EPISODE 17-“Suspicions”
Written by ADONG Lucy Judith
SCENE I
LOCATION: JJINGO’S HOME-EVENING
B/G SFX: SOFT LOVEY DOVEY MUSIC
CHARACTERS: JJINGO, TEDDY
MILDRED: (AS NARRATOR) It’s always best to speak your mind – or so they say. But it’s not always easy. Jjingo and Teddy had been in a relationship for slightly over a year. But they still felt unsure about how committed they really were to each other. And like so many couples I deal with, they feared that if they really said what was on their minds their relationship would never survive!
TEDDY: (DRINKS) I love our quiet evenings together Jjingo. Just the two of us.
JJINGO: No, you don’t, Teddy.
TEDDY: Of course I do. Why don’t you think so?
JJINGO: You just never struck me as a quiet evening girl.
TEDDY: Well, I admit I like a party (WARM, SEXY VOICE) but then I met someone that I love staying home with.
JJINGO: You are really serious?
TEDDY: Yes, I am, Jjingo.
JJINGO: I thought you would get so bored with a quiet life with me that you would pack up and leave.
TEDDY: Pack up and leave? To where?
JJINGO: A more noisy life. With Laura perhaps…
TEDDY: That’s silly. Although now that you mention it, Laura just invited me for her kasiki…
JJINGO: Oh, oh. You know that girl is nothing but trouble. A bad influence…
TEDDY: I have never argued with you about that.
JJINGO: That doesn’t stop you hanging out with her.
TEDDY: I hardly ever hang out with her these days, Jjingo! I was even surprised to receive an invite from her after all this time. What do you want me to say? Yes honey, Laura is such trouble.
JJINGO: That’s not funny, Teddy. (STING IN HIS WORDS) You think I don’t know that Laura always wanted you to marry Ronnie instead of me.
TEDDY: (SIGHS) I don’t control Laura’s thoughts, Jjingo, and she’s never influenced me. I am here with you, aren’t I?
JJINGO: Yes. But she is so important to you that you keep on talking about her – and why don’t you just say it? You can’t wait to end your quiet evenings with me and go to her kasiki.
TEDDY: That’s not true. I haven’t seen her for ages, Jjingo. And she is still my friend, from long ago! And I can’t exactly say no to her invite. Plus if it’s any consolation, it is an all girl party.
JJINGO: Fine, Teddy. It’s okay. You can go.
TEDDY: Really?
JJINGO: Yes. Really. But you should know Laura is not really the definition of a good friend. She said a lot of nasty things when we first started going out.
TEDDY: Laura is like that with everybody.
JJINGO: Exactly. That’s why I say she is not a good friend. She can’t be trusted.
TEDDY: Okay, I don’t have to go to this party if it bothers you that much. I can tell Laura that...that I have to be somewhere with my man, Jjingo bell.
JJINGO: No, no. Go. It’s fine. I was just... just teasing...yes, teasing you a bit.
TEDDY: (UNCONVINCED) Really Jjingo.
SFX: MUSIC TRANSITION UP AND SLOWLY FADES OUT
SCENE II
LOCATION: LAURA’S KASIKI-NIGHT
B/G SFX LOUD MUSIC
CHARACTERS: TEDDY, LAURA, FAITH, EMILY, AND GIRLY CROWD
SFX: LOUD LADIES’ CHEERS AND EXCITEMENT
EMILY: That’s 10 points for Laura and 15 for Teddy.
GIRLS: CHEERS AND EXCITEMENT.
LAURA: You haven’t lost your touch, Teddy.
TEDDY: No, I haven’t, Laura.
EMILY: And now is time for marriage advice to the bride. Last person to sit, starts.
SFX: COMMOTION AS THEY TAKE THE COUCH TO SIT!
GIRLS: (CALL OUT TO EMILY WHO SAT LAST TO START) Emily. Emily.
EMILY: (GETS UP) Okay. So, here is my advice to you, Laura. Have a standby groom in case the real groom doesn’t turn up. (THEY LAUGH AND CHEER)
FAITH: That’s so Emily.
EMILY: I am just saying, girls. You don’t want all the preparations to go to waste. (MORE CHEERS)
LAURA: (TWIRLING) Ladies, do I look like the kind of girl to be stood up? (THEY LAUGH AND CHEER SOME MORE)
TEDDY: I guess it’s my turn now. Tell your cameraman to record him saying the vow... just in case you need it for proof later (THEY ALL BURST OUT LAUGHING)
LAURA: That’s soooo Teddy! (THEY MOVE AWAY FROM MIC A BIT AND TALK INTIMATELY, AWAY FROM THE OTHERS) This so reminds me of the old days, Teddy.
TEDDY: (OFF MIC A BIT) I know, Laura.
LAURA: (OFF MIC A BIT) I am so glad you could get time off Jjingo.
TEDDY: Me too.
LAURA: Really?
TEDDY: Yeah, we haven’t got together and done girly things in ages.
LAURA: I know.
TEDDY: And to think I almost did not come.
LAURA: What? Why?
TEDDY: Nothing important. Let’s just enjoy the moment.
LAURA: Don’t tell me… Jjingo.
TEDDY: Well, he wasn’t all that happy about me coming…
LAURA: What’s his problem this time, Teddy?
TEDDY: Hey, give the man a break. You can’t exactly blame him considering all the stuff you pulled off in your campaign for me to hitch up with Ronnie.
LAURA: You must admit Jjingo was always... (SHE MEANS TO SAY, BORING) never mind.
TEDDY: Always what, Laura? Say it.
LAURA: Nothing.
TEDDY: No, just go ahead and say it.
EMILY: (ON MIC, CALLING OUT TO TEDDY AND LAURA IN A HUDDLE) Ladies… No secrets there, uh?
LAURA: (CALLING BACK) Okay!! (STILL IN CLOSE CONVERSATION WITH TEDDY; MOVE TOWARD MIC) We all know Jjingo is full of insecurities, Teddy.
TEDDY: (ON MIC) He is just a little jealous, Laura.
LAURA: (ON MIC) A little?
FAITH: Seriously girlfriends, can we turn back to our advice game here? We were having so much fun.
TEDDY: No Faith. Let Laura and I iron this out today.
EMILY: Iron what?
TEDDY: Her attitude towards Jjingo.
LAURA: I have no attitude towards Jjingo!
TEDDY: Yes you do. So maybe he is a lot jealous, so what? He loves me and that’s what is important.
LAURA: (MUTTERS) With his looks, he would be a fool not to love you.
TEDDY: What?
LAURA: You want us to iron this out? Yes, let’s iron everything out. Jjingo is not your type. We all thought you were bewitched or something. Don’t look at me like that. Ask them if you don’t believe me.
EMILY: (TIMIDLY) He’s a little kind of not your type?
LAURA: See? They all agree… Ronnie is your man, Teddy!
EMILY: Whoa! Ronnie was IT! I mean is IT!
FAITH: Emily!
TEDDY: It’s okay, Faith. That’s what Emily thinks…
FAITH: Well, what Emily thinks is one thing. You’ve already made up your mind about Jjingo.
EMILY: Still… If a guy like Ronnie so much as made a mistake to smile at me, I would stick on him like the ticks and put together a quick wedding. (THEY LAUGH)
TEDDY: (UPSET) I can’t believe you. You all think Ronnie is such a great deal, don’t you?
EMILY: Speaking for myself, he is a pretty awesome deal!
TEDDY: Looks are not everything. Do you know how many times I caught your Ronnie cheating on me? Red-handed!
FAITH: What? We thought you guys were the perfect couple, Teddy.
EMILY: Well, I’d give him enough of a good time that he never cheated on me!
FAITH: Emily!
TEDDY: (UPSET) Oh sure, Emily, if he is sleeping with half the village!
FAITH: Ladies, can we forget about this Ronnie and all?
TEDDY: I don’t care what you all say: Jjingo is good to me.
LAURA: (MISCHIEVOUS) Well, you know what they say, girlfriends… A good man is hard to find, but a hard man is good to find.
EMILY AND OTHERS HOOT WITH LAUGHTER
FAITH: What is it with you, Laura? Can you leave Teddy alone?
OTHERS: COMMOTION
TEDDY: (REALLY HURT, DEFENSIVE) What none of you even begin to imagine is what it’s like being with a guy like Ronnie! He made me feel terrible about myself….and he put my life at risk!
EVERYBODY SHOCKED INTO SILENCE. THE PARTY SPIRIT GETS A DEATH BLOW
FAITH: Look, sorry Teddy… let’s all just get back to our advice for the bride, okay?
TEDDY: (MOVING OFF MIC, HURT) I have to go. Jjingo must be waiting for me.
LAURA: (FOLLOWING LAURA) Come on, Teddy, don’t be like that. This is not you. You are a party animal and you will always be that.
TEDDY: Don’t ever presume to know me better than I know myself, Laura. Enjoy your kasiki and have a great marriage.
SFX: SHE CLOSES THE DOOR
EMILY: Wow! What’s got into Teddy?
SFX: MUSIC TRANSITION UP AND FADE UNDER NARRATION
MILDRED: (NARRATING) And so Teddy went home to Jjingo. But getting home early didn’t solve her problems. Because Jjingo now felt he was entitled to some late nights and fun out and about with his friends…
SCENE III
LOCATION: JJINGO AND TEDDY’S HOME-NIGHT
B/G SFX: FROGS AND CRICKETS CHIRPING
CHARACTERS: JJINGO AND TEDDY
SFX: A RADIO PLAYS IN THE LOUNGE
JJINGO: (OFF MIC) SINGING IN A DRUNKEN STATE OUTSIDE
SFX: DOOR OPENS AS JJINGO COMES IN, CLOSES THE DOOR. HE STOPS SINGING
TEDDY: (ANGRY) I can’t believe you are just coming back.
JJINGO: (ON MIC) I left the party early, Teddy love…
TEDDY: (CROSS) It’s coming to midnight, Jjingo.
SFX: SHE TURNS OFF THE RADIO
JJINGO: I was just trying to enjoy the freedom that you enjoy whenever you feel like it.
TEDDY: And what is that supposed to mean?
JJINGO: You go out with your friends and get completely pissed and it’s all fine. Just fine.
TEDDY: Me! This is the second time in a week you have gone out and come back late and knocked out.
JJINGO: Oh please! I am just making up for lost times here. Besides, what is so wrong about going out with friends?
TEDDY: I just don’t want you trashed, Jjingo, and hitting the disco…
JJINGO: For goodness sake, me and my friends just drink. Nothing else. Okay, we got a little rowdy a few nights ago, it’s true, and ended up at the disco, but nothing happened!
TEDDY: And you say I have friends that are a bad influence!
JJINGO: Laura is no doubt a bad influence. Yes.
TEDDY: Laura never took me to a night disco.
JJINGO: It’s just dancing, Teddy. It can’t be that harmful can it now?
TEDDY: It starts with just dancing. Then just dancing becomes just kissing and before you know it, oops I slept with her!
JJINGO: You are the one to say that! You still see your old boyfriend!
TEDDY: That is a lie and you know it!
JJINGO: It’s not a lie and you know it too.
TEDDY: What is this? Are you spying on me now?
JJINGO: So you are not denying it?
TEDDY: I can’t believe am with someone who doesn’t trust me.
JJINGO: Oh don’t you dare play the trust card on me!
TEDDY: And don’t you dare turn me into the unfaithful wife...uh...girlfriend here!
SFX: SILENCE
TEDDY: BURST OUT LAUGHING, LOUD AND HEARTY
JJINGO: And what is so funny?
TEDDY: (AMIDST LAUGH) It just occurred to me, Jjingo.
JJINGO: What?
TEDDY: We just had our first fight.
JJINGO: Yes. You are right. We just did. (LAUGHS)
TEDDY: JOINS IN
TEDDY/JJINGO: I am sorry, honey. (THEY LAUGH)
SFX: SILENCE
JJINGO: Listen honey, do you ever think about us? Where this...where we are going... about what we are doing together…
TEDDY: Yes. Sometimes. Maybe. But please let’s not talk about it now. You’re drunk, and we’ll just argue.
JJINGO: Argue! You’re a fine one to talk about arguing. You love arguing…
SFX: MUSIC TRANSITION UP AND SLOWLY FADES OUT
MILDRED: (AS NARRATOR) And just like that, Jjingo and Teddy moved from a little misunderstanding to jealousies and insecurities that stirred up so many doubts about their relationship. Jjingo even went to see his brother.
SCENE IV
LOCATION: JAMES’S HOME, KRAAL-DAY
B/G SFX: COWS MOWING AND GOATS BLEATING
CHARACTERS: JAMES, JJINGO
JJINGO: Hey, James… Sarah told me I could find you out here.
JAMES: Hello, Jjingo, big bro, good to see you.
JJINGO: Good to see you too, James. I am surprised you are in the kraal in this raging sun.
JAMES: I had to go out earlier this morning because Sarah had antenatal at the health centre. So I only came out here at noon.
JJINGO: You stopped working so Sarah could go to the clinic?
JAMES: Sure. I went with her.
JJINGO: Since when do men go for antenatal, little bro?
JAMES: You know me, Jjingo – unconventional. Since I am expecting my first-born child, I want to be a part of the experience.
JJINGO: Don’t tell me you are becoming a softy?
JAMES: I help cows when they calve. I help goats when they have kids. Surely I have to help my wife when she is about to have a baby!
JJINGO: That’s real true love for you, uh?
JAMES: And how is yours? I should be asking you: how is the honeymoon bed?
JJINGO: I don’t know, little brother. After a year it just seems we are still floating.
JAMES: What do you mean floating?
JJINGO: I mean, look at you. You are married… expecting a baby and all. And as I am the older brother, I guess I expected to be ahead of you by now.
JAMES: (LIGHTLY) Quit competing, bro! Don’t let my life drive yours. Everything in its own time! The most important thing is if you are happy.
JJINGO: I don’t even know about that anymore.
JAMES: You don’t know if you’re happy?
JJINGO: I am. But it doesn’t feel like I’ve settled down, even after a year. I want to start a family and all.
JAMES: Then just go for it, Jjingo.
JJINGO: I wish it were that simple.
JAMES: What’s wrong?
JJINGO: I am beginning to have my doubts.
JAMES: Your doubts about what?
JJINGO: Teddy. Am not sure she is the one… to settle down with, start a family.