One by one all the workers left the garage. Manav was least interested in going home. Why wudn't he… again all that tension, sadness, disputes, nagging, and no one who wud be waiting for him lovingly. Still he looked at the clock, and after working some more decided to call it a day. Thoughtfully he wiped his hands on the rag. Thoughtfully he cleaned his face. Thoughtfully he cleared the place. Thoughtfully he looked at Bappa's idol in the corner. Thoughtfully he closed the lockers and his office. Thoughtfully he switched off the lights. Thoughtfully he brought down the shutters of the garage. Finally he went home.
As soon as he left, all the vehicles and tools started talking.
Mercedez: I hate this slow poke… he does each job so slowly and mindlessly as if he has all the time in the world… no value for others sleep at all… disturbing me with all the noise and light.. Whacko!!
Pliers: You are frustrated cos of the lights and sounds… think about me… he works 20 out of 24 hours everyday and makes me work too.. at the end of the day, I'm tired as hell. No other mechanic here works so hard.
Wrench: Its just like earlier… when he used to keep working hard till late at night to support his family.. no rest for us at all…
Screw driver: How desperately we used to pray..'Bappa, either make him rich or get him married. In either case he will go home early and we will all have some peace.'
Sander: And finally Bappa heard us.. I liked that girl Archu..
Plier: Kya din they yaar.. he used to go home early so that he could take his lovely wife out for movies or pav-bhaji. He finished his work sooner so he could be with her.
Sander: He used to humm happily at work.. such entertainment for us.. He was always smiling and joking with Chhotu.
Wrench: I remember once when his wife came here… she touched me with her soft hands… it was so sweet to feel something nice for a change after the roughness we are subjected to everyday.
Plier: I liked it when I came to know she respected the labour he put in to get the money… indirectly she gave us respect for the work we help him do everyday.
Sander: God, they used to be so lovey-dovey, I used to close my eyes blushing, expecting some close moments any minute.
Plier: Manav used to stop working and keep staring at her when she used to come.. we used to get breaks. I was so excited when I came to know he wud be going for his honeymoon… I was planning for some rest.
Sander: Arey I was hoping for a kid to come into the picture.. then Manav wud have started taking holidays on Sundays too… it wud have been so nice to see a kid in the garage.
Together: But all our dreams were destroyed.
Plier: And today, even though he is married and richer than before… we are subjected to incessant slogging by him cos His Highness doesn't want to go home.
Wrench: His family doesn't help.. they just want him to earn more.. Sachin's America dreams, Vandu's marriage…
Tool box: What irritates me is that he is always lost… does each job so slowly, I feel like pouring cold water on his head..
Sander: I guess he misses his wife… he is lost in her thoughts all the time, all that sadness, grief, future insecurity.
Rest of them: Then why torture us.. go to your wife!!!
Wrench: At least his behavior right now is better than in those days when the police complaint was made… he was angry and hurt, he banged us about as if he had a right to break us cos his heart is broken.
Sander: And in this process he hurt himself too… I have blood on my hands cos of him… still get nightmares…boohoo!! And every other day, there was some or other emotional drama in the garage which reminded me of sappy TV serials.
Claw Hammer: After Sachin's death, he didn't even eat properly, kept on drowning himself in work, I also had to work on empty stomach.
Toolbox: He frustrates me to no end… he keeps thinking all day.. always lost… what does he think??
Screwdriver: He cannot think… his mind is too muddled… he just tries to think… sometimes when he uses me, I feel like saying 'Dude, you need to tighten the screw of your brain first.'
Claw hammer: Awww… have a heart… poor guy is probably in depression, he has gone through a lot. He's trying to handle it all as best as he can. Anything more and he'll end up having a nervous breakdown as well.
(Everyone felt guilty)
Bike: We sympathize, but why shud we all suffer cos of him?
Wrench: We love him too… we have known him for so many years now. He's sweet, he respects his job and does not damage the tools. He knows that we are the source of his bread and butter. We do so much for him… we never minded when he worked overtime to get something special for his wife… at that time we supported him.
Maruti Suzuki: We used our contacts with other vehicles to get every vehicle damaged near his garage only.. Ashwin, that rascal pimp, Satish, everyone's cars always ended up coming up to his garage. Warna Mumbai mein kya ek hi garage hai? Because of us, Manav became a hero.
Bike: The entire vehicle community bore his insult silently… he never accepted any vehicle and gave his love and attention to it…. Sachin travelled on bikes, Manav always travelled in local trains only.
Screwdriver: Well, he is getting married again and will be richer after marriage too… maybe he won't stay up for long here then.
Wrench: Oh come on! You know him well… you expect him to go home early to share the same bedroom that he shared with Archu with that Shravani.. sheer torture! For all I know.. he might start sleeping in the garage itself… what if he snores.. more torture for us..!
Jack: Days will be more dreary, nights will be long and lonely… no happiness for Manav and all of us. He doesn't love that girl… nor does that girl love him. Better not expect any sweet moments in the garage at all.
Claw hammer: He'll be owner of 2 garages.. he'll probably make the others work harder too saying 'Zimmedariyan badh gayi hai meri… ameer baap ki bigadi beti ko khush rakhna padega na..!'
Wrench: Oh no! Bappa help!! Manav should not get richer or married to Shravani.
Screwdriver: We have to do something now… paani sir se upar chadh gaya hai.
Bike: I suggest… go on a strike… if that Manav guys business shuts shop and he becomes poor Girishji wont send his daughter to him.
Mercedez: I'll use my contacts and get Girishji's car to stop with a damage outside the garage.. Girishji should come and see how lost Manav is and how mechanical his life is without the love of his life.
Maruti Suzuki: Hey! I'm going home tomorrow morning… shud I bump that shravani girl???
Everyone: Yes… she looks dead anyway, and she has become brain dead long back.
Wrench: Don't kill the child, if the child lives but shravani dies Manav will have to take greater care of it and give it extra love and attention so he'll go home earlier.. his mood will change and he'll not be so lost and thoughtful. Good for all of us!!
Jack : All that is ok, but how to get Archu back in his life... right now he needs her more than anything else... she is his medicine.
Screwdriver: Shud I tighten his loose screws??
Battery: The next time he touches me, I'll give him a shock that will jolt him up!
Claw hammer: No I'll tell you what… I'll wait for my chance and hammer him down the head one day.. he'll lose his memory, he'll forget all his reasons to be angry with Archu… Archu will come running to hospital, he will see her, he will fall in love with her again!!!
Everyone: Perfect, Shravani get ready to die… Manav get ready to lose your memory… Archu… welcome back!!
So everyone, don't be surprised if Shravni has an accident tomorrow or Manav loses his memory, cos a rebellion has started in Mr. Manav Deshmukh's garage.
