Are you a MCP?

SCENE 2: Are you a MCP?

September 2012.

The scene opens at the University’s Fresher’s Fare. A Final Year student is sitting on the South Asian Society’s stall, playing FIFA on his iphone, in shabby tattered jeans and a lose black T-shirt. He is twenty years old and looks exactly like Sidharth (Young Omar’s role shall be played by the same actor playing Sidharth’s role). A young girl (Ayesha) is roaming around the fare, stopping and picking pamphlets from every stall.

Ayesha (animated) So what are you guys selling here?

Omar (busy playing the game in his phone and not looking at the girl) We aren’t selling anything.

Ayesha (acts disappointed) Oh, so no free samples of anything from this stall? (laughs)

Omar has been forced to sit at the stall by a friend from the society and is annoyed by intrusion. He keeps the phone aside to see what the girl wants. His anger subsides the moment he sees the pretty girl beaming and flickering her eyelashes. He is left spellbound and starts chanting a speech he’s been made to memorize like a parrot.

Omar  This is the SAARC Society. The South Asian Association for Regional Corporation. It’s basically, a collaboration of all the countries that come under the Indian subcontinent. It has India in it, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Our aim is to promote our cultures in a united way. We’ll be organizing fairs and events, parties, and mostly have a lot of fun.

Ayesha So are you Indian?

Omar  Nope, I’m from Karachi, Pakistan.

Ayesha (excited) Oh great! That makes us neighbors. I’m Ayesha. Ayesha Talwar from India.

Omar Pleased to meet you Ayesha Talwar. I’m Omar Khan.

Ayesha Are you in second year?

Omar Third, actually! It’s my final year. I’m doing Business Management and you?

Ayesha Theatre.

Omar Fresher huh? Great! Here take my number (scribbles on a piece of paper). Call me if you ever need anything.

Ayesha thanks, I will.

Omar (moves slightly closer to her) and if you need help with the coursework or if you need to find a job or even if you want someone to take you around this place, I’m your man!

Ayesha Why don’t you just stop beating around the bush and get to the point?

Omar huh?

Ayesha  You want to ask me out on a date, don’t you?

Omar (embarrassed) What? No, no way! I don’t ask chicks out on dates. They die to go out with me anyway. I was just being nice to you, because you’re new.

Ayesha Oh good you told me that. In that case, let me take you out on a date.

Omar (taken aback) Ummmmm… What?

Ayesha What What? Never had a girl ask you out on a date before? I thought I’m talking to a stud who has girls drooling all over him in desperation to be taken out. Oh wait, are you the sorts that think women, especially from Pakistan or India, don’t deserve to have a vocal cord just because they have the XX Chromosome instead of the XY? Please tell me you aren’t the MCP sorts?

Omar  MCP?

Ayesha MCP’s- The Male Chauvinist Pigs! The kinds that are overflowing the narrow lanes of India-Pakistan. The ones who think it’s a crime to be born a girl and girls don’t deserve to study or earn or speak or even breathe. And all us girls are meant to do is be dolled up and placed in front of eligible bachelors, then get married and cook for them a hundred times a day! Reproduce; if it’s a girl, try again. If it’s a boy, Bravo! Then reproduce at least three more times and finally die! (Breathes and then snorts)

Omar (astounded) What? Huh? No! I’m not an MCP or whatever you call it! And India and Pakistan are not that backward anymore. We’ve moved on since the 50’s, Miss know-it-all!

Ayesha (embarrassed) I’m sorry, My mother works for Woman’s Rights Commission in India. I just get a bit carried away sometimes.

Omar …and does your dad run a Radio Station? Girl, you do know you speak excessively!

Ayesha Yeah I know, I have a bit of a verbal diarrhea. It’s in my genes.

Omar  So (pauses) about the date. I think you should take me to Nandos tomorrow night. What do you think?

Ayesha (assertively) Nando’s it is then!

Ayesha walks off and Omar is left staring at her until she leaves the stage.