AN ALTERNATIVE THIRST

[Loosely inspired from a Malayalam short play 'Daaham' by C.G Shanthakumar which discusses the Plachimada Coca Cola issue in Kerala and also a number of districts of India, where Coca Cola and its subsidiaries are accused of creating severe water shortages for the community by extracting large quantities of water for their factories, affecting both the quantity and quality of water.]

CHARACTERS

STRANGER (CITIZEN)

OLD MAN

DHOBI

CAPITALIST

(A stranger enters the stage, walks around in search of something)

STRANGER:  It has disappeared finally...better say they have seized it from us. Not even a single sign of the construct that existed since times and that too within a single night makes it a sceptical issue. It seems there is no witness for the issue other than this stray dog lying here. Hope it will have a story to say. (The stranger examines the lying dog with its eyes closed and even walks around the creature. The dog is unresponsive). Mere creature is said to be the man’s best friend and this is all a friend can do. I could have stayed here foreseeing the danger but instead sleep took me home. But still I wonder why there wasn't anybody to notice the whole act of seizure. (A man walks past the stranger) Here is a man. Let me have a try.

Did you see what happened here last night?

MAN: What happened? It seems to be perfect here. Even if something happened, how do I know such things? This is a strange place for me. Let me go (He walks away).

STRANGER:  (To the audience). If strangeness is the matter, let me take away my own stranger character, which makes it easier to investigate among you. I am a citizen and I like to be known as a responsible citizen than a doubtful stranger. The concern is all about a public well which used to be the major water resource of this region. It has disappeared overnight and that isn't a miracle. A conspiracy. Our drinking water resources for their poisonous coloured drinks. They call it ‘Cola’.

Let me get to a logical conclusion. Do you people know about the happening last night? I know you also cannot answer my query as sleep captured your eyes too. But if you too are making inspection on the issue we’ll wait for a person to give us a rational reply. Let me remind you again that I am a responsible citizen and I have the obligation to make you know the right. Wait...

(An old man crosses the scene and he is stopped by the citizen).

OLD MAN:  What is the reason in blocking my way? Let me go.

CITIZEN: I’m waiting for a perfect answer. I guess you have it.

OLD MAN: A perfect question can lead to a perfect answer.

CITIZEN: (To the audience). Explaining it all again is a monotonous task and now I am leaving it to you people.

OLD MAN: (As if listening to the audience for sometime). Yes...  I've got the clue. So the crisis is with the disappeared well and you believe that the ‘Killer Cola’ have seized it. Let it be the same. Even I don’t have a scientific explanation for the phenomenon. But think it the other way. They have only captured the construct and they can’t take away the resource from you.

CITIZEN: But what if they repeat the same. There is always a chance for such thing and that could lead to the depletion of water resources. I wonder why there isn't any law and order to stop such wrong.

OLD MAN: React...protest...that’s the way you can show the resistance. Find your own way in doing such. Let me find my own way...let me go.

CITIZEN: That wasn't a proper answer and wasn't the proper person too.

(A man with a huge bundle of clothes enters from the opposite side and he is a dhobi. He looks confused.)

DHOBI:  Crime...crime...at its peak...somebody give me an idea of what is happening here.

CITIZEN: What are you crying about? You have said ‘crime’ and me too is a victim of one such crime.

DHOBI: Too many victims to arise in such undemocratic situation. I usually come here at the pond to have water for my washing needs. But today it was all surprising to see a notice raised there. It says that the right to use the water is vested only with the ‘Killer Cola’ company from that day onwards.  I am wondering how such thing is possible.

CITIZEN: So that’s the issue, and it has somehow reached that extent. But can’t you find anything surprising here?

DHOBI: What...? The well! Where is it? What was happened?

CITIZEN: I too am searching for an answer for the same question. But does it make any sense in concerning about what happened here and at the pond? Rather it should be on the cause of such a happening, I believe.

DHOBI: What is most vital is to think about the later consequences. We’ll die of thirst without even a single drop of pure water and that’s what serious here.

CITIZEN:  Mere assessment of the consequences won’t end up things clearly. Roots must be analysed first. And that is what I am saying about the causes of the issue. Enquiry should go to the basic roots and that we must do as responsible citizens.

DHOBI: I do respect the future and that is what I am concerned about. I must keep the trust of my customers and that is how I earn. If it isn't possible here, I have to try finding solutions, try next means. And that is what I mean by responsibility. Let me find new waters.

CITIZEN: He too is gone. Now it is no time to wait for another escapist. I have decided to go directly to the capitalist entrepreneurs, the ‘Killer Cola’ company. (To the audience). If you are done with your sleep, think of joining me. No persuasion intended.

(He walks round the stage and waits at one corner. The Capitalist enters through the opposite side. Seeing the capitalist, the citizen starts raising slogans)

“No land for looters,

No space for exploiters,

No need for poison makers.

We need our waters back.

We want our rights done,                                                             

And we will fight till the very end.”

CAPITALIST: The usual voice of a very usual protest. But whom are you mentioning as ‘we’? I see only you here and you are the only person who turned up inquiring since last night. That seems interesting. Nobody other than you needs an answer. That alarms the common people’s acceptance of the change.

CITIZEN: I am not alone. And I represent a big population who are concerned with depletion water resources. (To the audience). But who am I representing? Who asked me to do the protest? The escapist community or the irrational beings? In fact I myself made the call. My inner psyche did it out of responsibility.

CAPITALIST: People concerned with ‘water’. Sounds too odd at this point. They are not concerned about anything. They love to live their life. They are turning rational. In fact the concept of water itself has turned old fashioned. Something we only like to mention in a socialist discourse.

CITIZEN: I better say that capitalists have been trying to tear down the rationality among us by instilling such irrational methods.

CAPITALIST: Still you tend to generalise the topic. Better understand that you only find it that way and not others. As capitalists we respect individual ideas, not common conscience.

CITIZEN: The issue isn't about rationality or irrationality. It is water. And I need solutions.

CAPITALIST: It’s isn't our headache. We only make profit, not solutions. But think about a change and adapting a new social setup. It makes no sense in fighting within a rotting system.

CITIZEN: Bur are you sure that it will be sustainable?

CAPITALIST: No more time to spend. Competitions ahead. Wish me good luck. Remember it is individual who the king here.

(He walks away)

CITIZEN:  Time to think better. It seems there are no perfect answers or perfect persons in this small world. So I shall not insist myself in getting everything perfect. It is the ever-changing social system that perfects one’s psyche. Here a new system is evolving. Sustainability is not a matter at all. Why always a fish in the water. Coming out of it and adapting to a new system shows the spirit of survival. So let me conclude without thinking deep as a way of perfecting myself. It is the water that made the issue in the system and it is the same that is calling for a change. And in acceptance of the social change, I declare that from today onwards I renounce the use of water and instead to drink, to bath, to wash and for all the other needs let ‘Killer Cola’ take the role. Let Cola substitute blood too.

(To the audience) Now this isn't a group of audience sitting in front of me. I see individuals. Only individuals. My issue is resolved so that I could sleep well. You may go back either to sleep or think. But be as individuals. Let the individuals win and democracy die.

(Curtain)