Pg.1

                       The apartment

Vira was sitting near the fire-place. It was 7 pm in the clock hung very carefully on the wall at a height of  6 year old person. Was Vira 6 year old? No. Vira was a brown skin toned woman in her 40’s. She posesed  curly long back-length hair,  a long face, which was coined as “beautiful” by her Dad, whom Vira thout of as a too positive person, after living half a world away from him, and up close and personal with the mediocre minds around the beautiful apartment building in a suburb of Los Angeles. Vira set on a black leathered power wheel-chair.  Well let’s move on in our story. Vira looked at the door, her eyes had a strange urge, a look of request, an intense want in them. She wasn’t smilling nor frowning, she just looked at the door, intently, as if she was telling the door to open. If you saw her face, you’de think she was requesting the door to make the sound of the key opening its lock!

That afternoon Vira cleverly said to her worker, in a laughing tone, “ Rosevile you know what I was thinking? I never go out, I cant wear good cloths ever, so now I’ve decided I’ll wear good cloths at home. So no more p.j’s for me!” 

(As she speaks we can see her face glowing with self confidence and pride)

(Rosevile was a medium height, fair skinned , long light brown haired woman of 24. She’s wearing a loose fitted cotton pants which come up to her calfs and a loose fitted t-shirt with a closed neck)

 On hearing Vira, she said, in an enthusiastic tone, “Yeah, that’s an awesome idea!”  

(Vira looked satisfied, she had a broad smile, though her eyes were sad.

Vira looked at the clock on the wall. It read 6. )

Vira: (Trying to cover a smile which suddenly appeared on her face as she looked at the time.) Rosy can you get me ready? It’s 6, You’ll be leaving soon isn’t it?

Rosevil: (In a respectful tone) For sure, I’m curious what will you chose to wear tonight!

(The phone rings. Rosevile picks up the phone.)

Rosevile: Hello.

(Rosevile listens as the voice on the other end speaks. Vira looks intently as Rosevile listens.)

Rosevile: Sorry you have the wrong number.

(Rosevile listens)

Rosevile: No, 

(Rosevile listens)

Rosevile: This is an Independent Living facility for challenged people.

Pg.2

(Rosevile  listens patiently)

Rosevile: (Enthusiastically) No this is not a group home, this is an apartment facility for challenged people.

(Rosevile listens)

Rosevile: It is run by P.I.C.

Rosevile( listens with a smile): You are welcome

(Rosevile listens)

Rosevile: (smilingly) It’s O.K.

(Rosevile hangs up the phone. Vira looks at her inquiringly)

Rosevile (walking towards the bedroom) : They had the wrong number. 

Vira: Whom did they want?

Rosevile: They wanted P.I.C.’s group home office, 

Vira: (cheerfully) And they called me!

Rosevile: It must have so happened that instead of the group home they must have got the number of P.I.C.’s independent apartment’s number. Marcy says it happens a lot, people call her office to talk to one of the resident client living in this building!

Vira: (understandingly) Well, stuff happens.

Vira (her tone turns sad): after all I am one of their clients.

(Vira drives her wheel-chair to the bedroom. Rosevile follows her. She goes to the closet and slides it open. Vira looks thoughtfully at each pair of cloths, tops and jeans. She points to a pair of skinny jeans. Rosevile picks it out. Smiles. Veera looks at her and is enthused at that smile. Vira then looks across the tops which are hanging next to the jeans. Rosevile follows her gaze, picks out the top on which Vira’s gaze stopped.)

Rosevile picks out a thin, long sleeved T-shirt with a round neck)

Vira: (Happy and pleased) Do you think these two will go together?

Rosevile: You have got it down! They’ll look fabulous on you!

Vira: (with a smile and a thrill in her voice) Thank you Rosy! You know I’m fortunate to have you ..(Vira pauses. Her tone comes down. The thrill in her voice disappears, she hesitates.) as my staff.

 

Rosevile: Right back at you.

(Vira looks at the clock. It reads 6:15) 

Vira: Hey it’s 6:15, we got to hurry it up!

Rosevile: (looking curious. An expression always on her face.) Yeah, we better hurry up! Or..

Vira: (suddenly a serious expression spreads all over her face. It looks as if she is irritated by Rosevile’s curiosity) (Her voice raises a bit) Or what?

Rosevile: No nothing, just that I should get out at 6:30.

Vira: (Her irritation turns into a serious expression):  Will they give you a notice?

Rosevile: (Putting on an expression of  doubt): I don’t know. (suddenly the expression changes on her face) (She speaks like she is talking to a child): Can they fire me for that?

Vira: (Looks really irritated) : I don’t know.

(The clock shows 6:20. Vira looks at the clock, turns her wheel-chair’s power button on. Vira drives out of the room. Rosevile follows her. They both enter the restroom. Rosevile changes Vira. Vira drives out of the restroom. Rosevile follows her into the livingroom)

(Rosevile picks up a bag-pack from the side of the couch)

Rosevile: O.K. Vira, I’ll get going.

Vira: ( looking  scared): But today’s tip?

(Rosevile’s back is towards Vira. Suddenly her hair falls down on her shoulder. She turns, faces Vira.  There is a brightness on her face. She looks almost devious for a moment, as she performs a sensuous dance step in front of Vira. Vira watches her carefully, intently following her body movement.)

(Vira: looks a bit worried)

 (Vira’s self confidence disappears 

 

Speaking very humbly as Rosevile complets her dance.)

Vira: Will I be able to do all of that?

  Vira tries to memorize the steps.)

 

 

Rosevile:( suddenly picking up her bag-pack which she flung down on the floor when she started to demonstrate the dance steps. She has a sad smile) : Ah! The steps seem too complicated?  

(Vira looking at the sad smile, seems to force  a new enthusiasm on her face)

Vira: No no, not at all, I can do this.

Rosevile: Alrighty, I’ll roll out now. See you tomorrow.

Vira: (her eyes show a whole lot of affection as she speaks) O.K. Rosy, go home safely.

(Rosevile walks out of the door. Vira drives near the fire-place. She looks intentely at the door.)

(Vira practices the dance steps that Rosevile had shown her. There is tension on her face as the clock moves forward. As the time passes by the tension grows deep on her face. Inbetween a smile creeps on her face as she looks at the clock and the door. But the smile vanishes as Vira, sitting on her wheel-chair, tries hard to perfect her dance movements.)

(The wall clock shows 9:20, Vira looks at the clock. A chill runs through Vira’s body as the lock turns in the door.)

(The door opens. A woman dressed in rough looking jeans and a big shirt enters. The woman has a roundish dark skinned face. Her big black eyes look even prettier with a black mascara. Her big shirt and her rogh jeans give her a rough edge over her feminine look. The blend got Vira turn head over heals for this woman. And Vira forgot all her anxiety over her dance steps, as she looked into those big black eyes).

Vira: (In a soft voice): Hi Cosina.

Cosina: (Standing a little away from Vira: Hi. So, shall we dance?

Vira: (hurt angry) Can’t you forget the damn dance for a second? I’ve been waiting for you since…

Cosina: Forget the dance? Then forget me.

Vira: (Desparate) Why? What’s so special…

Cosina: (cutting her off, in a stern voice):Then forget me.

Vira looks scared. Her face turns pale. She quickly changes her tone and her facial expression. She says in an enthusiastic   tone: Yes, let’s dance! 

(As she speaks that sentence, she feels she has copied Rosevile’s enthusiasm.)

 (Cosina turns on the music. Cosina starts dancing. Vira moves her body sitting in the wheel-chair.)

After dancing for awhile, Cosina just happens to look in Vira’s eyes. Vira softly says)

Vira (in a soft voice) I love you.

Cosina: (looking in Vira’s big pretty eyes): I know.

Vira (grabs the moment)   Cant we be like everyone else. Can’t we forget this dancing thing? You know me since 8 years. I have loved you crazily. I’ll make you very happy. The love is enough for us to go on. We can make a perfect couple.

Cosina: (jerking back, angrily in a frustrating tone) No. We can’t. You have to do this dance everyday,

they want you to be a perfect match for me when I perform on the stage.

Vira: (Trying hard to prove her point.) But I love you, I 

Cosina: So? They want you to be a perfect match for me when we are outside.

Vira: (Angry tone) What perfect? I want to be your life partner, not your goddamn slave.

Cosina: (Surprised, yet angry) Well it is what it is. You have to dance and that too a perfect dance.

Vira is hurt. Suddenly a strange confidence spreads on her face. She looks straight into Cosina’s eyes. There is a strange calmness in her eyes)

Vira: (calm tone) O.K.

(Cosina steps back. Her face has a strange fear on it as she looks at Vira’s calm and distant look.)

Cosina: (In a gentle voice.) Tomorrow I’ll think of a new song and we can dance to it. 

(Cosina tries to look into Vira’s eyes)

(Vira still has the strange calmness in her eyes)

(Cosina’s face turns pale. She cheerfully says)

Cosina: ( in a cheerful loving tone): Then we can chat.

Vira’s thoughts seem to be somewhere else. The softness which was there in her eyes has been replaced by a sense of indifference)

Cosina: (concerned look mixed with a strong sense of worry( I’ll definitely bring a new song tomorrow. After we finish the dancing thing, we can chatt for a long time.

Cosina tries to look into Vira’s eyes. Vira’s look seems pretty distant.

Cosina tries to get  Shall we do that?

Veera: (Still distant) O.K.

(Vira drives her power-chair into the bedroom. )

(Cosina looks in silence at the disappearing power-chair. There is sadness in her eyes and on her face. She opens the door, and closes the door behind her.)

(The clock on the wall reads 8am. There is a click on the key-hole of the door. The door is un-locked from the outside. Rosevile enters the living room.  She is dressed in green burmudas and a black lose fitted T-shirt)

Rosevile: (in a cheerfull voice) Hey Vira, good morning, are you awake?

(Rosevile enters the bedroom. Vira  is lying on the bed which occupies half of the low ceiling bedroom. The power-chair is next to the bed. Vira has kicked off her covers as the day is hot and muggy.

Rosevile: (Cheerfully) So how was the night?

Vira: (Trying to change the topic) Yeah I slept like a log!

Rosvile: That’s coolzy! Ready to get up?

Vira: (Cheerfully) O Yeah, can’t wait to get to the dinning table!

Rosevile: (Smilingly) Oh that hungry?!

Veera: (looking inquiringly at Rosevile) Not really.

Rosevile: Then?

Vira: Are you…um….

(Vira becomes quiet. She looks directly at Rosevile.) 

(Vira turns to her side on the bed. She is still looking directly at Rosevile)

(Rosevile for the first time looks at Vira’s eyes)

Vira: You are teaching me the dance, which is their requirement from me if I want a life-partner.

Rosevile: (still looking at Vira with a cheerful smile)

Veera: (looking at Rosevile, turning her gaze off and on from Rosevile’s face to the floor, speaks with pauses): So (a pause) I was (a pause) thinking  (a pause) (looking at the floor) how about (looks at Rosevile) we get together?

(Roseviles cheerful smile turns into a laughter.)

Rosevile: (cheerfully) I knew this was going to happen one day!

Vira: (not sure of the answer) So? Do you?

Rosevile: Yeah and what?

Vira: That means?

Rosevile: (smiling) That means yes, you dodo!

Rosevile: (Happily thinking out loud): This is big! This means I’ll get a supervisor’s post at P.I.C. Because I taught you, their client to dance!

Vira: And I’ll get a two bedroom apartment as I’m not single anymore!

It works for both of us.