Scene 7 - Chai!! Chaiya Garam!!!! CHAI!!!

JJ Tea Stall. It was Jacob's pride ofcourse. It was his JOY and life. And he had a regular clientele. He virtually knew everyone in the locality, particularly the big building next door. They all came to JJ Tea Stall. Everyone! The new variants of chai he had cooked up were selling well now. Better margins. More money. Maybe finally that Dubai ticket and visa costs can be covered.

The next door building seemed to have a new gurkha. He wondered what happened to the old fellow from that village near Kochi. Tunchattu Namboodri Ezhuttachchan. Maybe he managed his visa and ticket to Dubai!!!! He saw the new young watchman sit on the wooden stool, reading something. Sometime sooner or later he would walk over and order his chai. He now saw the security guard put his book down. Some very old copy of Penthouse. Maybe if he comes with the mag, he would borrow it. Now he saw him plunge his little finger inside his ear and twirl it around. A big yawn. Was the mag so boring? JJ wondered. And then he saw him look around. His eyes stared at the JJ's stall. He let out a bigger yawn. Around that time this new girl from the building emerged. Very odd indeed, thought JJ. He saw her come out at times, never saw her come back. With most others he knew the pattern. What time they left and what time they came back. He knew the housewives and the unemployed kids in the building. By the time he closed shop around 1 pm, most had come back. Excepting the call center people. And he opened the stall early in the morning as well. He was always ahead of even Achhu Kuttan, his sidekick. He will need to kick his backside and get him to come on time. At times JJ had to sweep the floor himself. He saw this mystery girl walk past. Something was not quite right at all. She walked briskly past the security guard and his stall, and then hailed an auto rickshaw. JJ got back to tend to the milk that was boiling. As he was stirring it, the security guard walked in. He had come without that mag. Damn. The security guard grinned at him sheepishly. JJ went on full alert. No customer grins like that. No paying customer does that. He had been trying desperately to improve the type of clientele that came in. Improve the standards. The young kids were more lucrative. Not just chai, they even sat and ate a lot of stuff. If he could get some other "things" available here, he may really be able to get the visa and ticket in faster time. Definitely not feasible if security guards were going to patronize his stall. JJ gave the guard a blank stare. Changed it to a questioning stare with a twitch of the muscles in his forehead raising them up, quizzical in manner. The guard smiled sheepishly again.

JJ: Kya hai?

Security Guard: Shalom Saab!!!! Mein building ka naya chowkidaar hoon.

JJs heart sank. Freebies was what this chap was looking for.

JJ: uh! huh - bolo .

Security Guard: Naam hai Sarkar, Anghusman Sarkar

JJ: Theek hai

JJ turned away trying to look busy. The milk was at optimum boil. Too much boiling would make all the water added so carefully to the milk evaporate. Margins will get reduced. Getting it right was so important. Every paisa counted. Dubai bahooot dhoor tha abhi!

Sarkar: Chai milega saab?

JJ: huh - haan kaunsa chai?

Sarkar: Anything shaab!!

JJ: Anything?

Sarkar: Haan shaab, me know nhysh English

JJ: Ok ok, me too graduate

Sarkar: Very nhysh shaab, me too school going till seventh shaab

JJ was beginning to get annoyed now. If some better clientele were to see this chap hanging around here scratching his head, the chances of them coming in were remote. And he came in without the mag as well. In any case that had made him yawn.

Sarkar: Ek chai milega shaab?

Seeing no response from JJ, Sarkar scratches his head again.

Sarkar: Shaaab, did you see that girl?

JJ: [perking up] huh? Which girl?

Sarkar: The one who left the building

JJ: ummm. No

Sarkar: Shaab, sshumthing is wrong shaab

JJ: What was wrong?

Sarkar: She was wearing a men shirt shaab

JJ: huh?

Sarkar: Yesh shaaab men shirt mein buttons are on right sir. For wimmen on left shaab.

Suddenly Sarkar quickly moves inside and takes a seat at the corner, from here it will be difficult for anyone to see him.

Sarkar: COME HERE!!

JJ shocked at this sudden move.

JJ: Huh?

Sarkar: Am actually from the CID!!

CID? JJs heart sank. Well, he hadn’t yet started selling hash, it was just in his plans, but already a CID here? For what? Did this little rascal Achhu Kuttan squeal about not getting paid? He was giving him food and a place to sleep. Even four of his old shirts and the lungi. Why did he go complaining to the cops?

Sarkar: Come here and sit down

JJ: Huh.

Sarkar: SIT DOWN!!!

JJ sits down meekly.

Sarkar: Listen!! You need to assist me in an investigation.

JJ breathes a sigh of relief. So Achhu Kuttan was fine. No problems. The cops need his help! Sarkar: Look!! I want you to keep an eye on some people here and report to me!

JJ: Ok sir!

Sarkar: We had complaints from Bindaas Bol

JJ: Ohh!!! BB? I AM ALSO MEMBER THERE SIR!!!

Sarkar: Yes, and we have complaints that some guys are masquerading as women. I want you to help me, ok?

At that time Harini and Sheetal walk inside, laughing aloud. Both JJ and Sarkar go silent and watch the two girls walk, unable to control their laughter