Campus Blues

(Radio Play)
K M Sherrif
Scene 1

(The sound of a plane passing overhead)

Fousiya: That’s the third plane in a row. I wonder where all these people are going.
Sujith: What do you know? They are the go-getters. Not twits like us who just dream and
talk.
Fousiya: Are they? But what is wrong in dreaming and talking. That’s how everything
begins. You don’t just wake up, brush your teeth, board a flight , reach a place and grab
everything you want.
Sujith: All right, all right. But sometimes I feel so low-down, you know. What have we been
doing here? Have we done anything useful or meaningful?
Fousiya: Come on, da. What’s biting you?
Sujith: I don’t know. But often I get thinking like this.
Fousiya: I don’t think there is anything to mope over. We may not be the kind of whiz kids
or freakouts you see in films and serials. But I think we have made ourselves visible.
Sujith: Maybe. Ah, yes, we’ve made it to the media as well. Dozens of us. The Street
Theatre, the door-to-door campaign against drug abuse. And on top of everything the
strike.
Fousiya: The hunger strike was wonderful, although I didn’t think of it like that then. You
know, when I dozed off, I started dreaming of icecream and faluda!
Sujith: Ha, ha!
Fousiya: But sometimes I too feel like you. I start thinking nasty things, wondering if we are
just a bunch of idle kids wasting our parents’ money.
Sujith: And society’s resources, you can say. All these lectures, assignments and exams. A
tale told by a fool . . . How does it go?
Fousiya: A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Sujith: Ah yes, exactly!
Fousiya: But the feeling passes. I don’t think we’ll ever regret having spent our time here.
Think of the friendships we’ve struck up, the togetherness we’ve experienced, the things
we’ve learned, most of it outside the classroom. You know what, I think our life here has
completely changed the way we look at ourselves and the world.
(The call of the muezzin from the mosque for maghrib prayers is heard)
Sujith: Oh, It’s Six Thirty Five! Come on, let’s go to the canteen.
Scene 2
(Sujith and Fousiya are approaching. Voices progressively becoming louder and clearer on
the soundtrack)
Fousiya: How long is the orientation programme?
Sujith: It is for two weeks. It is a continuing schedule. One programme follows another.
Fousiya: Two weeks is too boring. But it’ll be a change. And Remya told me the library is
good. I think I’ll apply. What about you?
Sujith: Count me out. Not for me. You can give me a briefing after you come back.
(When Sujith Soumya are well within earshot, a gruff male voice intervenes)
Voice: Who are you? What are you doing here?
(A moment’s silence)
Fousiya: We are students. And, if you don’t mind telling us, who are you?
Voice: Never mind who I am. But don’t fool around here at this time. Or I’ll have to report
you.
(Sound of footsteps fading into the distance)
Sujith: Phew! Who the hell was that?
Fousiya: Don’t know. Sounded like a morally committed professor.
Sujith: Yeah. There are many we don’t know. It is such a large campus. Shall we give a
written apology for our immorality?
Fousiya: All I can say is that if there is more moral policing like this, I’ll be tempted to fall in
love with you!
Sujith: Oh, then I’ll have to fall out of it immediately after. You are not my type.
Fousiya: Who do you think you are, Nivi Pauli?
Scene 3
(The canteen. The clang of glasses and the hum of conversation)
Fousiya: I have to make a recharge. Remind me when we go out, will you? I keep
forgetting.
Sujith: Sure. You can recharge on the net from my account.
Fousiya: But I am going to the town.
Sujith: The town? But why . . .
Aruna: (interrupting). Hi, Fousiya, hi, Sujith.
Sujith and Fousiya: Hi.
Aruna: Are you through with your black tea ritual?
Sujith: Almost.
Aruna: What happened to Poornima, I wonder Didn’t see her the whole day.
Fousiya: No idea. She didn’t turn up in the class today.
Aruna: I’ve to collect a book from the library. Bye, see you
(Aruna’s receding footsteps on the soundtrack)
Sujith: You said you had to go to the town.
Fousia: Ah, yes. Shamna is in hospital.
Sujith: Why? What’s wrong with her? You didn’t tell me anything.
Fousia: I didn’t want to scare you.
Sujith: Scare me? What happened.
Fousia: She has a small tumour in her throat. Nothing very serious. But it is painful.
Mommy is in the hospital with her. Daddy will be coming down from Ernakulam tonight.
She’ll have a surgery tomorrow. She’ll be all right in a couple of days.
Sujith: I have to admire you. You are so cool and calm.
Fousia: What’s the use of fretting. It’s all in doing what you can. I’ve never been to a
hospital, myself. I wonder if I’ll be so cool if I am!
Sujith: Do you want me to come with you?
Fousiya: Don’t be silly. I can find my way without you.
(Receding footsteps. Their goodbyes are heard from middle distance)
Sujith: Bye.
Fousiya: Bye