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(Screen Play)
By
Munayem Mayenin
Dedication
This work, with deep respect, is dedicated to the memory of a Bangaali British young man Shoheed Altab Ali, who was brutally murdered by racist thugs in Tower Hamlets in a park in Whitechapel, which is now renamed after Altab Ali.
At Altab Ali Park now proudly stands a Shoheed Minar (Martyrs Monument) for the remembrance of the language martyrs of the 21st February, 1952, in Dhaka, but now the monument, in addition, symbolises the sacrifice young Altab Ali made for the fight against the ugly face of racism.
The Author
London
1999
Opening Scene
EXT. DAY. ALTAB ALI PARK. EAST LONDON
Altab Ali park’s signboard on a sunny summer’s day. Gradually the camera shows the whole park and the trees and closes up to the Bangaali Language Martyrs Monument at the west end on the top of the park. There it stays in a way that catches the upper part of the monument and the sky behind it. Then the Dedication is printed out at the base line of the monument.
With the following song is to be played in a male and female voice:
FEMALE
Wake up Britain, wake up to the rainbow
Open your heart to the rainbow
I am young in love
And I feel like I am the rainbow
Open your heart to the rainbow
MALE
Wake up Britain, wake up to the rainbow
Open your heart to the rainbow
I am young in love
And I feel like I am the rainbow
Open your heart to the rainbow
DUET
Wake up Britain wake up to the rainbow
Open your heart to the rainbow
FEMALE
Have you ever seen a rainbow in the rain?
Have you ever seen a rainbow in the sun?
Have your ever wondered to hold it in your heart?
Have you ever played with the rainbow?
Open your heart to the rainbow
MALE
Have you ever seen a rainbow in the rain?
Have you ever seen a rainbow in the sun?
Have your ever wondered to hold it in your heart?
Have you ever played with the rainbow?
Open your heart to the rainbow
DUET
Wake up Britain wake up to the rainbow
Hold it hold it hold it in your heart
Open your heart to the rainbow
FEMALE
That morning at New Cross Gate
I was young in love
And I looked at people’s faces
So many different colours
Different shapes and shades and rhythms
And I sang the rhyme of the ancient mariner
I felt proud that I belonged
To the rainbow of the people
MALE
That morning at New Cross Gate
I was young in love
And I looked at people’s faces
So many different colours
Different shapes and shades and rhythms
And I sang the rhyme of the ancient mariner
I felt proud that I belonged
To the rainbow of the people
DUET
Wake up Britain wake up to the rainbow
Hold it hold it hold it in your heart
Belong to the rainbow of the people
Open your heart to the rainbow
FEMALE
Come swimming with me in the Thames
As I am young in love
Let’s swim and wash away
The prejudices
All the ignorance and arrogance
Let’s swim swim away into the waves
Open your heart to the rainbow
MALE
Come swimming with me in the Thames
As I am young in love
Let’s swim and wash away
The prejudices
All the ignorance and arrogance
Let’s swim swim away into the waves
Open your heart to the rainbow
DUET
Wake up Britain wake up to the rainbow
Hold it hold it hold it in your heart
Belong to the rainbow of the people
Let go of prejudices arrogance and ignorance
Open your heart to the rainbow
FEMALE
Come dancing with me
As I am young in love
Come out and dance
Let’s dance dance dance to the rainbow
Dance away the age and dead
Open your heart to the rainbow
MALE
Come dancing with me
As I am young in love
Come out and dance
Let’s dance dance dance to the rainbow
Dance away the age and dead
Open your heart to the rainbow
DUET
Wake up Britain wake up to the rainbow
Hold it hold it hold it in your heart
Belong to the rainbow of the people
Let go of prejudices arrogance and ignorance
Dance away the age and old
Open your heart to the rainbow
Wake up Britain, wake up to the rainbow
Open your heart to the rainbow
I am young in love
And I feel like I am the rainbow
Open your heart to the rainbow
Saturday afternoon in August. DEREK RICHARDS, 30, sitting in his living room with a drink, watching television. The decoration, design and display in the room reflects a very positive, well experienced and versatile taste. He is watching television. There is a programme on International Children’s Day gathering in Blackheath Green. The Whole green is fastooned by all shapes and sizes of maps of all the countries of the world.
CUT TO:
2 EXT. DAY. THE BLACKHEATH GREEN
This scene opens with the view of the whole Blackheath Green from the eastern side and gradually goes to show the festival that is going on at the end of the green. On the background the big church is visible. After showing the church the camera comes to show the whole festival from a bird’s eye view. The whole green is fastooned by all shapes and sizes of maps of all the countries of the world.
All the countries are represented with a stall by their embassies. There are a lot of crafts, arts, antiques and food stalls. People are walking in their thousands. Children of all colours and shapes and sizes are walking about and joining in all the activities that are going on.
CUT TO:
3 INT. DAY. DEREK’S LIVING ROOM
DEREK was sitting at the same sofa and putting the glass on the table.
THE PRESENER (not seen on the screen) starts talking.
THE PRESENTER’S VOICE
(Very emotional)
Wow! Look at it! Doesn’t it seem the whole world has joined in celebration of diversity in the Blackheath Green! How breathtaking this beauty is!
CUT TO:
4 EXT. DAY. BLACKHEATH GREEN
The camera is showing a globe made with human faces first from the front and then from above. The human globe is created by five year old children, a boy and a girl from each nation of the world (but these children are British by birth) and they are wearing tea shirts. On the front sides of the tea shirts of all the children the map of the UK is printed but the back had the national flag of the children’s countries of origin. This is to focus that Britain is so rich that it could represent the whole world with its own nationals. This globe and the faces of the children and their front and back and close up of children’s faces would be shown on the television screen while the following scene is being broadcast.
CUT TO:
5 INT. DAY. DEREK’S LIVING ROOM
THE PRESENTER (not seen on the screen) starts reciting the following poem.
THE PRESENTER’S VOICE
( STANDARD ENGLISH)
The skies and their reflections on earthly waters
lakes clean and rivers flown
ponds static and oceans blue
SCOTTISH VOICE
wonder about the variety of shades in blue
the difference in those blues transparent
in all the human hearts the beauty of diversity
EAST ENDER’S VOICE
The horizon wonders about the green beneath
that touches by its corner
the shadowy green branches of trees
PAKISTANI VOICE
or the sky-loving leaves
their colour varies
varies the way they respond to the dancing winds
ITALIAN VOICE
And the winds that touch the seas
the winds that get wet
and bring forth cool affection to the green
GREEK VOICE
the speed and velocity and rhythm
and melody and tone and might vary
and vary the degrees in which our hearts respond to them
NORTHERN ENGLISH VOICE
The emotions and the wilderness-bound ecstasy
that uplift the young girl’s or man’s spirits
and their hearts stops beatings
IRISH VOICE
or beats faster than God’s imagination
when their lips receive the first kisses
all these vary one to other
and they create a verily red wealth of human land
AN INDIAN VOICE
The smiles that a mother paints when the child
gets out of danger varies in multitudinous manners
a variety of ways of colours in smiles
TURKISH VOICE
Faces of mothers and fathers
sisters and brothers and friends
WELSH VOICE
daughters and sons and the rest
made of difference bright
JAMAICAN VOICE
all these are the face of human land
that is the rainbow shines in the spirit
of the unspoiled minds
GERMAN VOICE
The things that are
and the things that will be
have the arts in themselves so long
EGYPTIAN VOICE
they have variety and difference
diversity makes the human face
aesthetic impossibly hard to imitate
which no arts could reproduce better
BANGAALI FEMALE VOICE
As soon this voice started reciting the following two lines camera would show DEREK. He would go back some years in his memory.
The lands and sees
the lakes and rivers
CUT TO:
A huge hall. A Poetry evening organised by a student group at DEREK and AUNU’s University in West London. There are a lot of young men and women in the hall. Some are holding their coffee or tea cups or cold drinks. At the very entrance there is an ‘ad hoc’ tea shop. This poetry evening is for young university poets who are trying to get noticed with their talents. DEREK comes quite late as he had to finish an assignment. But as a poetry lover he wanted to come even for a short time. DEREK comes in and looks observantly to the stage and the whole audience. The display around the hall is fabulous. All these lines of poems from every possible English poets are hand printed on fastoons with beautiful art works. DEREK seems very pleased and impressed. Before going to find and take a seat he gets himself a tea from the ad hoc tea shop lady and walked towards the stage. While DEREK takes his seat at the middle of the third row a very beautiful, attractive and smart Bangaali girl, wearing jeans and shirt is reciting her poem. Her name is AUNU ROHMAN. DEREK missed the first part of it. This is where he joins in. He sits near CAROLINE, very attractive young girl, his class mate. CAROLINE smiles at him.
AUNU
the sees and oceans
the hills and mountains
the lowlands and planes
the greens and the deserts
the cultures and languages
all these opposing and differing elements of earth
make it what it is
the home of the man
Here DEREK whispers to CAROLINE’S ear.
DEREK
(Whispers)
Who is she? What’s her name?
CAROLINE
(Whispers)
Don’t you know her! I am telling you man, she is smashing.
DEREK
(Whispers)
But what is her name!
CAROLINE
(Whispers)
Aunu Rohman, first year journalism
DEREK
(Whispers)
I see
The camera shows the audience and goes back to AUNU.
AUNU
The dust and the sands and the raindrops on it
all the more precious made
in which life a rainbow made
by the faces of difference
by the colours of plenty
the tunes and tones and textures of ours
the melodies and rhythms and music of ours
the shapes and sizes and lengths of ours
the outset of apparent difference fixed
is unfolded within the inner oneness of red
expressly vivid beauty in our harmonious heartbeats
amazingly aesthetic formation of the human rainbow
that dances within the faces
that dances within the dreams
that dances within the desires
that dances within the sorrows
that dances and lives within the joys
that makes us love and live and love and live
that makes us hold hand and walk softly on the grass
that aspires us to the various blues and greens
that makes us hold hand and walk and whisper
that makes us hold hand and hug and dream
The rhythms the beats the tunes
within the hearts are the same
beneath the skin the hearts
pump through the united colours of blood
that feeds the physiology of man
in which the souls spread wings
the wings of man go beyond heavens’ doors
as they hold hands and walk and dream
as they walk and hold hands and keep close
within the distance of warmth of another heart
Remember the sons and daughters of man
remember to sing the song of united colours of blood
remember to spread the wings of souls
remember to love and hold hand
and must you not fail to be part of the rainbow
in which you belong that must you hold
Hold hand and love and sing the song
sing the song and spread the wings
and dance and dance and kiss the morn
that unfolds itself in the face
sleeping or sitting next to you
hold hand and stay close and love
hold close and be part of the rainbow
in which you must belong
AUNU finishes her poem. Huge clap. Clap continues. Camera first focuses on AUNU who is touched and looks rather overwhelmed and shy.
Then the camera goes to the audience clapping. Gradually the camera goes to DEREK and CAROLINE. Both of them are absolutely thrilled and they first stood up, followed by the whole audience and it becomes a standing ovation. The Camera now shows the whole audience standing and clapping. Then the camera moves to AUNU standing at the stage. Close up. She has tears in her eyes of happiness.
Eventually the clapping stops. DEREK and CAROLINE comes to the tea shop. Both gets a drink. DEREK pays for it. They keeps walking towards the exit.
DEREK
Gosh! Did you see that! That girl is something!
CAROLINE
She will go a long way I am telling you
DEREK
How do you know her?
CAROLINE
You know my friend, Tanya.
DEREK
Yes
CAROLINE
Tanya is in journalism. Aunu, Amrita and Tanya live in the same house
DEREK
Is it? Where is she from?
CAROLINE
She is from Manchester
DEREK
I see
CAROLINE
Anyway, wait for me outside. I have to pop into the loo.
DEREK
Okay.
CAROLINE walks to go to the loo and DEREK gets his packet of cigarette and lighter out from his pocket as he approaches the exit.
CUT TO:
Saturday morning. DEREK is in front of the university library. As he was approaching the entrance door he notices AUNU is at the door just about to enter into the library. He is not far away. He is very pleased to see AUNU. As he is near AUNU she gets in but holds the door open for him. DEREK gets in but fails to say “thank you” as he gets busy walking to the next set of doors that needed to be opened for AUNU. He thought that he would be polite and open that set of doors for AUNU. But before he could do that AUNU says:
AUNU
(Ridicule)
Thank you
DEREK is startled, thinks a second and opens the next pair of doors for AUNU and says;
DEREK
(Smiling)
There are different ways one can say thank you and this is mine.
AUNU
(Smiles)
That is very smart.
They walk in.
DEREK
I am Derek, Derek Richards, first year creative writing (offers hands for hand shake)
AUNU
Aunu, Aunu Rohman, Jour---
DEREK
I know all that!
They shake hands.
AUNU
How did you do all this?
DEREK
I may not be from Manchester, but my grandfather was a genuine mancunnian, I can assure you.
They keeps walking towards the study section. As they approach the study area they lower their voice.
AUNU
Have you been spying on me!
DEREK
Well, you see, you live with one of my agent!
AUNU
Who? Tanya?
DEREK
Noop, Caroline
AUNU
I see
DEREK
Anyway, I am glad I met you here
AUNU
Why is that?
DEREK
Well, although I missed first part of you recitation, it was fascinating
AUNU
Thank you
By then they reach the book shelves of the library.
DEREK
See you then
AUNU
See you then
DEREK walks away.
Camera follows AUNU. She walks all the way to the end of the shelves, turns left and walks up to the middle of the shelves and again turns left. On her right all the books on Journalism. She is looking at the titles and gets out one or two. There is a gap on the shelves as someone took some books away AUNU could see through the “book hole”.
There she could see DEREK’s face fixed like a book, smiling.
AUNU
That’s a very good place to hide your precious face!
DEREK
Hello again! I was wondering----
AUNU
How people waste their precious time in the library!
DEREK
Something along those lines!
AUNU
Go on then!
DEREK gets a book up through the whole. Pablo Neruda’s collected poem.
DEREK
Do you like him?
AUNU
Indeed, I love him
DEREK
Then take it out today
AUNU
Alright then. Thanks.
She then walks away from him. Camera now follows DEREK. He gets some books out and goes to an empty table near the wall. He sits at the table but does not open any books. He looks outside. It is raining. The roses on the plants are moving around in the rain.
AUNU comes to his table and sits opposite DEREK. She looks at him with a mischievous smile.
DEREK
Well, I chose a book for you. Shouldn’t you choose one for me, too?
AUNU
Well, there are different ways one can say thank you and this is mine
She drops a book on the table for DEREK. He takes the book. He looka at the cover. Close up. The Religion of Men, Robindronaath Thaakur.)
DEREK
Thank you
AUNU
I will have to go. See you sometime
DEREK
See you
AUNU goes out. DEREK stands up with the book. He looks at a bunch of red roses in the rain. That bunch of roses becomes the face of AUNU.
CUT TO:
8 INT.LATE AFTERNOON. DEREK’S LIVING ROOM
It is raining. DEREK is standing at the window overlooking the garden and looking at a bunch of red roses in the rain in his garden. He has the book “Religion of Men” in his hand. He is terribly emotional and upset. Few drops of tears fall down from his eyes. He keeps looking at the roses that become the face of AUNU. He comes back to his sofa and sits down.
He is looking outside at the rain. The camera follows his focus-outside in the garden and then goes to the shed. On the shed roof where a robin is sitting wet and miserable. It seems as if it is determined to sit there no matter how much it rained. Then the camera goes to the sky that is absolutely dark. Camera comes back to DEREK. He looks as if the dark sky is transformed inside his mind and it had been raining in there. He stands up and opens the window. The sounds of rain and wind are coming in.
CUT TO:
East London. Bethnal Green Road. Derek gets out of Bethnal Green tube station .. He lits a cigarette and walks slowly. On the right side of the road a young Bangaali couple are walking and talking and laughing. Derek keeps pace. The couple is nearing a pub.
A group of 12/15 white men are coming out of the pub, shouting and screaming in joy.
They meet the Bangaali couple.
FIRST WHITE MAN
Oi pakis! Bastards what are you doing here! Go back to your fucking country!
THE WHOLE GROUP
Kill the paki bastards!
All come running towards the couple and attack the Bangaali man with knives and broken bottles. Camera shows DEREK a moment. He seems frozen for a moment and as soon as he gets hold of himself he runs to the other part of the road.
THE BANGAALI WIFE
Please! For God’s sake, don’t kill him!
She walks into the middle of the attacking men. She is stabbed and wounded and thrown away on the road. She crawls towards the spot where her husband is being stabbed again and again. He can no longer scream or shout.
THE BANGAALI WIFE
Please, I beg you, don’t kill him. Help! Help!Help!
By that time DEREK is nearing to the scene. He is running as fast as he could.
DEREK
Stop this! For God’s sake stop it! Help! Help!
THE WIFE Crawls towards the bunch of attacking men. ONE MAN notices DEREK coming to them. He kicks the lady and screams.
ONE MAN
(Screams)
Run! A white paki is coming!
By the time DEREK comes all of them ran away. THE WIFE crawls near the bleeding husband. Blood pouring all over his body. She lies near her HUSBAND.
DEREK goes near the man. He sits down and tries to help him. But he is unconscious. THE WIFE is still conscious.
DEREK
Hang in there. Could you hold tight his head? I will be back in a minute. He runs towards a phone.
THE WIFE crawls and tries to hold her HUSBAND’S head. CAMERA held at the HUSBAND. THE WIFE herself bleeding is trying her best to help her HUSBAND. DEREK comes back running. By then THE WIFE lost consciousness, too. DEREK sits beside THE HUSBAND and holds his head with his both hands. He is probably dying.
DEREK
God! God! Please don’t let him die! Please don’t die on me man! Please for your wife’s sake, don’t die on me!
Two ambulances and a police car arriv at the scene. The paramedics get the WIFE and the HUSBAND into the ambulances. They start driving to go towards the Royal London hospital casualty. The camera follows the two ambulances. The Police car is leading the ambulances.
CUT TO:
10 INT. EVENING. THE FRONT ROAD OF DEREK’S HOME
DEREK is getting off a black cab in front of his house. His clothes are all red in blood. He comes in as if he is not awake, as if he was walking in a nightmare. Camera follows him to his front door. He gets in and sits at the kitchen table, holding his head as if in severe pain.
He sits there in a trance. Camera first shows close up and gradually went to focus on the whole kitchen. He falls asleep putting his face on the table.
CUT TO:
DEREK is still asleep. The telephone on the breakfast bar rings. It keeps ringing quite many times. DEREK wakes up, looks at the clock on the wall, showing nine o’clock.
He gets the phone.
DEREK
Hello
DEREK
Yes
DEREK
Alright, I will be over straight away
He puts the phone down. He dials for a cab.
He gets up and goes upstairs to have a shower.
Camera shows the wall. On the right wall there is a big picture showing AUNU and DEREK riding a horse. The picture shows their shadows on the green grass much prominent than their faces and AUNU’S hair looks radiant.
DEREK gets out of shower and gets dressed in a hurry.
He then goes out.
CUT TO:
12 INT. EVENING. ROYAL LONDON HOSPITAL
After nine in the evening. The HUSBAND is in a life support machine. An afro-caribbean NURSE is looking at the patient’s chart. THE NURSE then puts the chart and comes out of the room. Camera follows her. She walks to the ward and stops by the bed side of the BANGAALI WIFE. THE WIFE has bandages around her head and left arm and breathing with aid. THE WIFE is not conscious. THE NURSE taks the temperature from the patient’s mouth, observes the pulse and taks the blood pressure.
ANOTHER WHITE FEMALE NURSE brought in the mother in law and 15 year old boy (Her younger son). There are two chairs. The MOTHER IN LAW sits.
THE MOTHER IN LAW (does not speak ENGLISH). She keeps crying.
MOTHER IN LAW
Said in Sylheti.
----------------------------------------------------
(oh my poor child! what is that happened to you? what have we done to God)
The Young Boy comes near his mother and comforts her in Sylheti
YOUNG BOY
Said in Sylheti
-----------------------------------------------------------
(Mum, please calm down. She is asleep. Let her sleep.)
THE AFROCARIBBEAN NURSE
She is sleeping. She is gonna be fine.
THE BOY
She does not speak English
THE NURSE
I see. You could tell her what I said, couldn’t you? We will arrange an interpreter for her.
Anyway, what is your name?
THE BOY
Amin, Amin Ali
THE NURSE
Nice meeting you Amin. I am Diane. Now, could you ask mummy whether she would like to have a tea or coffee.
AMIN
In Sylheti
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Mum would like any tea or coffee?
MUM
No
DIANE
Now, Amin could you tell your mum that Dr Hoggarth will come and talk to her about your brother, it is your brother, am I right?, soon.
AMIN
Okay.
13 INT. EVENING. CONSULTANT’S OFFICE
DR HOGGARTH, a white female consultant in her forties in her office room, looking at some xrays of the BANGAALI MAN. DEREK knocks at the door.
DR HOGGARTH
Come in. How can I help you?
DEREK
I am Derek Richards.
DR HOGGARTH
Oh, yes, yes, come in please.
Do take a sit.
DEREK
Thanks
(Says as he sits)
DR HOGGARTH
It’s awfully nice of you to come in this time of night, particularly having witnessed such a dreadful nightmare, Mr Richards
DEREK
Call me DEREK.
How can I be of any help?
DR HOGGARTH
Thank you DEREK. Call me Rosanne. Anyway, this is a horrid thing to happen to anyone. The young man’s condition is pretty devastating. This is early stage. Already we have done multiple surgeries. I am afraid, even if he does survive, which I very much hope and pray, it is unlikely that he would be able live a normal life again.
DEREK
Do you mean he would become disabled for life?
ROSANNE
I am afraid, yes Derek.
Camera shows close up of DEREK distraught.
DEREK
What about the wife?
ROSANNE
Her condition is not serious, although very bad
DEREK
How bad?
ROSANNE
Not that bad. She had some slight injuies on her head and cuts and bruises here and there. Her left arm was broken.
DEREK
How could human beings do such a thing to an unknown human being! I don’t understand how those beasts’ minds and brains work!
ROSANNE
I don’t either Derek, but they do exist.
DEREK
They do (Pause).
Is there anything I could do for the family?
ROSANNE
The family means Mrs Ali and her younger son. Mrs Ali has a daughter who lives in New Castle. The family needs counselling after this shattering experience.
I thought as you were helping the victims at the scene, Mrs Ali and her son might find it helpful to talk to you, I don’t know, may be, to hear everything from you.
DEREK
I would do anything to help them, although that won’t change anything, would it?
ROSANNE and DEREK come out, keep walking towards the bed of the WIFE
Camera follows them. DIANE was coming out and meet ROSANNE and DEREK on her way out.
DIANE
Dr Hoggarth, mum does not speak English
DR HOGGARTH
Doesn’t she?
DEREK
Don’t worry I speak Sylheti and Bangla
DR HOGGARTH
That’s brilliant.
(To DAINE ) Please arrange an interpreter for tomorrow morning so that we could explain to mum the latest situation. For now thanks to Mr Richards we will manage.
Camera follows DR HOGGARTH and DEREK
DEREK
(To AMIN) Do you speak Sylheti or Bangla
AMIN
Both but Sylheti is the first
DEREK (To DR HOGGARTH)
Alright, you can now talk.
DR HOGGARTH
Good Evening Mrs Ali, I am DR HOGGARTH, responsible for your son’s and daughter in law’s treatment while they are in this hospital.
DEREK
Interprets that into Sylheti
DR HOGGARTH
I think we better go to my office.
DEREK
Okay
Then he interprets DR HOGGARTH’S intention to mum.
All of them follows DR HOGGARTH to his office. All enters and sits down.
14 INT. EVENING. BANGLADESHI RESTAURANT NEAR THE HOSPITAL
DEREK is looking exhausted. He just comes out of the hospital. He is sitting at a Bangladeshi Restaurant. THE WAITER comes to him, gives him a menu.
THE WAITER
Would you like any drink, Sir?
DEREK
Yes, could I have a lemonade with ice please.
THE WAITER
One lemonade, coming Sir.
DEREK looks at the menu. A Bangladeshi music being played. The Restaurant is not too crowded. THE WAITER comes back with lemonade.
THE WAITER
Your lemonade sir.
DEREK
Thank you. Could I order now, if you don’t mind.
THE WAITER
Of course, of course, What would you like?
DEREK
Could I have a pillaow rice, a chicken jalfrazi, a shag bhajee and tarka dall
THE WAITER
Anything else?
DEREK
No that’s all. Thanks.
THE WAITER left
The camera shows the whole Restaurant and the bar and the displays of the wall. The camera will be fixed on a painting of a moonlit night and the moon was being reflected on the river and white fumes going up the water. From that picture the camera would come to DEREK and he would look being far away.
15 INT & EXT.EVENING. UNIVERSITY CAFETERIA & LAWN
Busy university cafeteria. Hundreds of students are sitting here and there, eating and talking, making as much noise as possible! Sounds of laughter were bursting out.
DEREK is queuing at the food counter. He is looking at the food and thinking what to order. He looks up and his eyes meet with AUNU’s as she was looking at him, smiling.
AUNU
So, what are you up to?
DEREK
O hello there. How are you?
AUNU
I am fine, what about yourself?
DEREK
What about me? Well, you would not go out with me, you would not socialise with me as much as I wish, if I ask you to marry me, you would say, I must have gone mad! So what should I do?
AUNU smiles.
DEREK
At least allow me to buy you supper.
AUNU
You even do not know what I like!
DEREK
Well, is that a challenge?
AUNU
What if it is?
DEREK
Alright, you don’t like sweet much unlike most girls, yes?
AUNU
Yes.
DEREK
You like Bangaali food very much, yes?
AUNU
Well, anyone could safely say that
DEREK
No, not that, you can not live a week without Bangaali food, yes
AUNU
Yes
DEREK
You like fish but not chips, you like pizza, garlic bread, medium hot sort of dishes, like Italian, yes?
AUNU
Yes
DEREK
Your favourite hot drink tea and for headaches and stress you drink coffee, occasionally
AUNU
Yes
DEREK
So, now I will buy your supper
AUNU
Alright then!
DEREK gets the food for two in a big tray and pays the bill. AUNU gets two cold drinks and joins DEREK. They walk to the corner table and sits down.
DEREK
Now you have to tell me why don’t you like me
AUNU
Because you talk too much!
DEREK
Alright then, I am done
He keeps silence all the way until they finish their meal and AUNU keep smiling at him
When finished AUNU says
AUNU
That’s impressive.
DEREK
What?
AUNU
Managing not to speak all this time!
DEREK
Well, I now can demand that you have to listen to me
AUNU
Alright then
DEREK
Let’s go outside.
They get up. The camera follows them outside the cafeteria. They keep walking by the path going between the library building and students common room. At the very end there is a big green with big trees. Moonlit night and the trees having beautiful half-shadows beneath them. They walk towards a tree
DEREK
I think this is not a bad place to sit, what do you think?
AUNU
Not at all
They both sit. AUNU looks at the full moon
AUNU
This night reminds me of
how beautiful I am
illuminating lights shows of my essence
in essence
that is life
looking down on me
from outer space
viewer wonders
the primal poetry
oh God!
how breathtaking she is
and how terribly
short my length is
to hold her in my eyes bound!
DEREK
Wow!
Who is she?
AUNU
The mother earth. Could you imagine yourself out of the world, may be floating up, looking down and floating by and suddenly this planet earth appeared before your eyes with this moonlit night. Don’t you think that would be an incredibly beautiful scene!
DEREK
I think I could see her but she doesn’t look as beautiful as you are looking right now
AUNU
Get lost! You have no sense of humour!
DEREK
No, seriously. Why don’t you believe me when I say, I like you a lot
AUNU
It’s not a point of believing
DEREK
Then what?
AUNU
Look, Derek, we are friends. I think, staying as such is the best thing for us.
DEREK
Why? Why should I accept it?
AUNU
The problem with romantics is this that they don’t live on earth
DEREK
First of all, I am not a romantic. Second of all, you are the daughter of romanticism yourself. Third of all, this would be an unforgivable crime for a young man not to fall in love with as beautiful a young woman as you
AUNU
But the problem is Derek, you don’t know anything about me, who am I , where am I coming from and lot more other things
DEREK
I know
AUNU
You know nothing
DEREK
Look, I can know. I want to know. Tell me-teach me.
AUNU