Act Three
Scene One
(Delhi Ganesh and Vinith are in the market)
VINITH: Dad, why are you so adamant that I should also come to the market?
DELHI GANESH: I want you to be more responsible.
VINITH: But dad, I have other important work
DELHI GANESH: Do them tomorrow. You need to meet the people in the market
VINITH: Why do I have to meet them; are we going to start a vegetable business?
DELHI GANESH: you will know soon
(The two go to a potato vendor)
DELHI GANESH: Manickam, meet my son; I told you earlier, the irresponsible guy. You know how hard we’ve all struggled to come up in life, but he doesn’t seem to understand life. (Delhi Ganesh selects potatoes) Try and make him understand, if you can. I thought if people like you could speak to him, he’d probably change.
MANICKAM: Don’t worry Chettiar, I’ll change him. Let me see if I can handle him. (Looking at Vinith) I’ve known Chettiar for more than fifteen years. He’s been working hard all these years. You should try to help him as much as possible. You see, only if the family members work hard, the family would prosper; and if only every family prospers, the country would prosper; and if only the country prospers, the village would prosper”.
DELHI GANESH: It’s not like that. Only when all families prosper, the village would prosper, and only when all villages prosper, the country would prosper.
MANICKAM: Chettiar, you find fault with everything, that’s why your son doesn’t listen to you. I honestly think your son is allright, only you are at fault.
(Vinith giggles)
DELHI GANESH: Don’t listen to him, you’ll only get worse
Scene Two
(The two now go to an onion vendor)
DELHI GANESH: Muthu, meet my son Vinith; I’ve told you about him. Please speak to him and try to change him and make him a responsible fellow
MUTHU: Chettiar you leave him here, buy other vegetables and come back
(Delhi Ganesh leaves Vinith with the onion vendor and walks out. As soon as Delhi Ganesh leaves, the vendor turns around to pick up his waiting whiskey glass and greedily gulps it down. Satisfied, he then turns towards Vinith)
MUTHU: Don’t you feel ashamed of yourself?. Your father is working so hard and you don’t want to help him. Frankly speaking, I shouldn’t blame you; you see Chettiar allows you to sit and eat and that’s where the mistake is. If you were my son, I wouldn’t let you sit in the first place.
(Muthu then turns to his whiskey bottle again, pours some into his glass, adds water and mixes his drink. He then munches a few peanuts and gulps his drink. He then turns to Vinith)
MUTHU: I was telling you something, what was that?
VINITH: You were telling me that you won’t let me sit
MUTHU: (Looking surprised) Did I?, My God! I am so sorry, please pull up that stool and sit down.
Scene Three
(Delhi Ganesh takes Vinith to a woman vendor who sells brinjal)
DELHI GANESH: (Picking up brinjals) Padmini look at my son. I want you to…
VINITH: Wait wait wait. Let me explain it myself this time. You see dad has been working hard all these years, looking after the house and business. You know, I should be helping him, and be more responsible as I am grown up now. How long can he alone suffer and me roam about aimlessly?. Now you need to explain all these to me, make me realize my mistake and make me more responsible.
DELHI GANESH: (Pays for the brinjal and sighs) Uh! What shall I do?
PADMINI: You go Chettiar, I’ve seen many like him. He thinks he’s very smart. I’ll get him fixed right away. I’ll see that he doesn’t forget this day.
(Delhi Ganesh leaves)
PADMINI: Have you ever seen kids working?. Tell me, what is the use of you growing up?. There is no use of a son who doesn’t think of his parents. Chettiar has lived his life not for him, but for his children, you and your brother. Why don’t you learn from your twin brother, isn’t he dumb?
(Vinith sees Vivek, coming with a shopping bag at a distance and immediately signals him to go away)
VIVEK: (To himself) Vinith seems to be in some sort of a problem with the brinjal vendor. But why is he bent on chasing me. Anyway, is there any new law that I shouldn’t buy brinjals?. Let me check it out
(Vivek walks to the brinjal vendor, pretending not to know Vinith)
VIVEK: Please give me half a kilo of brinjal
PADMINI: (To Vinith) Look at this young man, learn from him. See how responsible he is
VIVEK: Well, make it one kg
PADMINI: (Weighing again) See, he too is of your age, but look how responsible he is. Don’t you think his parents are benefited by him?
VIVEK Maybe you can make it two kgs, please
PADMINI: You need to learn from him. This young gentleman has something, which you don’t
VIVEK: (Smiles) Or I think you can make it three kgs
(Just when the lady was happily putting more brinjals in the weigh scale, a pretty young woman comes dashing in)
YOUNG WOMAN: Vivek, Vivek; don’t buy brinjals. I hate brinjals and my mother is allergic to it
PADMINI: Who the hell is this swine here?
VIVEK: Well, well, actually I am buying vegetables for her
PADMINI: Better take these three kgs of brinjal or I’ll kill you both. Idiot, working for a senseless female
(The girl walks off in anger while Vivek takes the brinjals and pays for it)
PADMINI : Allergic it seems; nice mom, nice daughter. Roaming in the market with a senseless idiot (Looks at Vivek) If I ever see you in the market again, I’ll have you tied up to the lamp post
VIVEK: (Looks at Vinith) Hi Vinith, when did you come here?
PADMINI: Oh, is he your friend?. Nice combination. Both of you together have a great future. That poor man Chettiar. Now before I count three, I want both of you to leave this place
(Both run away from there)
Scene Four
(Vinith and Vivek in the marketplace with some other vendors)
VINITH: I warned you not to come, but you came. You didn’t bother to speak to me while you were being praised. But when you were scolded, you wanted to talk me
VIVEK: Try to understand Vinith, you always need a company when you are being scolded. Honestly, I felt too bad when she was scolding me; but it was very relieving when she scolded both of us together. You see this is what friendship is. Only a true friend would be willing to share one’s scolding
(They walk a little when Vivek’s father came their way).
VIVEK’S FATHER: What’s up, you guys are roaming in the market today?
VIVEK: (In a stern voice) Buying vegetables, not roaming. Here take this bag with you (He gives the bag to his father).
VIVEK’S FATHER: (Looking inside the bag): What only brinjal, and that too so much?
VIVEK: Yes only brinjal. You won’t understand, new research from Japan says only brinjal is good for health. That’s why only brinjal. From now on we’ll have only brinjal; brinjal rice, brinjal curry, brinjal gravy, brinjal fry and brinjal soup
(Vivek and his father leave. Delhi Ganesh enters)
DELHI GANESH: (To Vinith) Where have you been? Let’s go now. Did you see how these people in the market like and respect me? I’ve known most of them for several years. We understand each others’ difficulties and sympathize although we can’t help much
(They walk a little and stop to buy chillies from a girl).
DELHI GANESH: How much do a bunch of chillies cost?
GIRL: Its five rupees.
DELHI GANESH: Can you give me three bunches for ten rupees?
GIRL: Get lost stupid man. Is this the first time you are buying chillies?
DELHI GANESH: (Looks embarrassed) You see Vinith, people learn courtesy and respect, only with age and maturity
VINITH: Yes dad, we can see that from the girl itself
DELHI GANESH: Ah yes …But but wait…what is that you see?
VINITH: Its clear dad, you see the girl hasn’t matured yet
DELHI GANESH (Thinks for a while) Upon reconsidering, I think this market and responsibilities are not required for you. What do you say?