Batch of 1999

by Anurakt Srivastava

  Sana

  Mother of Sana : She was a nice girl anyway.

  Father of Sana : I don’t want her working in that dump.

  Mother of Sana : That's not a dump. That is art.

  Father of Sana : You think so? Is this respectful work? Working in a poster factory?

  Mother : Yes, it is if she likes it.

  Father : It is you behind all this. I want that posters out of this house right now.

  Mother : What is wrong with these? She is doing a good job.

  Father : This is not something for decent people. Making movie posters.

  Mother : Let her decide that.

  Father : And besides that she doesn't even make decent posters.

  Mother : Now what do you mean by that.

  Father : I mean she cannot go any further. Her posters are as tasteless as her.

  Mother : Now that is not fair. Using tactics to prove your point.

  Father : I am not using tactics. This is the truth. Have you ever seen the things she prepares?

  Mother : Yes, I have. Aren’t those beautiful?

  Father : Yes, as beautiful as your stomach.

  Mother : My goodness. What are you trying to say?

  Father : She is wasting her time in this. This shouldn't be much encouraged more than a hobby.

  Mother : Have you seen the poster of that new album ‘lagbhag’ which she prepared. It is awesome.

  Father : Yes, I did. I almost got a headache after I saw that. It wasn't looking like a poster of a romantic-comedy music album. It was looking like a poster of some magic show.

  Mother : Maybe she intentionally tried to give it a hint of mystery to attract attention.

  Father : That is not a hint. She changed the entire face of the theme of album. So beautiful songs this album has. (singing) Come back in my life and kiss me alive again... yee... do this anyway.. o comeback.. anyway, She destroyed the whole concept as if something else was running in her mind or she mistakenly did that. Although, this mistake is too big to be taken as just a mistake.

  Mother : You don't have to judge my daughter. She knows what she is doing and she must have seen some reason behind this. If you are unable to see that reason then this is not her fault. Few people just don't have that sight.

  Father : This is not a way to talk to your husband.

  Mother : But I am right. You can take rolls-royce for a car any-day.

  Father : Rolls-royce is a car.

  Mother : It is ninety-nine percent more than that.

  Father : That is not my point. And besides that she is not just making ordinary posters.

  Mother : Yes and neither is she making bombs in there, you know. She is making money.

  Father : She is not making money. She is making coins.

  Mother : So what if they pay less. At-least she is doing what she want to do. And she must get a raise with time.

  Father : (show her something from his pocket) and what would you say about this?

  Mother : (open the folded poster and her eyes opened wide before she see in another direction, hesitantly) hmmm. What about this? Work is work.

  Father : Work is work? Making posters of B-grade pornographic movies?

  Mother : this is the part of the business.

  Father : What do you want to teach her? Is this why I spend so much money on her education? So she would work like this?

  Mother : You are over-reacting.

  Father : So, everything is okay with you. Even if she would start working in movies like this.

  Mother : Don't say bad about your own daughter. She is maintaining her dignity well. She knows her limits.

  Father : And what else? I don't feel like watching this movie after seeing this poster. Even I am feeling like not to watch this movie.

  Mother : Haha, that is funny. You can't judge it. What do you know about advertisements.

  Father : Just look at the man and woman in the posters. They aren't looking like making love. They looks like indulged in some kind of sacred ritual.

  Mother : Now you say it. Stop thinking about her job and concentrate on more important matters. Like repairing the car and maintaining the garden. Today is Sunday. Forget?

  Father : You didn't raise her well. I handed her to an over-liberated mother.

  Mother : Don't call me that. Ask her who serves her food and guidance in every field of life.

  Father : Sana would say your name. It is you behind misleading her.

  Mother : Yes, I told her to make such posters. Are you happy now?

  Father : God knows what she does all the day. Going to silly places and doing silly things.

  Mother : Now, what about that?

  Father : My friend saw her yesterday, in a club fighting with the bartender for another drink.

  Mother : Your friend or you yourself?

  Father : I am not a liar like you and your daughter. If I had seen her then she would sleep outside yesterday. I am not lying.

  Mother : I doubt it. As I have known you for 25 years.

  Father : No, you don't know me. If you have known me then you would know how I would prefer my daughter to behave.

  Sana : (enters the room) what are you two fighting about?

  Father : What is this? (Show her the poster)

  Sana : Can't you see yourself?

  Father : I want an explanation.

  Sana : I am hungry. Give me some food, somebody.

  Father : you are not going to make posters like this anymore.

  Sana : I didn't make it for you.

  Father : This is not what you are going to do anymore. Do you hear me or not?

  Sana : Ok.

  Father : And what is on your lips?

  Sana : This is piercing.

  Mother : Don't say anything to her right now. She must be tired.

  Father : Who told her to work on Sunday. Why doesn’t she ask for a holyday and spend time with us?

  Mother : She must be tired.

  Sana : I am not tired at all. I am just hungry.

  Father : And what you did with the advertisement of such a beautiful music album? It was a pity that even a thumb-licking retard could have thrown some romance on the paper.

  Sana : They liked my work. It is off for the printing.

  Father : What kind of people you are working for? Everyone is blind there.

  Sana : They are good people and appreciate my work.

  Father : Did you listened the songs before making that advertisement?

  Sana : No, why would I do that?

  Father : I listened to the songs. So romantic and touching songs were those.

  Sana : So you go inside my room anytime like it is your own?

  Father : It is my own. This is my house and I am paying the bills.

  Sana : No, I am earning too.

  Father : Your salary can’t feed a rat. This house is mine and everything belongs to me. If a dog comes inside the house then he has to pay respect to me because it is standing on my floor.

  Daughter : I am hungry.

  Father : (to mother) see, what I told. She didn't even listened to the songs.

  Mother : She is just tired.

  Sana : I am not tired.

  Father : When I meet my friends. I say that my daughter is a poster-maker.

  Sana : You should be happy that I am not a sweeper.

  Father : (picks up a glass bottle and break it by throwing on the ground)

  sana : I am tired.

  Mother : Let me give you some food. You must be hungry.

  Sana : No, I am not hungry.

  Father : Mix poison in her food. That would be a good lesson for her.

  Sana : But I am not hungry yet. I would eat that later.

  Mother : Don't say bad things. You know nothing about painting.

  Father : I know what rolls-royce is. Okay?

  Mother : She seems hungry and tired.

  Sana : For god sake.

  Father : You are a shame to your family.

 
Mother : She is just stupid.

  Father : (to mother) you are the reason. You teach her to make posters without listening to the songs. I would never do anything without doing something else first. There are always two steps for the completion of each work.

  Mother : I listened to the songs also. Those are good mysterious songs.

  Father : Romantic.

  Sana : Sad songs.

  Mother : Mystery.

  Father : They are not making love. They are like doing something else. Like they are just clutching each-other for accusation.

  Sana : Work is work.

  Father : You don't know anything. You only make random lines with no romance.

  Sana : This is my work.

  Father : Work, my ass. You just wear pencils and brush on your feet and walk over the blank paper.

  Sana : But I do that seldom.

  Father : (to mother) see, what I told you.

  Mother : You shouldn't walk with brush and pencils on your feet. Those would get blunt.

  Daughter : I like that. To listen to songs.

  Father : See what I told you. Now she is accusing me of a lie.

  Mother : Don't do this, Sana.

  Sana : But I secretly hates him.

  Mother : But he is paying the bills.

  Father : Dog should pay the respect. It is standing on my property.

  Mother : You don't have a right to say this. You may mistake a ford for a rolls-royce.

  Father : But it is a dog only.

  Mother : But it is not our pet dog. It is a stray dog.

  Sana : I love you father.

  Father : I love you mother.

  Mother : You like some food?

  Father : Poster.

  Sana : Poster.

  Mother : Food.

  Sanjay