The Hippie Trail

Chapter 5 - Miranda from Germany

INT. JAIPUR RAILWAY STATION-LATE MORNING
The train reaches Jaipur.
The duo alight at the station. VINAY looks sick and constipated.

THOMAS 

That wasn't so bad, was it?

VINAY 

Don't speak a word more. I need to find a public toilet. Fast.

THOMAS (laughing) 

But the ones on the train are better.

VINAY looks at him with shock.

THOMAS (laughing) 

All right, all right, relax. I was just kidding. Head over to that waiting room.

VINAY runs towards the waiting room. THOMAS waits outside and sees a foreign woman bargaining with a taxi driver. Curious he walks closer to them.

The foreigner is MIRANDA (23 YO CAUCASIAN WITH BROWN HAIR), a half-German, half-Indian girl.

She is traveling solo.

MIRANDA (in English) 

That's a lot of money mister. Just tell me the bus route. I can handle it myself.

MAN (picking his teeth) 

Madam, it's not safe to travel alone so far.

MIRANDA 

I'll decide that. 

VINAY comes running out of the men's waiting room and walks towards THOMAS.

VINAY 

Bro, give me 5 rupees change. Fast, fast. I can't control it anymore. Oh God, I'm having stomach cramps.

THOMAS gives him the change and VINAY hurries off once more to the waiting room. 

MIRANDA who overhears them, walks towards THOMAS.

MIRANDA (in broken Malayalam) 

Are you a malayalee?

THOMAS (stammering) 

Yes. How do you know ......

MIRANDA (smiling) 

Hi, I'm Miranda. I'm half mallu... isn't that what you call yourselves? My mom is German. Dad from Tiruvalla.

THOMAS 

Oh, that's nice.

MIRANDA (extending her hand) 

I overheard you guys speak malayalam..so... I can understand a little of the language. Pappa taught me a bit.

THOMAS