Scene 1: Avi and the Cuckoo Family"OYE AVI!" a loud voice exploded inside the house. And with that, he woke up. In a room filled with cartoon and superhero posters everywhere, a young boy had just awoken from a long slumber to the commotion. That boy was Avi...Avinash Kapoor. Avi ruffled his messy bedhead of hair and yawned. "Maa! I don't even need an alarm when she's here!" Avi exclaimed. He rolled his eyes as he got out of bed, frustrated. Avi headed down to the bathroom to freshen up. After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he looked at the mirror, looking at his Superman themed pajamas. "Okay, Avi! Today's the day!" Avi smiled. Avi headed downstairs to the kitchen where his mom was cooking aloo parathas.
"Morning, maa!" Avi greeted his mom.
"Oye! What's this?! Why do you always wear these clothes, beta?!" Avi's mom cried.
"Mom! These are just my pajamas!"
"Don't you have anything nice?! You should wear something from your papa's closet!"
"But I'm not that old, mom!"
"What old?! You're twenty two now! You just graduated from the college! You're a man now...not a boy!"
"Whatever! Can I just have breakfast now, please?!"
"And what have you done with your hair?! Looks like you were attacked by bears! Go make yourself look human!"
"Human?!"
"Go...and then only will you eat!"
"But, Maa-"
"Jao na!"
Avi sighed as he headed upstairs back to his room. Mom! She'll never always be the same! Avi thought to himself. Avi went through the closet in his room and took out his X-Men T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He changed his clothes and put on a pair of sneakers on. He combed his hair neatly and wore his Spongebob watch on his hand. Avi grabbed his blue backpack and headed back down to the kitchen where his mom took a look at him. "Now do I look human?" Avi asked.
"Eh. Its decent." Avi's mom responded. Avi sat down at the dining table as his mom then came and served him aloo parathas and a glass of milk. "Beta, why don't you wear some nice shirts now?! You'll look more handsome!" Avi's mom exclaimed.
"Mom, I want more ghee!"
"More ghee?! I already put enough!"
"No...I need more!"
"You see?! Eat like this and you'll eventually look like a ladoo!"
Avi's mom put more ghee on the parathas while Avi continued to eat. "About my clothes...Maa, I like dressing like this! It suits me!" Avi exclaimed.
"I'm only saying since you're a man now, you should dress like one."
"Wearing superhero T-shirts doesn't mean I'm not a man!"
"Very funny! What is this job your applying for again?"
"For Bombay Times...the magazine! They want to do a comic strip section, so they're looking to hire for a cartoonist to do that section."
"You really think your papa will be okay with that?"
"I know papa is still a little upset I didn't want to do MBA! But this is just a small job! Soon in a few years...I'll make my dream come true and become the number one cartoonist in India! I'll bring animation to a whole new level! Just wait!"
Avi's mom sighed. Avi finished his breakfast. "Okay, maa! I got to go! Love you! Bye!" Avi exclaimed and then headed out of the house. He got on his bike and headed down into the streets as his mom looked on from the window.
Avi headed downtown on his bike to the Bombay Times office where right in front of the office, a young guy was waiting. "Avi!" the guy called out.
"Hey, Rohan!" Avi greeted the guy as he got off the bike. That was Rohan, Avi's best friend. Avi and Rohan knew each other since they were kids. They went to school and even college together. "You ready?" Rohan asked Avi.
"Of course! Let's go!" Avi said as he followed Rohan inside the office. Rohan's phone vibrated as he walked with Avi. He took it out, smiling as he read a text message he just received. "Who is it?" Avi asked.
"Its Rashmi!"
"Oh...her!"
"Yes, she's so sweet naa! We've only been together for three weeks and she still doesn't stop sending me smileys!"
"Yeah yeah. What floor is Mr. Singh on?"
"Second floor. Anyways, I have to go. I'll meet you on my lunch break. Good luck."
"Thanks."
Avi then headed inside the elevator nearby and waited until he made it to the second floor of the building. Once he made it there, he came out and walked down in the hall, and found Mr. Singh's office. He opened the door and asked, "Can I come in, sir?"
"Are you...Avinash Kapoor?" Mr. Singh asked, sitting from his desk, looking at his file.
"That's me!" Avi replied.
"All right. Sit down." Mr. Singh said.
Avi sat down at the desk, taking off his backpack and laying it on the floor. Avi looked at Mr. Singh, who looked like a dignified, yet cool kind of guy. He had large black square shaped glasses on and wore a blue suit with a bright red tie. "Very nice to meet you sir!" Avi greeted.
"You too. In fact...you're the only one who has applied for this job so far."
"Really?"
"Yes. Not many people go for creative jobs like this. But I came up with this as I thought this section would be a nice addition to our magazine!"
"Absolutely!"
"So before we look at your work...tell me your experience with arts."
"I've been drawing since I was a kid, sir. Actually superheros and cartoons have always been my inspiration. That's why I want to be a professional cartoonist one day! I've done a lot of work. I made a mural for our college a few months ago!"
"Nice. So show me your work."
"Sure, sir."
Avi reached down inside his backpack and took out a large red sketchbook. He handed the sketchbook to Mr. Singh who began looking through the pages. He showed signs of interest as he browsed through the pages of the sketchbook. "Very nice. You're very creative, Mr. Kapoor!" Mr. Singh complimented.
"Thank you, sir." Avi smiled. Mr. Singh closed the sketchbook and handed it back to Avi. "Well...I think my decision is clear. The job is yours." Mr. Singh said. Avi became ecstatic and said, "Thank you so much, sir!"
"You're welcome. Now here are the guidelines," Mr. Singh said. "You'll arrive to the office every day at eleven in the morning and you can leave at six in the evening. You'll be working on this floor so you will report to me once you come in. Tomorrow, I'll show you your cabin. Any questions?"
"Just one. What's the salary?"
"Oh yes. I can pay you about Rs. 15,000 a month. It may not be a lot, but you're a young kid...so its a good start."
"All right then! Thank you, sir! See you tomorrow then!"
"Same."
Avi left the office. As he walked down the floor, he stopped and broke into a Punjabi happy dance, doing bhangra in the hall while other employees looked at him, giggling. Once he noticed them giggling, he stopped, his face turning red, and then left.
At the canteen, Avi met up with Rohan on his lunch break. "I knew you would get the job!" Rohan told Avi. "This is good. We've been with each other since school. Now at work as well."
"Haan yaar!" Avi exclaimed as he then sipped his coffee. Just then, Rohan's phone vibrated again as he got another text message. "Again Rashmi?!" Avi asked Rohan.
"Yep!"
"Why is she so glued to you?!"
"I feel bad for you, Avi."
"Why?"
"Let me tell you something. All our college friends are in relationships now like me...and then there's you."
"Me?!"
"Yes. Single...in the single club. Where you're the only single there!"
"Very funny! I don't care that I don't have a girlfriend!"
"Really?!"
"Well...I mean...okay fine! Maybe it does bother me that all of you guys have girlfriends and I don't!"
"Its okay, Avi. Soon you'll get yourself a sone kudi!"
"Yeah right! Papa and Mama will never let me have a girlfriend! In fact...they'll just wait a few years and eventually put me on shaadi.com and find me a girl."
"And you're okay with that?"
"Like I have a choice! Because I have the cuckoo Punjabi family! So I'll have to wait a while for that."
After lunch, Avi headed back home. As soon as he entered inside the house to the living room, he saw his mom, dad, aunt, uncle, grandma, grandpa, sister, and brother all sitting in the room, looking at him.
"What's going on here?" Avi asked, feeling confused. Avi's dad went up to him with a stern look on his face while Avi backed away, scared. "Kya hai, papa?!" Avi asked. "If its about my job, then yes I got the job!"
Avi's dad still looked at Avi sternly. Avi became a little scared. His eyes beamed. "I know what this is about!" Avi exclaimed, "Dad, I'm sorry! I swear I thought it was orange juice!"
"Not that you idiot!" Avi's dad exclaimed.
"Then what?!" Avi asked.
"Dad has been talking to your friends' parents!" Avi's sister, Manmeet, exclaimed.
"So?" Avi asked.
"They all have been telling me about how your friends have such sweet girlfriends and all!" Avi's dad exclaimed.
"So what, dad?! That's their life! Why can't I be friends with them just because they have girlfriends?!" Avi asked.
"Not that! I'm mad...that you don't have one!" Avi's dad exclaimed.
"HUH?!" Avi said, confused.
"Yes!" Avi's dad exclaimed. "You're of Punjabi blood! Real Punjabis know how to mingle with the ladies! Look at me! Your mum was smitten by me when we were in college!"
"Its true, beta!" Avi's mom added.
"What are you trying to say here?! You're going to put me on shaadi.com?! You're going to contact the panditji about my kunlis! You're going to...ARRANGE MY MARRIAGE?!" Avi cried. "But I'm only twenty two, dad!"
"I know! That's why we have decided to do something else." Avi's dad said.
"What?" Avi asked, scared.
"We...are going to arrange a girlfriend for you." Avi's dad said.
Avi was speechless. He looked at his dad and the family, shocked. Avi let out a deep breath. "I thought you guys are just a simple...a little cuckoo Punjabi family. But I was wrong," Avi said. "You all...are a MAD PUNJABI FAMILY!" Avi then stormed upstairs to his room. "Should I talk to him, Manjeet?" Avi's mom asked Avi's dad.
"It's okay, Parminder. He'll be fine. Now let's get to work." Avi's dad said. Avi got inside his room. He took off his backpack, putting it on the bed. "My family is insane! Arranging a marriage is one thing! But arranging a girlfriend?!" Avi exclaimed. "Unbelievable!"
Edited by meryl97 - 11 years ago
