The Radio play...

The play starts with the sounds of cars whizzing by in the hustle and bustle of a city street. Suddenly, there is a screech of rubber on tarmac and the voice of a

Woman 1: Oh my God, somebody call an ambulance!

Over the continuing sounds of traffic, sounds of a number being dialed and Woman 2 (speaking crisply) : Please, an ambulance quickly! To [aside] oh, goddamit, what’s this place called?

Man 1 (urgent voice): This is dark horse road.

Woman 2: You got that? Dark horse road? Quick, as quick as possible!

In the background, voices of general sympathy and hushed tones. In a few seconds, the sounds of an ambulance siren wailing over the traffic comes closer. Sounds of activity and tersely issued orders amongst atleast five men, on the lines of:.

Joshi: “Rane, do we have a pulse?”

Rane: “Sir he’s not too bad…he just looks gruesome…he’s got a damaged lung and a few broken bones…he’s on the ventilator.”

Joshi: “Well, in that case, take your time…our ambulance is broken down…the replacement won’t be here for a few minutes.

A heavy voice comes on.

Anil: Are you Mr. Joshi? Sir! (In a higher voice) Can you tell me what’s goin’ on here? I’m Anil Phatak…that’s my colleague, Mahesh.

In somewhat fake cheery voice, Joshi responds. He’s got a cocksure voice, a sort of energy and youthfulness that is difficult to describe.

Joshi: Oh, good to see someone who knows him here. Well, we’re pretty sure he’ll make it sir. The paramedic team was here within a few minutes, you see. A young woman watched the entire episode and called us immediately…he’s fine sir, really…he’s got a couple of broken bones and all, but nothing mother nature can’t cure with time on her side, eh sir? There is some damage to the right lung too, but men have had perfectly healthy lives even after injuries like that, right sir?

Rane: Guys, what’s happening? Why have all the systems switched off? What’s goin on? Hey Joshi! [Shouts] We’ve got a complete systems failure here!

Joshi: [taken by surprise] What the…

Another voice, slightly meek, but trying to regain a possible former authority and confidence, is heard.

Man 1: Sir, er…that was me…I went into the back of the van for something and yanked out the power supply by mistake…

Joshi: Well, my good man, what the hell are you waiting for? Plug the systems back in!

Man 1: I did, sir…the systems take a few seconds to come back on…[optimistic] they must be on by now.

Rane: Its too late sir…the ventilator shut off too…we lost him.

Joshi: You can’t be serious!

Rane: I am sir…checked his pulse…the systems also tell me the same thing…

Joshi: [whistles] Oh Boy! Just when I thought! This can’t be good! He’s got a wife and two kids, they’ll be devastated! The face which always brought a smile to her face will now bring only a tear…the guffaw which made his kids jump over him like a jungle gym will never be heard again! Who knows what this man might have done, had he lived? He could have invented a cure for AIDS, or won the Booker prize, who knows? Maybe he was the man God sent to us to knock some sense into the heads of our bloody politicians! Oh, what might he have done? The mind truly boggles…but now, he is reduced to, in the words of Mark Antony, a “bleeding piece of earth”…he has left us for the Kingdom of Heaven, and this eulogy is all that remains of him…I bow my head

Cut off by Anil Pathak He seems to be seething with anger, like he’s been restraining himself from speaking but he can’t stop himself anymore.

Pathak: Stop it, Mr. Joshi, stop it right now! No one writes lines of fake poetry for dead people in real life, sir…[takes a deep breath] no eulogies for dead people in real life…

[Finis]