[Doorbell rings. Kamala, an elderly woman sitting in the living room, keeps down the newspaper and troubles herself to the door. She opens it to find her 25-something grandson Sunny standing in front of her. Without saying a word, she kisses his forehead.]
Kamala: I am so glad!
Sunny: (grinning) I am very happy too, maa.
Kamala: I have longed to talk to you. Your parents hardly visit me even though they live in the same town.
Sunny: I have just entered and you got started already!
Kamala: Just saying, beta. Just saying. Sorry, I won't spoil the pleasant mood. Sit! Sit!
Sunny: (sits on the couch) Wow! Comfy comfy sofa, maa?
Kamala: (sits beside him) Your uncle Ram gifted it a few months back on my birthday.
Sunny: (laughs) Nice. So, how is my young and independent grandmo... oh sorry, young and independent Kamala doing on her own?
Kamala: I am doing just fine! No need to mock me -- you of all?
Sunny: (laughs, louder this time) Sure. I believe you.
Kamala: Wait, I will get you something to eat. (gets up)
Sunny: (pulling maa back to the couch) No no! I don't want anything. I came to talk, not eat.
Kamala: (getting up again) Shut up! Your maa has fresh watermelon. You wait.
[Kamala moves to the kitchen counter after picking up watermelon from the fridge. Sunny turns around in his seat to face Kamala. Kamala takes a knife and starts cutting the melon.]
Kamala: So, sunny, what brings you to your old maa's house, that too without a notice? Stopped getting pocket money from your miserly parents?
Sunny: Enough, maa! Stop making them sound bad. (after a brief pause) Well, I just came to...
Kamala: (cuts him off) Do you remember this knife?
Sunny: (squints his eyes) Is it the... whats-its-name... is it Bingoman's knife?
Kamala: Yes! It is! So much fun I had back then with you. Do you remember how Raj wanted to be Bingoman and not the villain?
Sunny: Yeah, it had been so hard to convince him. We had to give him Kit-Kat, I remember.
[Silence fills the stage. Kamala resumes cutting the melon. Sunny looks through the kitchen window.]
Sunny: (solemnly) Maa, I'm getting married, as you might have heard. I want you to stay with me and my wife in our new house.
Kamala: Ohhh... now I see! Mr. Sunny came here to recruit a full-time free-of-cost maid who can also act as nanny in the future. I see! (cuts through the melon hard this time; the knife hits the plate and makes a sharp loud noise)
Sunny: (in a raised voice) No, maa! That's not what I meant! And you know it. When I had to go to US for my MS... you know, just after all that happened and you had moved in here... I wanted to take you to US with me so that in my company you will be distracted from all the mess. But I was a foreigner in a foreign land. There was hardly any comfort for myself and I didn't want to add to your worries, hence I didn't take you. But now! Now I have a good job and my own house. Soon I will settle down with my wife. Please maa! Come with me. I can't see you... here...
Kamala: Suffering? No, I am not suffering. And I do not need your pity.
Sunny: It's not pity, maa. Why don't you understand?!
[Kamala brings the fruits, sits on the couch, and places the plate between them. They eat in silence for some time.]
Sunny: I am sorry I have to leave now. I have a meeting to attend. I really wanted to see you hence I came, although for a short time. And I really want you to live with us! You will like Shreya, I am sure. Please think about it. (gets up, touches Kamala's feet, and moves towards the door)
Kamala: I am very happy for you. God bless you. (kisses on his forehead once again)
Sunny: Bye, maa. Love you.
[Kamala stands at the door and watches Sunny climb down the stairs of her apartment. Now she is alone, still standing at the door.]
Kamala: I am old and fading fast, with hardly any days left. You are young and lively, with a nascent life in front of you. Why do you want to take this burden you lovingly call 'maa'? I am glad you love me so much and have such a beautiful heart. Now go! Have fun! Enjoy your life, Bingoman!
Kamala: I am so glad!
Sunny: (grinning) I am very happy too, maa.
Kamala: I have longed to talk to you. Your parents hardly visit me even though they live in the same town.
Sunny: I have just entered and you got started already!
Kamala: Just saying, beta. Just saying. Sorry, I won't spoil the pleasant mood. Sit! Sit!
Sunny: (sits on the couch) Wow! Comfy comfy sofa, maa?
Kamala: (sits beside him) Your uncle Ram gifted it a few months back on my birthday.
Sunny: (laughs) Nice. So, how is my young and independent grandmo... oh sorry, young and independent Kamala doing on her own?
Kamala: I am doing just fine! No need to mock me -- you of all?
Sunny: (laughs, louder this time) Sure. I believe you.
Kamala: Wait, I will get you something to eat. (gets up)
Sunny: (pulling maa back to the couch) No no! I don't want anything. I came to talk, not eat.
Kamala: (getting up again) Shut up! Your maa has fresh watermelon. You wait.
[Kamala moves to the kitchen counter after picking up watermelon from the fridge. Sunny turns around in his seat to face Kamala. Kamala takes a knife and starts cutting the melon.]
Kamala: So, sunny, what brings you to your old maa's house, that too without a notice? Stopped getting pocket money from your miserly parents?
Sunny: Enough, maa! Stop making them sound bad. (after a brief pause) Well, I just came to...
Kamala: (cuts him off) Do you remember this knife?
Sunny: (squints his eyes) Is it the... whats-its-name... is it Bingoman's knife?
Kamala: Yes! It is! So much fun I had back then with you. Do you remember how Raj wanted to be Bingoman and not the villain?
Sunny: Yeah, it had been so hard to convince him. We had to give him Kit-Kat, I remember.
[Silence fills the stage. Kamala resumes cutting the melon. Sunny looks through the kitchen window.]
Sunny: (solemnly) Maa, I'm getting married, as you might have heard. I want you to stay with me and my wife in our new house.
Kamala: Ohhh... now I see! Mr. Sunny came here to recruit a full-time free-of-cost maid who can also act as nanny in the future. I see! (cuts through the melon hard this time; the knife hits the plate and makes a sharp loud noise)
Sunny: (in a raised voice) No, maa! That's not what I meant! And you know it. When I had to go to US for my MS... you know, just after all that happened and you had moved in here... I wanted to take you to US with me so that in my company you will be distracted from all the mess. But I was a foreigner in a foreign land. There was hardly any comfort for myself and I didn't want to add to your worries, hence I didn't take you. But now! Now I have a good job and my own house. Soon I will settle down with my wife. Please maa! Come with me. I can't see you... here...
Kamala: Suffering? No, I am not suffering. And I do not need your pity.
Sunny: It's not pity, maa. Why don't you understand?!
[Kamala brings the fruits, sits on the couch, and places the plate between them. They eat in silence for some time.]
Sunny: I am sorry I have to leave now. I have a meeting to attend. I really wanted to see you hence I came, although for a short time. And I really want you to live with us! You will like Shreya, I am sure. Please think about it. (gets up, touches Kamala's feet, and moves towards the door)
Kamala: I am very happy for you. God bless you. (kisses on his forehead once again)
Sunny: Bye, maa. Love you.
[Kamala stands at the door and watches Sunny climb down the stairs of her apartment. Now she is alone, still standing at the door.]
Kamala: I am old and fading fast, with hardly any days left. You are young and lively, with a nascent life in front of you. Why do you want to take this burden you lovingly call 'maa'? I am glad you love me so much and have such a beautiful heart. Now go! Have fun! Enjoy your life, Bingoman!
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