by KM Cory
MASTER PATEL [firm]
It is such a coincidence then!
OBAN
Very much, indeed, Sir!
MASTER PATEL
Your friend must have been this side before any of you for such a question belongs to this town alone. Just like every town, including Soraya from where you are, must be having its slangs as well. And if I’ve ever been there, I would know.
CASANOVA
Well, we are not certain about it.
MASTER PATEL [tending to the boys now]
That was just stories. Now, when you heard my first question, and I am able to now know that you’ve heard it before, what reply would you have offered if it was then or let us say now?
[There ensues a moment of calmness]
MASTER PATEL
I now see. It just tells me that you are all naïve about the question.
And it is true, owing to the fact that none of the recipients had or has a clear reply to the question. Owing to his agreeability and circumstance in life, MASTER PATEL covers up the sadness of having to let the boys understand their fragility right now at answering such questions that are like life-making decisions, and he faces the situation at hand with utmost maturity.
[stops for a breath]
MASTER PATEL
It is okay to behave like this. There is a first time for everything in life. I know you hadn’t thought of ever coming across a person of a caliber like mine who can trigger your thoughts in line with your talents that I saw over the stage a couple of minutes ago. But that’s just fine –
No doubt about it from someone like me.
[He fakes a smile in a moment of quietness]
MASTER PATEL
All I can let you do now minus rushing you is to let you think about that first question which triggered your memories like one of you stated between now and maybe when we meet again, I trust you shall have got a reply. And until then, we can move on to the next question –Is it okay?
[The boys adamantly agree]
MASTER PATEL [departing]
Alright. Make sure you reach me through your candy girls like they call themselves to you.
CASANOVA
We shall do so, Sir.
MASTER PATEL [at the door already]
Address me as MASTER.
CASANOVA
Okay, MASTER. We shall reach out to you with a reply.
MASTER PATEL [midway through the door]
Good night!
The Boys
Good night.
[And MASTER PATEL is out of sight from the room]
[Upon his exit, the room is left in deep reflection of his question with an ill silence, but both do not last long enough with a light knock on the door interrupting it all]
OBAN [audible]
Another MASTER PATEL?
Female Voice [off stage as the boys laugh]
We are waiting for you at the bar!
BOYO
Is that GIA?
GIA [passionate]
Yes, my adorable BOYO!
BOYO [as his colleagues boo him]
Alright, I’m coming at you now.
GIA
Please hurry up.
BOYO [to his colleagues in whisper-like tone]
I am suggesting we go to the bar and drink and dance to forget about the first question, nwa! Come on, let’s do this!
[And the cabin decides to charge out of the room at once with excitement]
SCENE 3
[PRACTICE ROOM]
THE WILLINGNESS TO BET WITH SUCCESS
[THE NEXT DAY]
The place is quite silent and with no many people save for two students, and that is CASANOVA with a girl of colorful decency owing to the color of her skin that is not sparsely attractive but rather full of blossoming invites. She is astoundingly not deferential by the look on her face, and the school uniform she is wearing makes her appear intelligent. She is of a medium and similar height like CASANOVA, and they are rehearsing the chorus of the song ‘Voices That Care.’
[They do it twice]
CASANOVA
I need to sit down, RETTY.
RETTY [formidable]
Go ahead.
[CASANOVA does so and watches RETTY grasping the notes].
CASANOVA [interrupting]
Can I ask you something if you don’t mind?
RETTY
Sure, Nova!
CASANOVA
If someone walked in right now –
RETTY
And?
CASANOVA
He or she sits somewhere in this room and listens to your singing. After that person approaches and asks you that, are you willing to bet with success? What would be your response?
[RETTY laughs it off first and then]
RETTY
I hope it is not those jokes you always try to put me through, Nova!
CASANOVA
I am not, RETTY.
RETTY
That question, what kind is it really?
CASANOVA
It’s just a question, RETTY. You don’t have to think through it so much like you do normally. At least think it through without hard conceptions.
[A moment of first silence creeps in]
RETTY [tactful]
If that kind of question caught me in a moment like this, right now,I would answer it in the negative.
CASANOVA [a little surprised]
And why would you answer like that?
RETTY [sensitive]
Because I would not believe it as being genuine. It would then be genuine if I fought to please that person asking me but not here, and like this in a practice room.
CASANOVA
If I am quoting right, you seem to suggest that it would be genuine to say, ‘Yes, I am willing,’ when the surrounding is serious and not like it is right now.
RETTY
Absolutely. Just like it would be if it was rehearsals, and the choir INSTRUCTOR is serious about selecting those who can make it to the finals.
CASANOVA
I now get your point of view!
RETTY
Did anybody reach out to you like that with such a question?
CASANOVA
Not at all. I was reading a biography novel in the library the other day, and it was a fabulous statement that made me laugh, and at the same time, it made me wonder if I was the one being asked.
RETTY
And what would you have answered?
CASANOVA
Truth is, I wouldn’t answer it like you did.
[He laughs with RETTY]
CASANOVA
I knew you would laugh at me.
RETTY
I have to. Seriously, you’re good at English, Nova, and you cannot be like those other people in class who fail to answer thoughtful questions!
CASANOVA
English sometimes becomes English!
[And they both laugh]
RETTY [closing the gate between her and CASANOVA]
Hey –
CASANOVA [feeling the vibe]
Yes –
RETTY [hands on CASANOVA’s shoulders]
I cannot wait for that ‘home welcome’ party to dance with you and escape too!
CASANOVA [holding RETTY by the waist]
Me too, I cannot wait to –
[RETTY interrupts him with an irresistible smooch onto his lips as brief as she can before letting go of CASANOVA]
RETTY [departing]
That should keep you waiting better, I guess.
CASANOVA [tantalized]
Not if you give it to me one more time.
RETTY [at the exit now]
Like you’re willing to bet with success –
CASANOVA [sharing a laugh with RETTY]
Why not? With you, I’m more than willing!
RETTY [smiling beautifully]
I will see you after night preps!
[And she disappears out of sight]
CASANOVA [to himself]
Are yo
u willing to bet with success, boys?
Yes, MASTER PATEL!
[He does a ‘bravo’ before exiting the practice room too]
SCENE 4
[IN A CLASSROOM]
[OBAN and MODERN are sitting together on a desk with textbooks placed right infront of them. There are also other students inside the room in groups of two to three though the number is not big]
[And then, OBAN flips a page that grabs MODERN’s attention]
OBAN
I am reading too fast; I hope it is not what you’re about what to say?
MODERN
It is not my concern now.
OBAN
Thank you.
MODERN
Is RETTY dating CASANOVA?
[OBAN reacts with a surprise and ends up laughing lightly]
MODERN
I am serious about the question, OBAN!
OBAN [razored]
How could it even happen to be! Oh, how could you ask me such a question?
MODERN
Stop pretending at me, OBAN. You’re his friend, and friends always tell one another what they are up-to.
[OBAN laughs lightly again]
MODERN
I hate it when you laugh in serious issues.
[OBAN stares at MODERN]
OBAN
Just because they rehearse together, sometimes alone in the practice room, which is acceptable since they were chosen to lead the choir, and also having to spend time together like friends can’t make one begin to say they are dating. Besides, why would you ask whether it is RETTY dating him and not the other way around?
MODERN
I am afraid you’ve said a lot. But it is just more than that, OBAN! Trust me. I know and can read RETTY’s moves and CASANOVA’s.
[OBAN reacts with mild laughter]
OBAN
At least we are not studying philosophy right now, to read people’s moves and such.
MODERN [concerned]
I know but –
OBAN
But what?
MODERN
CASANOVA and RETTY are a mismatch!
OBAN
Why would you be so predicting like that?
MODERN [rational]
Because I know RETTY better than CASANOVA who has just seen her, and I can tell you that she has flings with male teachers at this college.
OBAN [alarmed]
Oh no! That is just not good news at all, MODERN!
MODERN
I guess you now know why I asked if RETTY is dating CASANOVA.
OBAN
I don’t know.
MODERN
Such a romance, which is on the rise between the two, might land your friend into close friction with our teachers who admire RETTY, which might not be good for CASANOVA’s academics.
OBAN
You seem to know much that is going on like a senior student.
MODERN
I have friends amongst the senior students. And most of them are girls. We have characters good at being informants.
OBAN [scared]
I hope I never get any informant about me!
[MODERN first fights off laughter].
MODERN [teasing]
If I want, I can. But it is useless and a waste of precious time to focus on academics.
OBAN
I believe that.
[And we see MODERN rising to her feet]
MODERN
I need to ease myself.
OBAN
It is okay.
[And we leave with MODERN for the next scene]
SCENE 5
[DINING HALL]
[AT THE EARLY SUNSET]
The Dining Hall is almost empty except for the students who have come in to have their supper. It looks like a big number of them have just packed the meals into their containers to go and dine from their rooms.
[Among the last cohort of diners, is OBAN and CASANOVA]
[They are still wearing their school uniforms, yet their counterparts are not]
[And as they enjoy the meal prepared already]
OBAN
MODERN is concerned about you and RETTY, nwa.
CASANOVA [not amused]
I had a feeling she would be. She often shoots me an eye when we meet for rehearsals in the practice room.
OBAN [laughing]
I think she is just jealousy at both of you.
CASANOVA
I think she shouldn’t since she has you and those in need of her, especially those senior students, nwa.
OBAN [look of hurt]
I sometimes feel like I can’t get hold of her for long!
CASANOVA
I guess if you’re not meant to be, then no matter how hard you may try. We still have a long way to become men after college and our newfound passion for music.
OBAN
Yes, music and the first question of whether we’re willing to bet with success!
CASANOVA
Indeed. But I’m sure that when we meet MASTER PATEL, we should let him know that we are ready to bet with success, nwa.
OBAN
All of us?
CASANOVA
Yes. All of us so that he can never doubt our talents.
OBAN
Well, I was counting on you to tell him on our behalf. You are the bravest of us all, nwa.
CASANOVA
I will just do that then, nwa.
[And at this very point, BOYO and LIHANDA step into the room, thereby joining their colleagues]
OBAN [concerned]
Both of you have been lost the entire day!
CASANOVA
I think they will tell us why.
BOYO
It is because we had some business to take care of, nwa.
CASANOVA
What kind of business, nwa?
LIHANDA
It is about our escape to Avon, nwa.
OBAN [worried]
What about that?
LIHANDA
I have a feeling that someone might have seen us there –
BOYO
And it must have been the so-called loser heading the disciplinary.
OBAN [perplexed]
What? Are you saying the truth?
BOYO [confident]
Yes, nwa. It was the one and only loser, Mr. BONOLO! But he has given us the benefit of doubt to see if we can change our habits, nwa.
CASANOVA
And where have you got such relief from, nwa?
BOYO
From BENJIE and SMARTER, nwa. You know very well that they know the man better than we do and we ought to be careful –
OBAN
And so, what now?
BOYO
We have to be careful; that is what they told us.
LIHANDA
Especially you, CASANOVA!
BOYO
And me too, nwa.
CASANOVA
I wonder why that man won’t give up!
BOYO
That is his nature, nwa.
[There develops a moment of silence and reflection, but CASANOVA breaks it off]
CASANOVA
So, what are you seeming to suggest now?
[His peers do not even attempt to answer, with obvious conflict]
CASANOVA
Are you all shaken by such words from BENJIE and SMARTER simply because they know the so-called Mr. BONOLO better than us, yet they also went through with their drug trafficking in this college while the DH knew about it?
[And again, there is no reply from the timid-like allies]
CASANOVA [peering at his colleagues all at once]
The first question is now back, and I can see it bearing on all of us. Indeed, are you willing to bet with success?
[Feeling no reply, CASANOVA decides to get up on his feet and]
CASANOVA
I cannot believe you, nwa!
[He doesn’t hesitate to disband from their presence and marches out of the room]
SCENE
6
[NIGHTTIME – INSIDE VESPAR NIGHT CLUB]
The establishment of Vespar Night Club is surrounded by a few revelers.
Over its small stage is Mc DADDY FLASH, neatly dressed in a shiny smart silky shirt and colorful pair of bell-bottom trousers and gets hold of the microphone. There is a small number of people already inside the place, and it looks like there will be no other persons entering soon or never.
Mc DADDY FLASH
I have some unpleasant news for you tonight.
[The little audience does not react as such, but]
Mc DADDY FLASH
I have been reliably informed that the Karaoke Girls will not be able to perform –
[A quick uproar of disappointment arises instantly]
Mc DADDY FLASH
I know –
[He calls for some silence and he is awarded it]
Mc DADDY FLASH
So, we have only one thing to do, and that is asking for any three volunteers who will be able to karaoke for us so that we don’t get to feel lonely on such a night.
[A few people react in agreement, and others cannot help it at all]
Mc DADDY FLASH [amid the little noise]
Can I have three volunteers to come and register with me backstage for tonight’s karaoke? Thanks!
[BACKSTAGE]
We can still see the lights from the stage flying through the broad curtains.
Mc DADDY FLASH is engaged with three people already, and they are eager to showcase their eligibility at using their voices to vocal out people’s songs.
And among these people is CASANOVA.
The place is a bit crowded with clothes, musical instruments, posters, banners, flyers, and all of these things appear out-of-date.
Then, as Mc DADDY FLASH is busy trying to hand down the songs to be cooed, a fourth person also approaches through the curtain, having used the small stage to get behind the stage, and it is none other than Mr. BONOLO. He is wearing casually and has a cowboy hat on his head, which he decides to put off, exactly when CASANOVA has just finished picking his choice of song to karaoke with Mc DADDY FLASH.
The student and the person whom he loathes cross eyes to the total surprise of CASANOVA. He almost loses his nerve but keeps up with his ego and hurriedly walks away from the sight of the head of the discipline at the college by using a different exit other than that used normally without hearing the request of Mc DADDY FLASH to change his movement and use the right direction to leave, but the plea falls on deaf ears.
