LEVON

The following is another extract from the incomplete “LEVON.”  Kairsy’s father, Kaikoobad is a meek businessman while his brother, Rusi is an eccentric literati in love with abusive language. The scene takes place on a Sunday morning when the arrival of the milkman disturbs Rusi’s weekend sleep.

Dinshaw

Kairsy stubbed out his cigarette and again looked at his watch;  8:10 and 6:10.  6:10 Sunday morning in Karachi.  With a chuckle, he visualised the typical Sunday morning screaming, shouting and boom-bararas.  As usual, Rusi Kaka must, at that very moment, be abusing the poor milkman in the most fowl and base language implying the bichara doodhwala’s promptness on his incestuous relationships with his sisters and mother.

“It is because you are a bhainchode that you come at six in the morning and ruin my sleep, you madarchode.”  The milkman had got used to such abuse, for, he had been coming to their house every morning for over the last twenty years now and always on the dot of six-ten.  Even after having to put up with the slanderous tongue every Sunday, he still ceased never to restrict himself from his punctuality, the three loud rhythmic taps on the front door and the clanking sound of the ladle against the milk container.  Kaikoobad would often, politely and softly, tell his younger brother to calm down and not use such el-fel language at such a peaceful time of the day.  Rusi, though, somehow showed a more compassionate attitude towards the milkman on weekdays and would jokingly and affectionately tell him, “you swine, you are what Shakespeare calls, a bloody cock” and then taking on a more eloquent tone would add, “that is the trumpet to the morn.”