City of Joy Page #12

HASARI:

I'm sorry, forgive me. It won't

happen again.

SCHOOL GIRL:

We're not going to school today.

You're taking my mother and me tothe Bara Bazar. I'm gettingmarried!

HASARI:

Oh, I am so pleased for you!

Panting helplessly, Hasari smiles... as he helps theSchool Girl's Mother into the rickshaw.

MOTHER:

Good morning, Hasari.

HASARI:

Good morning, missus.

Briskly, he takes up the shafts and sets off.

MOTHER:

Turn right at that corner, Hasari.

HASARI:

It's farther that way, missus.

MOTHER:

No, not really. Turn there,

please.

Obediently, Hasari turns (as Ramatullah, heading theother way, passes; they wave) and Hasari pulls AWAY FROM

us.

EXT. SECOND WEDDING SHOP - DAY

He helps them out of the rickshaw in front of anexpensive-looking bridal shop.

SCHOOL GIRL:

You must remember this shop,

Hasari, when it's your daughter'stime. This is the nicest in the

city.

The Mother gives the School Girl a withering look andhustles her into the shop. Hasari can just barelyhear...

(CONTINUED)

62.

CONTINUED:

MOTHER (O.S.)

Don't say things like that. He's

never going to be able to buyanything here.

ON HASARI:

He watches from outside, a look of determination comingover his face. Suddenly a pair of fingers takes hold ofhis ear, twisting his face painfully.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

Ashoka, with The Goonda and two henchmen, in the b.g.

ASHOKA:

Not working? How will my fathereat this evening?

HASARI:

I was just...

ASHOKA:

You have a daughter?

HASARI:

Yes, Babu.

MARWARI (O.S.)

Rickshaw wallah!

Called to work, Hasari starts for his rickshaw, but

Ashoka hangs on to his ear for another uncomfortablemoment... as he slips a rupee into Hasari's shirt pocket.

ASHOKA:

Keep working. Give this to Sister

Joan and your friend the doctorwhen you go home.

Now he hands Hasari a sealed envelope and turns his earloose. Hasari springs toward his passenger.

INT. EXAMINING ROOM - DAY

Max with his stethoscope to Meeta's baby. Meeta in a

brightly-colored sari and a lot of bracelets and Alokalooks on. Poomina clings to the wall.

(CONTINUED)

63.

CONTINUED:

MAX:

He's just malnourished. Is she

giving him the milk we gave her orselling it?

Aloka asks Meeta in Hindi. Meeta clearly swears she'sgiving the baby the milk. Aloka pushes her.

ALOKA:

Not all. Most.

MAX:

Tell her to give all the milk tothe baby.

Aloka does so as Max bounces the baby, coos to it playfully.

The baby pees all over him. Aloka translates

quickly. Meeta starts apologizing. Poomina can't helplaughing. Max reminds Meeta that that's once for each

of the two weeks of the baby's life. Aloka soothes Meeta

as she hustles her, Poomina, and the baby out, thenquickly begins to wipe Max's face with a clean rag. This

isn't something she's accustomed to doing, but she'sdoing it before she has time to think. Max finds himself

conscious of her closeness to him... and then she becomes

suddenly self-conscious and she backs off, ducks herhead. He peeks up under.

MAX:

Psst.

She looks at him.

MAX:

It's okay.

He smiles. So does she.

EXT. SQUARE - DAY (EARLY EVENING)

Sunil stands outside the clinic, rolling his sleevesdown. Anouar waits at a polite distance. Exhausted but

exhilarated, Max and Aloka emerge with an elderly womanpatient, Max singing Chuck Berry to the woman's embarrassed

delight:
"They're really rockin' in Boston, inPhiladelphia, P.A..." Sunil looks at his American

colleague, smiles a small smile.

SUNIL:

Good night, I'll see you day after

tomorrow.

MAX:

Good night, Sunil.

(CONTINUED)

64.

CONTINUED:

"... Deep in the heart of Texas, around the FriscoBay..." Manooj and Shambu come charging at Max with thesoccer ball, hoping to engage him as a playmate. Hasari

returns home with his rickshaw.

Selima waves at Max, indicates she's cooking dinner.

Joan wanders out of the school as the kids are released

and go charging through the square. Joan has the Pal

kids in hand.

SELIMA:

Very special supper for youtonight, Doctor Big Brother! Will

you stay?

MAX:

Wish I could, Selima, because I'm

sure hungry! Sixteen hours of

pestilence and misery always makeme famished. I have to go with myman Anouar tonight. I've gotlepers to heal!

ANOUAR:

No, no, you know how patient we

are. Eat, eat.

MAX:

(to Aloka)

You're not tired, are you?

ALOKA:

Not if you're not.

Between Hasari and Aloka, there's just a flicker oftension; evidently, this has become Max's (and her)

normal day. But he's also worried about the note from

Ashoka. Joan joins them with the Pal children.

JOAN:

Well, I think we've got three verygood potential scholars here.

Behind the children's backs, she points at Manooj andindicates the kid's really got a head.

JOAN:

Given him some time here, he'll

be good enough for a proper school.

HASARI:

It's more than a father could hope.

(CONTINUED)

65.

CONTINUED:

MAX:

Fifteen years from now: Miami,

Florida, Dr. Manooj Pal, inassociation with Dr. Maxwell Loeb.

For a moment, Hasari is swept up in this little reverie,

then remembers reality.

HASARI:

(giving her the note)

From the godfather's son. For youand the doctor.

Amidst instant concern, Joan opens the envelope. Looks

at Max. We hear the sound of BANGLADESH MUSIC.

INT. GODFATHER'S "THRONE ROOM" - OLD RADIO - DAY

The MUSIC is of days gone by, playing on an old RADIO.

Sticks of burning incense send off trails of smoke. The

godfather, MR. GHATAK, Looking infirm, wipes a tear fromhis eye.

GHATAK:

Acha!

Now we see Max and Joan seated on cushions before the

godfather, tea in hand. Max catches a glimpse in ananteroom of several thugs with several young girls, oneof whom is Poomina. She catches a glimpse of Max as shedisappears past a door. A moment later, her head peeksaround the door frame. She brings her hands together.

ASHOKA (O.S.)

You!

Poomina quickly disappears. Max's attention is pulledback to the godfather...

GHATAK:

I understand that you're interestedin expanding your clinic and freeschool, and that you intend tostart treating lepers in the Cityof Joy.

JOAN:

We'd like to better serve the

entire community, Mr. Ghatak.

(CONTINUED)

66.

CONTINUED:

GHATAK:

Of course. That's very good.

Admirable. And we'd be pleased torent you suitable space. But youmust understand that certain

payments will go up.

JOAN:

I understand the rent would have

to go up if we rent largerquarters from you, Mr. Ghatak, butwhy should we have to pay moreprotection?

GHATAK:

More people, more potentialtrouble. Strangers. If I don't

charge you, what will I tellothers?

JOAN:

But we can't afford it!

GHATAK:

Surely if you can expand, you can

pay more.

Joan throws up her hands -- how do you reason with thisman?

MAX:

Am I stupid, but isn't thisprotection money money we'repaying you to protect us from you?

GHATAK:

We live in chaotic times, Miss

Bethel, Doctor. I control the

City of Joy and maintain it as amodel of harmony. It's a miracle,

but a very fragile miracle.

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