Rajesh Learns About Name-Calling
PLAY 6
Rajesh Learns About Name-Calling
Rajesh: This is a terrible, horrible, very bad day. Everything is terrible.
Nutan: What is bothering you?
Rajesh: That’s none of your business, you nosy Miss Know-It-All. What has gotten into you so that you are snooping around?
Nutan: Well, I just thought I’d ask.
Rajesh: You girls are a bunch of dummies. All you want to do is bother the boys and ask questions.
Nutan: Rajesh, You are being very rude.
Rajesh: Where did you come from? Outer space? You look like a fruit cake and a weirdo.
Nutan: You know the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
Rajesh: Well, that’s because you have a fat head. A fat, thick head like a donkey.
Nutan: What an awful thing to say.
Rajesh: Can’t you tell, you have made me mad. Just leave me alone. You creep!
Nutan: I can certainly see that you are mad. What are you so mad about? Maybe I can be of help.
Rajesh: I am mad at Ram. He makes me so angry.
Nutan: Did he hurt you?
Rajesh: He really hurt my feelings. He has a lot of nerve doing this to me.
Nutan: What on earth happened?
Rajesh: Ram called me a lousy name. Ram called me a yellow chicken.
Nutan: Is that what hurt your feelings?
Rajesh: It sure did. Wouldn’t that hurt your feelings?
Nutan: Well one day, one of my friends called me a fruit cake, a weirdo, and a creep all in the same day. He also said I was as dumb as a donkey.
Rajesh: All in the same day? You must be kidding me.
Nutan: I don’t kid about something like that. It happened all in one day.
Rajesh: I think I would have punched him out. Did you?
Nutan: No, I didn’t do that.
Rajesh: I would have kicked his teeth out and pulled his hair, too. Did you?
Nutan: No, I didn’t do that either.
Rajesh: Well, it looks like he deserved something awful. Who is he? I will tell him a thing or two. I will take real good care of him for you.
Nutan: Rajesh, you know this boy.
Rajesh: Who is it? I will knock out his lights. Tell me who?
Nutan: It was you, Rajesh. Just a few minutes ago, you called me all of those names.
Rajesh: Why didn’t you get mad like I did? I am really sorry.
Nutan: I learned a long time ago in our Jain study class not to worry about such things. I didn’t think they were true. So, I didn’t get mad. Plus, by getting mad we get bad karmas and that will bring us more suffering.
Rajesh: So, you won’t even try to get even with me?
Nutan: No, Rajesh. Name calling and things like that are not good for our souls.
Rajesh: Oh, I see. Jains do not call people nerds, creeps, or pig face.
Nutan: We learned in Jain school not to call anyone stupid or a fool.
Rajesh: Jains can’t be Jain if they do not follow the Jain principles shown by Lord Mahavir. So, I am just an ugly toad.
Nutan: Now look at what you have done. You have called yourself a name now.
Rajesh: I guess I am hopeless.
Nutan: The next time when someone calls you a name, don’t get mad about it. That way you will not get hurt.
Rajesh: Well, I will try that, Nutan.
Nutan: You will definitely have to watch your own tongue. Don’t get mad at others. Don’t call them bad names.
Rajesh: You are absolutely right! I will try to do better. You have helped me so much that I just have to call you one more name.
Nutan: Rajesh, No! No! No!
Rajesh: Yes, I have to.
Nutan: What do you want to call me now? Liver lips or fat face?
(Rajesh shakes his head no).
Rajesh: No, I just want to call you Nutan the Great!
Nutan: I like that better than all the other names you called me earlier. Thanks a lot Rajesh.
Rajesh: No problem, you are simply Miss Nice and Wonderful. This is fun. Rajesh is my name. Calling people nice names is the game from now on. Isn’t that right, Nutan the Wonderful One?
Nutan: Yes, Sweety Dumpling.
Rajesh: OOPS, this is backfiring. Miss Wonderful.
Nutan: I knew that would quieten you down. Sweety Dumpling.