THE EYES HAVE IT - The story's way to a script!

THE EYES HAVE IT

[Characters]

NATHU LAMA: a man in his late twenties.

REVATI: A woman in her early twenties.

A MAN: Middle-aged, Revati’s father.

A WOMAN: Middle-aged, Revati’s mother.

AUNT: Revati’s aunt.

A TRAVELLER: A young passenger.

[Setting]

The drama is set on a railway platform as well as in the compartment of the train. The first scene begins outside the train which is about to depart soon. Porters and a few passengers are seen on the platform. With the change of the scene the inside of the train compartment is visible.

[The premise]

While journeying by a train a young blind traveller, who is fond of spending leisure time by playing the role of a man who is not blind, comes across a young lady, his co-passenger. He persuasively gets intimated with the lady and starts playing the game. After a short journey the lady alights at her destination. The man assumes that he has played the role well since, he thinks, the lady has not identified his blindness, even following so much conversation. Another traveller enters into the compartment, and when the young man takes him to be another party to his game, he comes to know, to his utter surprise, from the new co-passenger that the lady who has just left the train is blind too.   

THE EYES HAVE IT

[Scene – I]

Sunny morning. A railway platform. A middle aged couple with their daughter, Revati, stand at the door of the train. A porter is seen lading some parcels of luggage into the train compartment through the door. A few porters and passengers are roaming about. In the background a hilly landscape is noticed.

THE MAN (to the young lady): Take care, darling!

THE WOMAN: Yes! Be cautious. Since you insisted on journeying alone, you need to take care of yourself.

REVATI: OK, mama. Don’t worry.

THE WOMAN: The porter has already put in the two bags. They’re just by the door. Keep them along with you, always.

REVATI: I’ll keep them.

THE MAN: And don’t forget to bring them down. Count the bags before you leave the train.

REVATI: Yes, papa, I’ll remember.

THE WOMAN: And, dear, don’t lean out of windows. Stay put to your seat.

THE MAN (on having a look on his wrist watch): Hurry up! We don’t have much time.

THE WOMAN: Oh! Be quick, board the train.

The lady gets onto the train and stands at the doorway where her luggage is placed.

THE WOMAN: Drag them inside. The berth will probably be at your right. Have you got it?

THE MAN (reaching forward): Here is your bottle of water, dear. Take it.

The lady comes at the edge of the door, stoops low and receives the bottle.

THE WOMAN: Remember, you’re not supposed to talk to strangers. Behave yourself. It’ll not be long before you meet your aunt.

THE MAN: Yes, they’ll be at the station to receive you.

REVATI: I know. Don’t worry. I’ll take care.

The sound of whistle is heard.

THE EYES HAVE IT

THE WOMAN: Go, baby, go inside! The train is to leave.

THE MAN: Keep the bottle by you. You’ll be needing water.

REVATI (waving hand): OK, papa, mama, you take care of you too.

THE MAN and THE WOMAN (waving hands): We will. Good bye, have a nice journey!

REVATI: Good bye!

The train moves and the lady goes inside.

[Scene – II]

The same moment. Inside the compartment of the train. The lady enters into a coupe. There are two rows of berth leaving an aisle in between. A man wearing glasses is seen sitting on an almost empty berth near the window and looking out of it. The lady finds the edge of the other berth, moves no further and sits there clumsily. A few moments pass on. The rattling of the running train is heard. The landscape outside the windows changes. The man named Nathu Lama turns his face a little from the window and said:

Mr. LAMA: Are you going all the way to Dehra?

REVATI (startled): Eh! You... I didn’t know anyone else was here.

Mr. LAMA (blurts out): I didn’t see you either, but I heard you come in.

REVATI (trying to impress upon the fact that her journey won’t be long): Oh! I’m getting off at Saharanpur. My aunt is meeting me there.

Mr. LAMA: Then I had better not get too familiar. Aunts are usually formidable creatures.

The lady makes a laugh.

REVATI (attempting to shake off her uneasiness): Where are you going?

Mr. LAMA: To Dehra, and then to Mussoorie.

REVATI: Oh, how lucky you are. I wish I were going to Mussoorie. I love the hills. Especially in October.

Mr. LAMA: Yes, this is the best time. (After a pause) The hills are covered with wild dahlias, the sun is delicious, and at night you can sit in front of a logfire and drink a little brandy.

THE EYES HAVE IT

Most of the tourists have gone, and the roads are quiet and almost deserted. Yes, October is the best time.

Now she does not say anything in reply. The rambling sound of the train becomes prominent again.

Mr. LAMA: What is it like outside?

REVATI: You’re better placed to see it yourself. Why don’t you look out of the window?

Mr. Lama moves along the berth towards the window, casts a look outside it and after a while said:

Mr. LAMA: Have you noticed that the trees seem to be moving while we seem to be standing still?

REVATI: That always happens. (After a pause) Do you see any animals?

Mr. LAMA: No. (Explaining) You know... Actually, there are hardly any animals left in the forests near Dehra. 

REVATI: Oh! I see.

There is no further talk for some moments. The sound of the running train resurfaces aloud.

Mr. LAMA (turning around towards the lady): You have an interesting face!

REVATI (giggling): It’s nice to be told I have an interesting face. I’m tired of people telling me I have a pretty face.

Mr. LAMA (taking a little time to remark): Well, an interesting face can also be pretty.

REVATI: You are a very gallant young man, but why are you so serious? 

Mr. LAMA: Eh! No... Actually... I don’t mean to be... We’ll soon be at your station.

REVATI: Thank goodness it’s a short journey. I can’t bear to sit in a train for more than two-or-three hours.

The dialogues stop for a while. The sound of the train, the gradual lessening of the pitch, denotes it draws to a station. Revati stands up, collects her bags and is about to get down.

REVATI: Good bye!

Mr. LAMA: Oh! Good bye!

THE EYES HAVE IT

The lady exits. A sound of confusion is heard at the carriageway. A new traveller enters into the compartment. The door is banged shut. The sound of the bustle of the platform goes out.

[Scene – III]

A railway platform. Bright light all over. Porters and passengers are moving around. An aged woman, Revati’s aunt, stands facing the train on the platform, a few paces away from the doorway.

AUNT (shouting in a high-pitched voice): Eh! Revati! Here I am. I am here! Stay there. I’m coming! (Marching ahead close to the door) Revati! Oh! Finally you’ve come. Let me take your bags!

Revati struggles to get down as there is a man trying to get in through the narrow space which her aunt has already filled in. 

THE MAN (to Revati, in disgust):  What are doing? Your bags...the way is blocked! Please come down quickly. The train starts. Can’t you see, ma’m?

Revati looks up at the man, the man stands awhile, amazed. In the meantime Revati’s aunt has helped her alight. The man hurries forward, scales the stairs and squeezes himself into the compartment. The door is shut with a thud.

AUNT (to Revati, while turning around from the side of the train): Come along with me. Haven’t you had trouble in the train?

REVATI: No, no, it was an interesting journey. I liked it.

AUNT: I know that’s your charm! You seem to find everything interesting. That’s why I told your parents not to worry about you.

REVATI (smiles and hugs her aunt): You are my sweet aunt!

AUNT (smiles back): Now, don’t fall back. Let’s move away from the crowd.

They exit.

[Scene – IV]

Inside the same compartment. The new traveller treads in and sits where the lady took a seat before. The crescendo of running train is audible. Mr. Lama looks outside the window, pondering. The new entrant breaks into talking, vibrantly:

THE TRAVELLER: You must be disappointed. I’m not nearly as attractive a travelling companion as the one who just left.

THE EYES HAVE IT

Mr. LAMA: She was an interesting girl.

THE TRAVELLER: Yes, and, beautiful too.

Mr. LAMA: We had a nice chat. I liked her voice; it was like a mountain stream! You can find a sweet smell lingering over there, can’t you?

THE TRAVELLER: It seems you enjoyed her company a lot.

Mr. LAMA: Obviously, I wish I had spent more time with her. By the way, can you tell me – did she keep her hair long or short?

THE TRAVELLER (sounding puzzled): I don’t remember. It was her eyes I noticed, not her hair. She had beautiful eyes – but they were of no use to her. She was completely blind. Didn’t you notice?

Mr. LAMA (after a pause): How could I? I am blind too.

Mr. Lama says no more. He turns toward the window again and gazes against it. The landscape now turns black. A shrill medley, emanating from the running train, gets louder with time.

The curtain draws.