. Between friends, it is quite normal.

 

DEEPA: (taking his hand)

If it is me that is your headache, I say sorry. I apologize. Also, I won’t say anything that may hurt you anymore

 

SHANKAR:

Vijay, show the spirit of friendship. Be a sport

 

MINI:

Don’t be a spoil sport, Viji.

 

At this juncture Jaya claps her hand and start singing. As she sings others go round Vijay, repeating the song.

 

JAYA:

‘You have got a friend in us

A friend in us, a friend in us’

 

The other children repeat the lines.

 

JAYA:

When you need a friend,

Even when you need no friend,

You have got a friend in us

A friend in us, a friend in us’

 

The others repeat the lines.

 

JAYA:

‘Through thick and thin

In shower and sun

You have got a friend in us

Indeed, you have got a friend in us’

 

OTHERS (in chorus):

‘A friend in us, a friend in us

You have got a friend in us’

 

At the end of the song children sit down under the tree. Shankar approaches Vijay and keeps his hands on his shoulders.

 

SHANKAR:

These are all your friends. They will always be there for you ...in joy and in grief. Now, smile a little, old man!

 

OTHERS (to Vijay)

Don’t be shy. Show us a smile.

 

Mini goes to Vijay and tickles him in the ribs. Vijay giggles and everyone laughs.

 

MINI (to Shankar):

You know, Uncle, Vijay plays the flute beautifully.

 

SHANKAR (with surprise):

Is it so! Then play a piece, Vijay

 

VIJAY:

I have no flute with me

 

SHANKAR:

That isn’t a problem. (to Nirmal) Nirmal, go and get a few flutes from our bedroom. You know where they are

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

Yes, Papa

 

They run back to the house.

 

SHANKAR:

If you are good flautist, why this grumbling and mumbling about being useless, Vijay?

 

MANU:

A touch of masochism.

 

DEEPA:

Masochism? What do you mean Manu?

 

MANU:

Finding pleasure in blaming oneself

 

Shankar laughs.

 

VIVEK:

Manu! the ever-ready psychologist!

 

MINI:

He is good at dropping words

 

VIJAY:

Uncle, do you really want me to play the flute?

 

SHANKAR:

Of course, my child

 

VIJAY:

I’m not so good at it. I play just so-so.

 

MINI:

No, Uncle. It is beautiful. I have heard him play

 

VIVEK & JAYA:

Good or bad, you just play

 

By now, Nirmal and Nirma reach the spot with a few flutes and hands it over to Vijay. He carefully chooses one and gets ready to play. Others get ready to listen. Vijay starts playing the flute. Some melodious notes follow. As the music continues the girls get up and dance round Vijay. As the girls dance and whirl, the scene fades off and in a few moments the next scene fades in. Now we see Vijay in the guise of young (lord) Krishna playing the flute and the girls clad as gopikas dancing round him. A female singing voice is heard in the background.

 

SONG:

‘Wearing a peacock plume in your hair

You are singing a jaunty air (repeat)

 

‘Your song is truly heavenly nectar

We want to drink it more and more (repeat)

 

‘Drowning down in your dulcet song

We go mad and dance day-long (repeat)

 

‘Wearing a peacock plume in your hair

You are singing a jaunty air’ (repeat)

 

The music reaches its crescendo and as the girls as gopikas and Vijay as Krishna whirl and whirl, the scene blurs and fades. Before long the scene fades back into the tree-side. The boys are watching Vijay play and the girls dance. After a while Vijay stops playing and the girls too stop their dancing. As they sit back to relax there is a heavy applause from the onlookers. 

 

SHANKAR (clapping):

That was really heavenly!

 

MANU:

A budding Chaurasia

 

MINI:

Who is that?

 

JAYA:

Hariprasad Chaurasia, the famous flautist

 

MINI:

Never seen, never heard

 

DEEPA:

It was really sweet, Vijay. Really. I mean it.

 

VIJAY:

Thanks

 

SHNKAR:

When you are so gifted, why should you harbor any negative feeling?

 

VIVEK:

There is no one in this world without one talent or the other. See the positive side of it. Be optimistic

 

MANU:

If you ask me, the problem is not about talent but people’s insisting that certain talents should be sacrificed for practical reasons

 

MINI:

Meaning?

 

NIRMAL:

What he means is certain talents won’t fetch money in the market. For instance, painting

 

NIRMA:

Yes, they say if you become a painter, you will have to starve. No one cares a hoot about your painting

 

SHANKAR:

But there are successful painters, Yousuf Arakkal M.F.Hussain, K.C.S. Panikkar, Amritha Shergil and the like

 

VIVEK:

If you would like to hear my say, they are more like exceptions than the rule, Uncle. I have even heard that writers like Basheer, Changampuzha and P. Kunjiraman Nair struggled to make a living from writing

 

MANU:

Actors, writers, singers and artists . . . if they are not top-notch, it is difficult to eke out a living. I want to become a writer and speaker . . . but I’m not so sure.

 

MINI:

But music is different. Everyone likes it. Even snakes sway to music

 

NIRMA:

But can snake hear? I think they just feel.

 

DEEPA (ignoring the remark):

I agree that there is nobody who doesn’t like music. But, then they only like, they don’t pay

 

JAYA:

In my opinion, if you have passion for something you’ll pursue it, come what may

 

SHANKAR:

I think Jaya put it well. Anyway, we will put off this discussion to another time. Right now, let’s proceed to the little meadow in the farm.

 

He leads the kids away from the tree to the back of the house by rounding the building. VIVEK still carries Vijay’s bag. All of a sudden two stray dogs burst into the scene, chasing each other and growling fiercely. The children get scared and start running helter-skelter.

 

 

 

 

 

AT THE MEADOW

 

EPISODE 24

Exterior:

Outside the farmhouse

Early evening

 

The dogs, fighting with each other, disappear in some direction. The scattered children come back and join Shankar. As they walk by the house, they talk.

 

VIVEK:

These stray dogs have become a real menace.

 

SHANKAR:

I know. We are responsible for their growth, at least in part.

 

JAYA:

How, uncle?

 

SHANKAR:

These dogs cannot thrive if there is no litter around.

 

MANU:

And, we’ve no qualms in littering our public places with trash.

 

NIRMAL:

That is true. We throw garbage in any and every place

 

NIRMA:

Most of us lack civic sense

 

SHANKAR:

And, garbage in open place is a tempting invitation to stray dogs.

 

DEEPA:

Trash in a public place is an open treat for mutts and curs.

 

MINI:

We, at home, have a separate dump for garbage.

 

SHANKAR:

If only people disposed of trash in a sensible manner!

 

MANU:

Actually, even pet dogs also turn problematic

 

VIVEK:

How is that?

 

MANU:

In fact, I would say pet owners rather than pet dogs.

 

SHANKAR:

Manu has a point there.

 

DEEPA:

I’m sorry, I don’t get it.

 

VIJAY:

Even I don’t see the point.

 

SHANKAR:

You see, when the pet becomes older or falls sick, the owners pack them off to the streets. They abandon the pets

 

MANU:

The pet becomes a liability. I know it first-hand

 

 VIJAY:

Yes, I have seen a few thus discarded. When I saw them in the street, they looked lost.

 

SHANKAR:

And these deserted pets starve and their only source of food is the garbage dumps

 

MINNI:

It’s very cruel.

 

Walking and talking they reach a small meadow.

 

DEEPA:

Look! It’s a beautiful clearing!

 

VIVEK:

A meadow!

 

The children run towards it. Some lie stretched in the meadow; some others sit or stand. Shankar too sits.

 

JAYA (scanning the meadow):

We should have brought our cricketing gear. At least the bat and the ball

 

SHANKAR:

I can easily arrange that. Would you like to get me a bat and a ball?

 

VIVEK:

Not today; I’m not in a mood to play. Some other time, Jaya

 

JAYA:

Okay; no issue.

 

DEEPA (to Shankar):

Don’t you keep a dog, Uncle?

 

SHANKAR:

No.

 

MINI:

Why? Don’t you like dogs?

 

VIJAY (suddenly):

I like hotdogs!

 

Everyone laughs.

SHANKAR:

It’s not that I don’t like dogs. Nirma, my daughter has a fear of dogs.

 

MANU:

So she has cynophobia (Sai-na-fobia)

 

MINI:

Gynophobia?

 

SHANKAR:

No, cyno --- phobia. ‘Cyno’for dog and ‘phobia’ for dislike or fear. Thus, cynophobia means disike or fear of dogs. ‘Gyno’, on the other hand, is for women

 

By now everyone has sat near Shankar.

 

DEEPA:

So, gynophobia is the dislike or fear of women

 

VIJAY:

But if one loves dogs, what do you call it?

 

MANU:

Cynophilia. And the lover is a cynophile

 

JAYA:

So, ‘philia’ is the opposite of ‘phobia’ in meaning? The antonym?

 

MANU:

Yes

 

MINI:

What I’m afraid of is the cockroach

 

MANU

Then you have katsaridaphobia.

 

VIJAY:

My God! What a word!

 

SHANKAR (spells it):

KAT – SARI – DA – PHOBIA

 

VIVEK:

I think I’ll have a phobia of this katttsaa … whatever hotchpotch it is.

 

JAYA (joins):

A humbug of a word

 

NIRMA:

Most people have this phobia of cockroaches

 

NIRMAL:

Cockroaches don’t scare me much, but snakes really do.

 

MANU:

Then you have ophidiophobia. And, therefore, you can be called an ophidiophobe

 

VIVEK:

Another mouthful of a word; as scary as snakes

 

SHANKAR:

Have you people ever heard of nomophobia?

 

EVERYONE:

Never!

 

SHANKAR:

That is the fear of not having your mobile phone and not getting access to messages. ‘No mobile phone phobia’ it is! Some of you must be suffering from nomophobia

 

EVERYONE:

No Uncle; not all

 

SHANKAR:

This is the time our bulls, cows and calves return to their pen. They generally pass this way.

 

MANU:

So, anyone with bovinophobia, beware!

 

SHANKAR (to Nirma & Nirmal):

Just go to the house and ask Ramettan to prepare some tea and snacks

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

Done!

 

They rush to the house.

 

VIVEK:

Isn’t it a bit early for the evening tea?

 

SHANKAR:

By the time we get back, I think a spot of tea will be welcome

 

VIJAY:

Tea with biscuits will be most welcome

 

Everyone laughs:

 

JAYA:

Why just biscuit? You can have pies and pizzas

 

SHANKAR:

See pals, why don’t we have some fun?

 

VIVEK:

Lazing about in this meadow itself is fun

 

SHANKAR:

What I mean is some song or dance

 

JAYA:

Mini and Deepa are grand singers

 

SHANKAR:

I know. They sang when we were on the jeep

 

VIVEK (to Mini and Deepa):

So, nightingales of our hamlet, sing away to glory

 

MINI & DEEPA:

No need to tease. We shall sing

 

VIJAY:

Then what holds you back?

 

DEEPA:

You be quiet. Mini, let’s show them what we are worth

 

MINI:

Ready

 

They clear their throat and everyone gets ready to listen.

 

MINI & DEEPA:

‘Look up my friends, look up

Look at the sky so bright

When you feel down and out

Look up my friends at the sky (repeat)

 

Look at the clouds floating by

          Look at the birds flying by

When you feel the blues inside

Look at the blue sky outside (repeat)

 

Look at the birds on the wing

Like them ride on a song

When you feel down and out

When you get the blues

Look at the clouds floating by

And bid your blues a good goodbye (repeat)

 

As the song gets over, it is appreciated with a loud applause.

 

SHANKAR:

Great! Well-done Mini. Well-done Deepa. (to Vivek)Why don’t you people put up a play sometime in the village community hall?

 

JAYA & VIVEK:

A play?

 

SHANKAR:

I mean a skit.

 

MANU:

That is a good idea

 

SHANKAR:

Manu can get the script done; Vijay can take care of music; Mini and Deepa can sing; Jaya can do the costume and make-up; and, You,Vivek can organize the whole affair. Give it a thought, man!

 

VIVEK:

We will, Uncle --- if you are so confident about us

 

SHANKAR:

I’m. Any help you need, just let me know

JAYA:

Thank you, uncle

 

VIJAY (pointing in a direction):

See, Nirma and Nirmal are coming

 

Nirmal and Nirma are seen running towards the others. In his haste, Nirmal trips on something and falls. All the others rush to his help.

THEY SAY FAREWELL

 

EPISODE 25

Interior

The dining room at the farmhouse

Late evening

 

The children are seated at the dining table. Nirmal has a cut on his forehead, which is dressed. Shankar is at the head of the table and Raman is cleaning the table. The evening tea being over, he is collecting the cups and plates from the table.

 

RAMAN:

That was really a nasty cut Nirmal babu has got

 

SHANKAR:

What else do you expect, if you trip on a stone?

 

RAMAN:

Babu was in a hurry. He was all worked up

 

SHNKAR:

Passion is alright. But it shouldn’t be blind

 

NIRMA:

Passion with caution, Papa always says.

 

SHANKAR:

And aren’t I right?

 

RAMAN:

Anyway, it was only a cut on the forehead. Nothing serious

 

Raman leaves into the kitchen with the waste.

 

VIVEK:

I think it’s time we left, Uncle

 

JAYA:

Yes. We should be home before it is too dark

 

SHANKAR:

Okay, then. You get your cycles. I’ll follow you in my jeep

 

Manu raises his hand.

 

VIJAY:

Now, what do you want?

 

SHANKAR:

Let him say. Speak Manu.

 

MANU:

Before we leave I would like to speak a few words

 

JAYA:

You have been speaking too many a word throughout

 

SHANKAR:

Let him carry on. Okay, Manu, say what you have in mind

 

Manu gets up, clears his throat and starts speaking seriously in a formal tone.

 

MANU (delivering a formal speech):

Our venerable host Sir Shankar Uncle who gave me a reward for finding the trophy, beloved uncle Ramettan and my dear pals . . .

 

Everyone’s eyes are now on Manu. They are a little surprised. Even Shankar is amused. Manu continues.

 

MANU:

On behalf of me individually and on behalf of my friends collectively, I thank Shankar Uncle for inviting us to his beautiful farm and regaling us with meals. He was not just a host for us but a mentor invaluable.

 

There is a loud applause from the children. As the applause dies down, Manu resumes.

 

MANU:

And I would also like to thank Ramettan for conjuring up a sumptuous lunch. The taste is still lingering on my tongue

 

Again, applause from children. At the mention of his name, Raman, smiling, appears from the kitchen and stands at the door.

MANU:

It’s been a tremendous experience. Illuminating. It brought to light the hidden traits in us. ViVek . . . . .

 

At the mention of his name, Vivek smiles and looks on with curiosity.

 

MANU (continues):

Vivek . . . who as an individual is naughty has turned out to be a person with a sense of responsibility in a group. So is the case with Jaya . . . who can be very caring when the hour for care comes

 

Jaya and Vivek laugh. Deepa and Mini wink at them.

 

MANU:

As for Vijay, I think he has got over his guilt-complex and has come to appreciate himself

 

Everyone looks at Vijay who giggles shyly.

 

MANU:

The song and dance by Mini and Deepa were a revelation just as Vijay’s play on the flute

 

Mini, Deepa and vijay smiile. Others applaud them.

 

MANU:

And, Nirma and Nirmal in their quite way have been a silent support

 

Nirma and Nirmal smile and Shankar looks at them approvingly.

 

MANU:

As for me, I know I have been butting in with my bookish info . . . But I’ve learnt that I have to learn a lot from my friends about matters of practical nature. I thank you all for this collective experience of fun and feast.  (Bowing down to each one)Thank you! (Turning to Jaya, Deepa and Mini) And, now I invite Jaya, Deepa and Mini to sing a parting song

 

Manu sits down. Jaya gets a little angry.

 

JAYA:

Look at his cheek. Without warning he puts us into trouble

 

RAMAN:

That’s fine! Sing something that comes to your mind

 

Jaya, Mini and Deepa get ready to sing. Jaya takes the lead.

 

JAYA:

Tho’ we part

Tho’ we depart

We’re still a part

Of this farm beautiful

 

MINI & DEEPA (repeats):

‘Tho’ we part

Tho’ we depart

We’re still a part

Of this farm beautiful’

 

JAYA:

‘The green of this earth

The fire of this hearth

We carry home

As we leave for home’

 

MINI & DEEPA (repeats):

‘We carry home

The green of this earth

We carry home

The fire of this hearth

 

JAYA:

‘The breeze in these trees

The billows in the pond

We carry home

As we leave for home’

 

Mini & Deep repeat the line. Now every child joins in.

 

CHILDREN:

‘We carry home

We carry home

The green of this earth

We carry home’ (repeat)

 

At the end of the song, Shankar and Raman applaud.

 

SHANKAR:

Thank you for your kind words, guys, thank you.

 

CHILDREN (excepting Nirmal & Nirma):

You are ever so welcome, Uncle

 

SHANKAR:

Okay, guys, get your bags and out we go. I’ll see you home in my jeep

 

NIRMA & NIRMAL:

We are also coming

 

SHANKAR:

Come along

 

All of them move to the sitting room. Children pick up their knapsack. Vivek has already given Vijay his bag. Raman helps the boys in picking up the bags.

 

SHANKAR:

My jeep is at the back. I’ll get it. Meanwhile you get your cycles and start.

 

He, Nirma and Nirmal leave the room. One by one the children file out of the room. Raman accompanies them.

 

Now we are outside the house. The children go to the tree where the cycles are parked. Raman is seen helping them. They mount the bikes and say bye to Raman.

 

RAMAN:

Bye, dear kids!

 

CHILDREN (waving their hands):

Bye, Uncle!

 

They ride out of the farm. Raman looks on. The children are now on to the road. As they leisurely pedal a song is heard in the background.

 

SONG (v/o):

‘Merrily, merrily pedaling the bike

Verily, verily relishing the ride

The gang of kids is moving along

Moving along, moving along

Merrily, merrily moving along (repeat)

 

After a while Shankar’s jeep catches up with them. As they happily move, we see a truck coming from the opposite direction at break-neck speed. It is at some distance from the children. As they move aside for the truck to pass, they see a small child trying to cross the road. The truck driver doesn’t seem to see the child. The children notice the child and shout at it and at the same time frantically waves at the truck to stop it. Meanwhile, Vivek and Jay leave their cycles and jumps onto the road and carry it to the other side. The truck whizzes past. Other children also run to Vivek, Jaya and the child. Halting the jeep, Shankar and his children have already reached the spot.

 

SHANKAR:

Who let this kid roam like this?

 

The child is all bewildered. Jaya is holding him.

 

JAYA:

It seems to be in a shock.

 

VIJAY:

You would have been killed!

 

DEEPA:

True! My heart was in my mouth

 

A few people have, by now, gathered at the scene. Some of them are congratulating VIvek and Jaya.

 

MAN 1:

You are real heroes!

 

MAN 2:

It takes some guts to do it

 

SHANKAR:

Is there anyone here who knows this kid?

 

MAN 3:

I know. I’ll take him to his home

 

Jaya hands over the child to him.

 

MAN 3:

Thank you

 

SHANKAR:

Are you sure that you know the child?

 

MAN 3 (hesitating):

Er… Why do you ask? It’s my neighbor’s kid

 

The man takes the child on his shoulders and walks off.

 

MAN 1:

I haven’t seen that child anywhere before

 

MAN 2:

Not a familiar face

 

SHANKAR (to Man 1 & Man 2):

Will you do me a favor? Please follow him and see the child reaches home safe. (He gives them a card)You can’t be too careful these days. Please call me and let me know what happens

 

The two men take the card and shadow Man 3.The crowd of onlookers also disperses talking among themselves.

 

SHANKAR:

Ok, guys! Let’s also move on

 

Shankar with his son and daughter goes to his jeep and the children to their cycles. As the children rides on the earlier song is played again.

 

SONG (v/o):

‘Merrily, merrily pedaling the bike

Verily, verily relishing the ride

The gang of kids is moving along

Moving along, moving along

Merrily, merrily moving along (repeat)

 

As the song dies out, the riders fade into the distance.

 

 

*THE END*