14 02 23
Characters:
Neelan – short for
Neelakandan
Paru – short for Parvathi
Nandi – The bullock
(When the curtain rises, Neelan and Paru are laughing
over some jokes.)
“Tak … tak … tak”
Paru: “Come in.”
(Nandi enters. Salutes both.)
Neelan: “Yes?”
Nandi: “Eh … eh … Want to tell you something.”
Paru: “What is that ‘something’?”
Nandi: “I understand you don’t have any journeys planned
for the next few days.”
Neelan: “So what? This happens often.”
Nandi: “Yes, still …”
Paru: “Why is there a ‘still…’?”
Nandi: “Eh … eh … a week’s leave …”
Paru: “Why do you want a
week’s leave?”
Nandi: “To visit Earth.
Just to stroll around.”
Neelan: “Mmm. This happens
every year around this time. What is so special at this time on Earth?”
Nandi: “Well, nothing
special …” (Blushes)
Neelan: “Mmm. All right. But
not more than a week.”
(Nandi departs after
saluting both.)
Neelan: “Nandi was very
upset for the past several days.”
Paru: “Yes, I had noticed
it, too.”
Neelan: “How does he look
now?”
Paru: “Has regained his
previous happiness and enthusiasm.”
Neelan: “What do you think
has happened?”
Paru: “I don’t know, what
is it?”
Neelan: “A country in Earth
worships the cow: Bharat.”
Paru: “Yes, that is where
Kashi and Rameswaram are located.”
Neelan: “Yes. The
government there issued a proclamation.”
Paru: “What proclamation?”
Neelan: “From now onwards
everybody should hug cows on Valentine’s Day.”
Paru: “O yeah? Then?”
Neelan: “When it reached
the media they added a little masala to it.”
Paru: “Means?”
Neelan: “Males should hug
and kiss cows and females should hug and kiss bullocks.”
Paru: “That’s interesting.
Then?”
Neelan: “VVVIPs booked the
most beautiful cows and healthy bullocks at hefty prices and even paid
advances.”
Paru: “Yeah? Then what
happened?”
Neelan: “Nandi has a crush
there and she is the most beautiful cow in the whole counry.”
Paru: “Then?”
Neelan: “Well, she has been
booked by most of the VVVIPs.”
Paru: “Then what happens to
Nandi?”
Neelan: “That is why Nandi was
quite upset for the past several days. Worried sick whether his turn would come
at all.”
Paru: “All right. But then
how is he the previous self now?”
Neelan: “Haven’t you seen
today’s newspaper?”
Paru: “O, no, I didn’t have
the time. You tell me.”
Neelan: “That proclamation
has been withdrawn.”
Paru: “Okay, okay. So that
is why.”
Neelan: “Now no VVVIP will
come in between them.”
Paru: “Yes, that is right.”
(Neelan and Paru look at
each other and smiles.)
(Curtain)
