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Quarantine For Only Those Who Need It
ACT I
Scene 1: Train compartment, afternoon time
Mridul and Ayush, two friends in their early thirties, board an overcrowded train, the Chitra Express, in the afternoon. They go searching for seats in the different compartments.
Mridul: Should we get into another compartment? Everywhere year seems full.
Ayush: Yes, we should. The people don't seem to be of class.
Mridul: And what is that supposed to mean?
[But before he could get any reply, he gets shoved off by a vender. So he decides to find themselves a seat and settle down first.]
Ayush: All other trains have been from 12:00 a.m. because of the curfew. This is the only train available with a few others.
Mridul: The crowd explains that...oh! Look to empty seats. Come on, Ayush.
Ayush: Not there.
Mridul: Why?
Ayush: Can't you see? There are two women wearing 'Burkhas'. And the men have beards but no moustaches.
Mridul: So what? Do you want a fashion model as your co-passenger? By the way, how do you know that the man has no moustaches? He is wearing a mask.
[ Mridul half-laughs and is half-curious.]
Ayush: Don't act stupid. I know you do understand they are Muslims.
[But a loud cry of 'Daily news: Read about the rising death toll do to the coronavirus in Delhi masks Ayush's voice such that mridul can gather nothing from his reply except that he is acting stupid.
Mridul: Oh no! Somebody sat there. Seems we will turn old finding seats.
Ayush: [in a whisper] Good.
[They get off the train onto the platform and enter into another compartment.]
Mridul: Seems there is some vacancy in the farthest end of the compartment. Come on...the train is about to leave in 5 minutes.
[They walk and reach the farthest end where...]
Mridul: But there is only one seat vacant.
Ayush: You have that. I will find myself another.
Mridul: No, mate. You sit there. Your right leg needs care. It's only been a month since its fractured.
Ayush: Come on...It was just a hairline. You sit there. I don't want to have a slum-dweller in the front and two African breeds on either sides of mine throughout the journey just because my leg aches. [His voice grows cold as he finishes.]
[Just then in a nearby seat, an elderly man gets up from his seat and walks away dragging all his luggage behind him.]
Ayush: [Pointing at the emplty seat] Look, I got one. I will take that. Happy journey, mate.
Mridul: No, Ayush. There is a reason the man walked away. Look at that the boy sitting next to the empty seat. I don't think he's alright...
[Mridul indicates the boy next to whom the elderly man had been sitting. He has puffy, red eyes, is masked, and is coughing hysterically. He also seems to draw heavy breaths as if in pain, every time he coughs. All in all, he seems to have all the visible symptoms of covid-19 and is too likely infected with the virus. But, at the same time, he is smartly dressed, has worn gold and jewel rings in most of his fingers. There is also a laptop popped up in front of him.]
Mridul: Is he sure he got himself a treatment? Hey! Wait!
[Ayush walks up to the empty seat and hunches back cozily on it, seeming too satisfied with himself. The boy, in his right however, seems rather amazed at this act of Ayush.]
Mridul: Ayush! Come over. You have still got another seat empty. It's not safe to...
Ayush: [interrupting] I told 'you' to sit there. Now please do that for I doubt that you will be able to stand stiff like a pole in a speeding train.
Mridul: But...
[Just then, with a great jerk, the train starts moving. Mridjl is almost thrown backwards at the sudden movement. Finding nothing else to possibly do, he waddles uptown the end of the compartment and settles himself in the only vacant seat available then.]
[Then all passengers begin their 5-hour journey.]
Scene 2: Ayush's home. Ground floor. Two following the previous scene.
[Amarna, Ayush's wife, opens the door to find Mridul. They both talk as Amarna escorts Mridul into the house.]
Mridul: How is Ayush now?
Amarna: I am afraid his health is deteriorating. On the very day on which we received his medical report revealing he was covid positive, the doctors asked him to move to special quarantine centers. But he refused. Said he didn't want to sleep on beds preoccupied by sub-standard people who were unknown to him.
Mridul: [In an indistinct voice] Something that has landed him in this situation today...
ACT II
Scene: From the author.
Homo Sapiens Sapiens—in other words, modern human beings, live in a highly advanced era l of the 21st century. Yet they have a very mistaken notion about 'modernism'. Today, the entire world is under the threatening shadow of covid-19. It is a pity that even with such greater causes to worry about, we still continue to create mental and intellectual barriers, when they don't even exist in reality. Let all the precautionary actions be taken against the corona virus with the abolition of all such petty barriers. Let people be sent for quarantine only on medical issues. Isolation of a section of society owing to their sex, religion, cast or race from those people who consider themselves 'modern' is not at all desired and ought not be practised.
© Sukanya Roy
#Love all
like, comment and share for more.
Scene 1: Train compartment, afternoon time
Mridul and Ayush, two friends in their early thirties, board an overcrowded train, the Chitra Express, in the afternoon. They go searching for seats in the different compartments.
Mridul: Should we get into another compartment? Everywhere year seems full.
Ayush: Yes, we should. The people don't seem to be of class.
Mridul: And what is that supposed to mean?
[But before he could get any reply, he gets shoved off by a vender. So he decides to find themselves a seat and settle down first.]
Ayush: All other trains have been from 12:00 a.m. because of the curfew. This is the only train available with a few others.
Mridul: The crowd explains that...oh! Look to empty seats. Come on, Ayush.
Ayush: Not there.
Mridul: Why?
Ayush: Can't you see? There are two women wearing 'Burkhas'. And the men have beards but no moustaches.
Mridul: So what? Do you want a fashion model as your co-passenger? By the way, how do you know that the man has no moustaches? He is wearing a mask.
[ Mridul half-laughs and is half-curious.]
Ayush: Don't act stupid. I know you do understand they are Muslims.
[But a loud cry of 'Daily news: Read about the rising death toll do to the coronavirus in Delhi masks Ayush's voice such that mridul can gather nothing from his reply except that he is acting stupid.
Mridul: Oh no! Somebody sat there. Seems we will turn old finding seats.
Ayush: [in a whisper] Good.
[They get off the train onto the platform and enter into another compartment.]
Mridul: Seems there is some vacancy in the farthest end of the compartment. Come on...the train is about to leave in 5 minutes.
[They walk and reach the farthest end where...]
Mridul: But there is only one seat vacant.
Ayush: You have that. I will find myself another.
Mridul: No, mate. You sit there. Your right leg needs care. It's only been a month since its fractured.
Ayush: Come on...It was just a hairline. You sit there. I don't want to have a slum-dweller in the front and two African breeds on either sides of mine throughout the journey just because my leg aches. [His voice grows cold as he finishes.]
[Just then in a nearby seat, an elderly man gets up from his seat and walks away dragging all his luggage behind him.]
Ayush: [Pointing at the emplty seat] Look, I got one. I will take that. Happy journey, mate.
Mridul: No, Ayush. There is a reason the man walked away. Look at that the boy sitting next to the empty seat. I don't think he's alright...
[Mridul indicates the boy next to whom the elderly man had been sitting. He has puffy, red eyes, is masked, and is coughing hysterically. He also seems to draw heavy breaths as if in pain, every time he coughs. All in all, he seems to have all the visible symptoms of covid-19 and is too likely infected with the virus. But, at the same time, he is smartly dressed, has worn gold and jewel rings in most of his fingers. There is also a laptop popped up in front of him.]
Mridul: Is he sure he got himself a treatment? Hey! Wait!
[Ayush walks up to the empty seat and hunches back cozily on it, seeming too satisfied with himself. The boy, in his right however, seems rather amazed at this act of Ayush.]
Mridul: Ayush! Come over. You have still got another seat empty. It's not safe to...
Ayush: [interrupting] I told 'you' to sit there. Now please do that for I doubt that you will be able to stand stiff like a pole in a speeding train.
Mridul: But...
[Just then, with a great jerk, the train starts moving. Mridjl is almost thrown backwards at the sudden movement. Finding nothing else to possibly do, he waddles uptown the end of the compartment and settles himself in the only vacant seat available then.]
[Then all passengers begin their 5-hour journey.]
Scene 2: Ayush's home. Ground floor. Two following the previous scene.
[Amarna, Ayush's wife, opens the door to find Mridul. They both talk as Amarna escorts Mridul into the house.]
Mridul: How is Ayush now?
Amarna: I am afraid his health is deteriorating. On the very day on which we received his medical report revealing he was covid positive, the doctors asked him to move to special quarantine centers. But he refused. Said he didn't want to sleep on beds preoccupied by sub-standard people who were unknown to him.
Mridul: [In an indistinct voice] Something that has landed him in this situation today...
ACT II
Scene: From the author.
Homo Sapiens Sapiens—in other words, modern human beings, live in a highly advanced era l of the 21st century. Yet they have a very mistaken notion about 'modernism'. Today, the entire world is under the threatening shadow of covid-19. It is a pity that even with such greater causes to worry about, we still continue to create mental and intellectual barriers, when they don't even exist in reality. Let all the precautionary actions be taken against the corona virus with the abolition of all such petty barriers. Let people be sent for quarantine only on medical issues. Isolation of a section of society owing to their sex, religion, cast or race from those people who consider themselves 'modern' is not at all desired and ought not be practised.
© Sukanya Roy
#Love all
like, comment and share for more.
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