Title of the work: “Nehru in Samaria”.
Author: Roberto Sánchez Cazar
6 Characters:
- Nehru: a boy of 9 or 10 years old, lively, intelligent.
- The wise man of the desert: a very old man, with a long beard and dressed in an ochre and terracotta-colored tunic.
- Saffron: a dog (it can be a real dog or a doll)
- Osmar: a philosopher
- A priest
- A manager
SCENE I
Nehru walks through the desert dragging a bicycle with a flat tire. Next to him walks a dog
Nehru: (to the dog) they say that birds don’t fly, but float in the sky and the air moves around them, do you think it’s true?
The dog looks at him and walks
Don’t say that Saffron, hahaha, I don’t know why it occurred to me that Saffron could be a good name for a dog, what do you think Saffron, wouldn’t you rather be called Pepper, or Newton….
He stops
Where is that flower?
According to the fortune tellers I should ask the great sage of the desert, he is the only one who knows where to find it, but I don’t see anyone here.
The dog sits down
Nehru: Yes, Saffron, I know it is the only thing that will cure my father of his illness, that’s why we are looking for it.
(points in the distance) Look, there is someone there.
SCENE II
In the distance you see a seated figure covered from head to toe.
Nehru is about to get on his bicycle, when he is overtaken at full speed by Osmar, who is on roller skates.
Nehru: Hey, watch out!
Osmar follows without looking at him and arrives near the seated figure. He stops. Nehru watches from afar
Osmar: excuse me, are you interrupting the path?
The figure slowly uncovers himself, he is an old man, he tries to move but fades away.
Osmar: I understand that you can’t move, in this heat. I am Osmar, the philosopher
The old man collapses. At the same time Nehru arrives
Osmar: (to Nehru) that man is my father, I told him a thousand times not to sit in the desert, but he wanted to see the moon.
Nehru: the moon?
Osmar: the moon of the desert, I was coming to the same thing, because the moon attracts my attention, it is a celestial body that reminds me of the origins of madness, you understand me.
Nehru: your father needs water
Osmar: no, no, no, what he needs is a lesson and life is giving him a lesson in humility.
Nehru: but he needs water
Osmar: no, no, no, things have their cycle, if that cycle is to be fulfilled it will rain and he will have water. I am leaving
Nehru: first a question, do you know where to find the flower that cures everything?
Osmar: no flower cures everything
Osmar walks away and Nehru begins to look for his canteen. From behind enters a priest on a skateboard.
Priest: (arriving next to the faded man) What are you doing boy?
Nehru: I am looking for my water bottle, this man needs water.
The dog looks at him
Nehru: the sun is scorching, I think he is dying.
Priest: wait, did God tell you in a dream that you should give him water?
Nehru: no, but…
Priest: then you can’t interrupt God’s plan for that man (takes out a huge bowl and takes a long drink of water) if God decides that he will be saved, he will be saved, let providence work
Nehru: but….
Priest: providence, son, providence…..
Nehru: but…..
Priest: do you pretend to know more than God?
Nehru: no, of course not, but what if providence decided that I was the one destined to save this man?
Priest: mmmm, interesting perspective, I’ll ask at the council, meanwhile don’t move a muscle… well, maybe only one: the heart, but no other.
Nehru: first i need to ask you a question, do you know where to find the flower that cures everything?
Priest: no flower cures everything
He goes away
The dog looks at Nehru, Nehru looks at the dog
He takes out his water bottle and bends down ready to give the old man a sip of water.
Manager: (entering) wait, what are you going to do?
Nehru: I give water to this man.
Manager: yes I knew something like that, but you must wait, water is a non-renewable resource that must be conserved… and paid for…
Nehru: but, the water is there, for all of us.
Manager: that’s right, but all that was an unfortunate mistake that we have already fixed, since yesterday, the water in this desert is mine.
Nehru: how?
Manager: I have ownership over it, look (pulls out a huge piece of paper) and shows it, I have bought it, it has all the signatures.
Nehru: but this man needs to drink the water.
Manager: yes, sure, with pleasure, here you go (he extends a little bottle to the old man) it’s two coins.
The dog howls
Nehru: but… but
Manager: but, but, but, but, nothing. Two coins is a fair price, you can defer it.
Nehru: but… but, from where is he going to get two coins?
Manager: no problem, I’ll give them to you, but since it wouldn’t be fair for you to have all the water, I’ll take some (he drinks almost all of the bottle) since I’m lending it to you, isn’t that right?
Nehru: I guess so
Manager: yes, exactly, so now he has less water but he has the two coins, here, you will be the executor, take the two coins, and the water. Sign here
Nehru: (signing) what is this?
Manager: ah, it is a certificate, I gave him two coins, he got his water thanks to me and when the established term is over he will pay me the two and a half coins.
Nehru: it was two coins
Manager: sure, but they come with interests
Nehru: sure
Manager: What do you have in that bottle?
Nehru: Food
Manager: ah, that’s good, because in this desert you can only have my water. Goodbye, it was a pleasure doing business with you
Nehru: first a question, do you know where to find the flower that cures everything?
Manager: no flower cures everything
The Manager leaves
SCENE III
The dog barks
Nehru: what can we do Saffron? Maybe we should wait to find out how things work out.
He gets on his bicycle and moves forward a few inches, then looks back at the old man.
Nehru: Saffron, I don’t know about natures, providences or business, but if someone is thirsty, you have to give him a drink, don’t you? Otherwise, he will die
He comes back and gives the old man a drink, wipes his face, refreshes him and lifts him up.
Nehru: come on man, get on the bicycle, I am going to take you with me.
Old man: thank you my son, what is your name?
Nehru: Nehru, and this is my dog Saffron.
Old man: Saffron, how strange, he has the face of Pepper.
Nehru: Yes, that’s what I thought.
Old man: Thank you, you saved my life.
Nehru: I’m sorry I don’t have anything else, I’m on a trip and I’m looking for something important.
Old man: and what is that?
Nehru: the flower that cures everything, but nobody knows where it is.
Old man: (starts to laugh loudly) I know.
Nehru: no, no, no, only the great sage of the desert knows where it is.
Old man: (laughs loudly)
Nehru: (astonished) you? …. are you the great sage of the desert?
Old man: (laughs loudly) maybe I am, maybe I am not.
Nehru: We found him, Saffron, we found him.
They get on the bicycle and ride away through the desert laughing.
The dog stays on the stage and howls.
THE END