Generation Gap

By: Prem Prasad Sigdel

It is a staffroom of a school. Seven persons are sitting in a room and another one is in the next room. Sundar (50) is doing in and out of staff room. He has white and black hair and a man of humor. Bikram (40), an accountant, is sitting on account chair and he has a cell phone in his hand. Sometimes he is playing and talking as well. Four teachers are checking answer sheets of just completed examination. They belong to 20s. The time is around 2.30pm. The weather is cloudy and sometimes rainy as well. One of the guardians has just entered into the account room. Bikram an accountant has taken money with the guardian. The guardian has done a tailoring business.

Ranjan: (Taking his shoes out). Can I come in sir?

Bikram: (Laughing).  Yes, it is your own school, not ours only.

(Bikram has written the bill and take the amount counting.)

Bikram: Do you have pants and tops clothes? Our miss needs pants. She has had interest to wear pants.

Bipana: (hesitatingly).  Yes, I need pants. What sorts of clothes do you have?

Ranjan: I don’t have such clothes. If you order I can provide it after buying from market. But it takes till Sunday.

Sumitra: (Feeling shy). Oh! Pants, we are also going to wear pants and tops. What’s the cost of it?

Ranjan: It costs around 1000 NRs.

Sundar: (Commanding voice). It’s better to sew cottarise pants. Its not thin and one can wear it in hot and cold season both.

Sabita: (Hesitatingly). Ladies pants are too thing and they are too cold in winter season. I also agree that we can sew cottarise pants so that we can wear in both season.

Bipana: (Seriously). It’s too expensive to wear pants even. We can buy ladies set of Kurtha Suruwal on 1000 NRs. only.

Bikram: (Laughingly). Pants become expensive as ladies wear it so males have to pay high prince.

Bipana: (Laughing).  Ok, we won’t wear it. But it seems that you have blamed female of wearing pants. We don’t like to harm others; neither have we made your pants expensive.

Bikram: (Laughingly).  Did you know that I wore belly bottom pants on 250 NRs only? It was quite popular in Hindi films at that time. Nowadays it’s too much expensive because ladies wear it.

Sundar: (Laughing). It’s ok. I have also the same experience. When I was young, I used to sew pants after watching Hindi films. I remember wearing belly bottom pants which was wore by Devananda, hero of Sole film.

Bikram: We went to watch Sole film to Raxaul city of India which film wasn’t available in Nepal.

Sundar: (Excitingly). Yes I also went to Raxaul City of India to watch that film and it was longer than other films.

Madan: Do you know the time length of the film?

Sundar: (Assuring). Why not, its 15 minutes less than 4 hours. This is the best film that have I ever watched. There is no such film like these old films these days.

Bikram: (Shouting).  Pranis sir, what color clothes do we recommend?

(Pranis is sitting in other room. He gets up from his seat and goes to the door of the staff cum account room)

Pranis: (peeping). It can be of any colour. The quality of the clothes should be good so color doesn’t matter.

Ranja: (Turning to Pranis).  I will come with sample clothes on Sunday. Tomorrow is Friday so I can’t come. (He goes out of the room).

Sumitra: (To Sundar). Do you watch latest films? Everyone would say so what they have experienced about the films of their time.

Sundar: No, it’s not. (Standing putting his hands at the front side holding both hands) I will bet if you show me such films these days.

Bipana: (Checking her answer sheets). Everyone says so you haven’t seen today’s films. They are quite appealing and you are the old man so you like old films only.

Madan: (In a low voce) Guru ba (title name of driver) always says so because he has seen that film only. Do you see film these days?

Sundar: (Laughing). No, I haven’t seen such films these days.

(All of them remain silent. It is raining outside still.)