PASSAGES - EPISODE 5, ACT 4

[kashiwrites]

Previous: Episode 5, Act 3


IV.A) UNIVERSITY HALLWAY. A few people come out of the classroom and then Ashwin and Penny emerge. Penny tugs him to one side.


PENNY – Alright, Ashwin, it’s "later." Now we talk.

ASHWIN – Very well, Penny. Talk about what, exactly?

PENNY – I want to know why you let your mother accuse and criticize me the way you did before class.

ASHWIN – Penny –

PENNY – I mean, you stormed the police station like some kind of kamikaze, but when your mother accused me you were completely quiet. Are you really so afraid of her?

ASHWIN – It has nothing to do with fear.

PENNY – Then what’s going on? I thought you were my friend.

ASHWIN – Penny, I am. (PAUSE) You don’t understand the cultural dynamic of our family.

PENNY – Tell me, then.

ASHWIN – It’s very complex…

PENNY – I’ve got time, and I’ve definitely got incentive. Tell me.

ASHWIN – (TAKES A BREATH AND THINKS A MOMENT) Our culture is based on knowing one’s place in the world, and functioning properly in that place. It’s called dharma. It encompasses everything: structures of society, family structures, and people’s relationships to each other. And the most basic and important structure is the family.

PENNY – Go on.

ASHWIN – One’s family determines everything else. And Penny...our position in our families...it’s based on the authority of our parents, and our respect for that authority and our submission to it. Our responsibility to our parents is one of the cornerstones of our life.

PENNY – So you’re never supposed to disagree with them. Is that it?

ASHWIN – We can disagree. But to make them appear foolish, especially in public, is a very bad thing.

PENNY – Ah. I see. Far better that I look like a criminal than that she feels uncomfortable.

ASHWIN – I did try to speak for you.

PENNY – Only at the last minute, when you couldn’t avoid it. And then you backed down right away.

ASHWIN – I thought it better if I could talk to her in private and explain everything.

PENNY – And who cares what sort of insults and public condemnation I have to suffer till she gets her explanations!

ASHWIN – Penny...I’m sorry. I’m sure you’re right and I should have said more in your defence. I’m often at a loss to know what to say in such situations.

PENNY – (PAUSE) Are you joking?

ASHWIN – Why would I joke about something like that?

PENNY – You always seem to be in total control of your situation. It’s rather disconcerting to find out you’re not.

ASHWIN – When it comes to the interaction between your culture and mine, there’s a lot of uncertainty.

PENNY – You say 'your culture and mine'. But aren’t you part of my culture too?

ASHWIN – Yes. And that’s the problem, trying to keep one foot in both camps, and keep things balanced. If they contradict, we’re sometimes faced with a hard choice.

PENNY – Your mother seemed pretty sure of herself.

ASHWIN – Her generation is perhaps more certain of its position. She’s spent most of her life in India, while I...hardly remember it. I’ve grown up in the dual culture while she and my father did not.

PENNY – Talk about a generation gap.

ASHWIN – Generation gap, culture gap, belief-systems gap. All these titles apply.

PENNY – Maybe... (PAUSE) Maybe I should try to find out more about your culture, so I can avoid stepping on toes in the future.

ASHWIN – (LONG PAUSE) You would do that?

PENNY – (SUDDENLY AWKWARD) Well...you know, just so I don’t offend anyone...so I know how to work around things...you know...

(DAWN AND BARB APPROACH)

DAWN – Hi, Pen. Hello again, Ashwin.

(ASHWIN NODS AT THEM. PENNY IS A LITTLE RELIEVED AT THE INTERRUPTION)

PENNY – Dawn, I thought you had a class right now.

DAWN – I’m not going today, because I’m not prepared. I had some business to attend to.

BARB – (GRINS) Trying to appease the enemy.

DAWN – And I doubt she’ll be appeased without my head on a platter.

PENNY – What on earth are you talking about?

ASHWIN – You visited Blythe Chambers, I assume?

DAWN – Clever fellow. Yes I did.

ASHWIN – And...?

DAWN – Well, we both agree that neither of us planned the violence.

PENNY – That’s a start, isn’t it?

DAWN – She wants me to come back later so she can "show me something." Just an excuse for a good lecture, probably.

BARB – That’s why we wanted to see you, Ashwin.

ASHWIN – Oh?

BARB – We thought Dawn could use a little preparation. So she could offer our Ms. Chambers some reassurance if necessary.

DAWN – We’d like to borrow your expertise, and figure out some ways to prevent the troublemakers from coming back.

ASHWIN – I’d be happy to help.

DAWN – Could we meet tomorrow? Say, noon, at Ruminations?

ASHWIN – Of course. I’ll be there.

BARB – Thanks, Ashwin. We’ll really appreciate it.

ASHWIN – And if you need me to go with you to visit Ms. Chambers, I’ll be willing as well. We’ve already met.

DAWN – Thanks. But I think I’d better handle this myself.

BARB – Sort of a penance, I suppose.

DAWN – If it’s penance, then you should come too.

BARB – The three of us should go. You, me, and our jailbird here. (GRINS WICKEDLY)

PENNY – (GROANS) Oh, not you too. It was bad enough that Professor Patel found out. I was hoping I could keep it quiet, somehow.

DAWN – But it’s already too late. You know that. (OFF PENNY’S BLANK LOOK) Pen, what are you thinking? It was on the front page of the morning paper. You can’t possibly "keep it quiet." The whole world knows now.

(THE FULL IMPLICATIONS SINK IN. PENNY LEANS BACK AGAINST THE WALL AND CLOSES HER EYES WITH A HEAVY SIGH.)



IV.B) CHAMBERS DESIGN STUDIO.


JUSTIN – You can’t be serious. One of the spray-painters offered to pay for the damage to your furs?

DARCY – Oh, there is some good in this world, after all!

BLYTHE – She’s hardly a saint, Darcy. Don’t get too excited.

ADRIAN – And strictly speaking, she wasn’t a spray painter either. It seems the vandals were uninvited guests. She feels quite bad about everything. I found it quite touching that she would hope to pay for all those furs when she’s obviously not well off.

BLYTHE – "Touching." You were besotted, you mean.

ADRIAN – Blythe, you wound me. (GALLANTLY) Your enemies are my enemies, sister mine.

DARCY – But she didn’t have to make the offer at all. I hope you were kind to her, Blythe.

BLYTHE – (STARES AT HER) Darcy, she tried to obstruct the delivery of my property.

DARCY – Oh, I know, but... (SHRUGS HAPPILY) I’m sure she’s learned her lesson.

JUSTIN – I’m sure she has, hon. And it seems pretty obvious, Blythe, that you haven’t suffered much from all this.

BLYTHE – Nothing more than inconvenience.

ADRIAN – And the free publicity hasn’t hurt, I’m sure.

JUSTIN – Ah. I never thought of that. That would have been very clever strategy. If you had planned all this, Blythe.

(ADRIAN BURSTS OUT LAUGHING. BLYTHE IS IRRITATED.)

BLYTHE – If one more person suggests that I would voluntarily sabotage my own business, I will garrot him. Or her.

ADRIAN – You could keep a list.

BLYTHE – With your name at the top.

DARCY – Oh, you men, come on. No one can seriously think Blythe would deliberately plan a riot. I’m sure it was quite traumatic. Are you really alright, Blythe? You yourself, I mean.

BLYTHE – I’m fine. Nobody needs to fuss over me.

ADRIAN – Which, I think, is our cue. She was just kicking me out as the two of you arrived.

JUSTIN – Then I guess we’d better leave and let Blythe get some work done.

BLYTHE – I’d appreciate it.

DARCY – Well, I’m glad you’re okay, Blythe. You know we’re all ready to help if you ever need it.

BLYTHE – Thanks, Darcy.

JUSTIN – Come on, hon, I’ll drive you home on my way to the office.

DARCY – Good-bye, everyone.

JUSTIN – See you later. (HE AND DARCY EXIT)

ADRIAN – And I’m off too. (LEANS ACROSS THE DESK AND KISSES HER CHEEK) Thanks for tolerating me.

BLYTHE – There’s no one I’d prefer. Have a good day, Adrian.

ADRIAN – You too (EXITS)

(BLYTHE ONCE AGAIN BENDS OVER HER BOOKS AND WORKS FOR A FEW SECONDS. THEN JUSTIN STEPS INTO THE DOORWAY AND WATCHES HER FOR A FEW SECONDS MORE. AT LAST SHE LIFTS HER HEAD AND LOOKS AT HIM, UNSURPRISED.)

JUSTIN – A drink after work?

BLYTHE – Yes. I’ll be there. (PAUSE) The usual place?

JUSTIN – Alright.

BLYTHE – Good. See you then. (BENDS BACK TO HER BOOKS)

(JUSTIN WATCHES HER A FEW MORE SECONDS, AND EXITS)


Next: Episode 5, Act 5