The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mohammad Shahidul Islam

Personae in the Play:

Shumi: a maid servant, 12 years old, lean and thin, clever, is working in a house at Gulshan. She has joined the house recently

Farid: a young businessman

Nipa: the businessman's wife, happy and simple, knows nothing what her husband's business is.

[The scene is set at the bed room of the businessman. It is 8 o'clock at night. Electricity is away. The room is dark. They all await electricity. The window is open. They see each other through the natural light of outside. The southern wind appeases them. The businessman is sitting on a stool near the balcony door facing the Gulshan Lake. Willingly they do not fire up the candle or switch on charge light, even IPS.]

Farid: Oh No! Once again; electricity has gone? No No, I will not stay in this country more. What's wrong with the government?

Nipa: Why you are blaming the government and the country? It is load -shedding.

Shumi [from another room]: At our village, there is no electricity at all…

[Farid is not aware of Shumi's particular so far, her voice is not also familiar as she has joined recently]

Farid: Who is talking there?

Nipa: Shumi; the girl I have brought from village.

Farid: Oh! Shumi? Call her… let me talk.

[Shumi closes to Farid and sits on the floor. She is not afraid of her master, knows no courtesy, takes everything easy]

Shumi: Here I am.

Farid: Oh, fine! I did not have time to talk to you. Where is your village?

Shumi: At Rajbari.

Farid: I know, I know; but where?

Shumi: At Pangsha.

Farid: I see! Do you have parents? What is your father?

Shumi: My father? My father was a thief…

[Farid smiles away the word 'thief"]

Farid: Thief? What you are talking…thief? Your father is a thief!

Hey Nipa, you appointed a thief's girl? [Laughing]

Nipa: Oh; drop the idea …She is not a thief. [Nipa seems, she knows her story earlier]

Shumi: Yes! My father was a thief. He died 2 years back. My uncle said, RAB killed her at Jessore. He was a member of an anti-social gang. I have never seen my father at my mature age. Once I had seen him when he divorced my mother. But I can not recall him clearly.

[She does not feel shy to entitle her father a thief. Rather she finds pleasure to tell so or she does not have any feeling about thiefdom. She continues with smiling]

Farid: Really sad! So, what's about your mother?

Shumi: Mother? I have many mothers?

Farid: Many mothers? What does it mean?

Shumi: My father married 8 times. I have some step brothers and sisters.

[She again finds interest to continue. She smiles without hesitation. She becomes really bland to keep her parents sophisticated. She is playing with her fingers and looks indulged; continuing innocent smile with no future]

Nipa: Please stop it! What needs to know these?

Farid: Please let me know. Shumi is so interesting! Her father was a thief [laughing], she has many mothers…

Ok! What about your real mother! Is she alive?

Shumi: She committed suicide 10 months back. She took poison! My original father did not keep in touch with my mother. After divorce, she had been arranged to get married off to another man. She put me at my grandmother's house. The man was not also good. He played cards at Bazaar. He sold lands and my mother's gold for playing cards. He always beats my mother, renders severe physical pain.

Farid: Oh my God! So sad! Then; with whom you lived before coming here?

Shumi: With my grand mother?

Farid: Well! What she does? How is she?

Shumi: She becomes older. She does not have much ability to work. Now, she begs from door to doort

Farid: Beggar! You don't have any uncle?

Shumi: I have one uncle? He is a drunkard. Doctor said he will die soon! Many people have registered cases against him at local police station. He is absconding.

[The Doorbell rings on.]

Nipa: Shumi, look; who has come there?

Shumi: Ok, I am looking.

[Shumi leaves the scene]

Nipa: Aha! The girl is so innocent! How you are enjoying her story? Rather, you should sympathize. Misfortune!

Farid: Really! I am talking to a thief's girl. New experience! But remember; you should be careful of valuable things around. The experience with these sorts of maid servants around the country is not good. They run away having valuable things. After all, she is daughter of a renowned thief. So be careful, be careful.

Shumi [Enters the scene]: Some people are looking for Farid. Who is Farid? They have told that Farid is criminal, thief and smuggler! Who is Farid? I don't know. Do you know?

Farid: Hey stupid, what are you taking? [Shouting] Who are they?

[Tension has captured him immediately] Tell them, I am coming.

Shumi: They have told that they are police.

Farid, Nipa [Together]: Police! Why? [With utter surprise]

Farid: Nipa! What has happened? I can not understand. You meet them; tell them I am not at home. [Shuddering with fear]

Nipa: Why you are afraid? You are not a thief? So what's wrong with you?

Farid: You will not understand. Something is for sure wrong [Smattering]. I feel thirsty. Give me a glass of water. Close the door.

Nipa: Tell me exactly, what's wrong? Are you a thief?

Farid: Yes! Dear! I am a thief. I forged a big amount of money from Bank last week. Please do not misunderstand me. I am a big thief in this society.

Nipa: What! [Looks pale]

Shumi: So your name is Farid! Are you thief too like my father? [Laughing]. Please be cool, no one has come. I am just joking! No police at all! Some pest boy pressed the Doorbell… [Laughing].

Last night I overheard your telephonic conversation with the bank manager from the drawing room's telephone set. The manager was to inform the police about your forgery. Right?

[Electricity appears. Light is on]