(Continued)
Scene3
Ranjani : How is your wife?
Srikanth: She is no more with me
Ranjani : What exactly do you mean? (quite alarmed)
Srikanth: (no emotion) She is dead
Ranjani: (I...... am.. sorry) and children?
Srikanth: With me in Yale
Ranjani: Yale .....?
Srikanth: Yes - Lecturer in Thermodynamics, Yale Univ
Ranjani: Oh..... that's nice
Srikanth: Is it?
Ranjani : (stares at him)- You are a moron...(wants to say Srikanth, but controls)
Srikanth: Srikanth.... complete it.
Ranjani : I..... (angry)
Train stops!! people rush out to buy things - shouts of vendors . Both of them look out Train whistle - everyone back in)
Ranjani : (now subdued): I have never been able to call you by your name. I am used to calling you professor, though you ofetn insist and say the difference us is only 10 Years.
Srikanth: ( with a little smile) ... Though You want to ......
Ranjani: Its your beautiful assumption.... From Yale to chennai - and Kolkata - Why?
Srikanth: To Cuttack. to see my sister. You agree that it is beautiful... hmm?
Ranjani: You are as incorrigible as ever.
Srikanth: You have always said that! Whatever you say..... I have always enjoyed your conversation and you impeccable English.
Ranjani: Srikanth....
Srikanth: Finally....
Ranjani: Srikanth, this is the second time I am calling you by your name- I hope you remember - when we had to work together in office, unfortunatley for few days..... Now Srikanth...
Srikanth: So this is the Third
Ranjani: Listen, why do you want to go on dwelling on That... why don't you try to forget you once had a feeling like that. It will help you go a long way...
Srikanth: .......
(another train passes by)
Ughhhhh. if only I had not told you what I felt...If only I had not married before I met you...If only you were not here with me in this train....(very angry)-...(gets back to his book)
(they both are silent for a while)
Neighbour: Oh so you both know each other
Ranjani : Yes.yes. I was his student once
Srikanth : (watches her)
(Ranjani gets into conversation with the neighbour)
(after some time)
Ranjani: Shall we have dinner ?
Srikanth: Why not?
(They both share their dinner. He goes out and stands near the gate watching the night set in - he comes back, quite recovered)
(Scene 4 - next post)