~Stuck~

The shoot was done, we went home. Evermean was not really speaking to me or even looking at me. I liked it that way better. We got home and I asked again, Did you talk about your payments? Uh, yeah. I have a meeting at the office tomorrow to see about that. He said. I knew what we were into already, it’s very third world to keep people guessing about their money. Sometimes they keep you guessing forever.

The next day came, I was awakened by the classic, knock knock…madam? Tosht? Papaya? It was Bachu, asking if we wanted breakfast. I was gonna miss him when we left, I thought.

Yes Bachu! Papaya and Tosht! Which in English means toast. Later that afternoon Troy went to the office to see about his money again, but this time in person. I waited for about four hours, going out of my mind in that apartment. It felt like jail. I wonder if this is what it’s like being in jail? I thought. I watched TV, old Bollywood movies. Well, actually I couldn’t tell when they were from, even the new ones look old. It’s like a time warp in that place. It’s unbelievable to me that one of the oldest civilizations on earth can be so far behind on everything, everything. As they say. Wouldn’t it have to be the opposite? Wouldn’t the older civilizations have to be more advanced due to the fact that they have had longer to work on their societies and technology? Anyway, Troy came home finally around 5 pm. I was asleep by then watching Oprah and longing for a return ticket home. He walked in the door and looked happy.

I was excited to hear the good news. Which went something like this:

T: Hi Bear…

SH: Hi. So what happened?

T: Oh it’s all good… It was all a big misunderstanding. I told them you are helping me, they are very grateful for that. They are even paying for your plane ticket. They were really happy to hear that we’re almost done with the first cut.

SH: That’s cool. So what about the deposit?

T: Well, yeah I mean they’re gonna pay. It’s just been hard since 9/11 for them.

My face started turning a light shade of red….

T: I mean, they are having such a hard time making transfers.

SH: Yeah I noticed, its been 5 weeks….

T: Yeah, and they also said we do owe them money…so That’ s also why they haven’t deposited. They need the receipts you were supposed to bring to the office so they can figure out how much we owe them.

SH: We owe them? WE OWE THEM??? I can’t believe these people. I have been paying for the food for this apartment and it’s entire 6 people crew for weeks now!!! How do I owe them money? They have never paid the per diem they were supposed to! I have brought them receipts each week! They lose them…Troy, can’t you see what they’re doing?

T: Calm down. It’s gonna be fine. They offered me a Directing gig next year. If everything goes well, I will be Directing for them in a few months.

My stomach flipped upside down. Was he serious? He wanted to stay in India for another year? I looked at him. And my own personal Evermean came out.

SH: Yei, you get to direct a movie for free!!! How exciting!

T: You don’t have to be a bitch about it. It’ a great opportunity.

SH: Yeah, I know. To Direct an Indian film for free sounds amazing.

Troy looked at me and left the room. I sat in bed wondering what the fuck I was doing on the other side of the world broke and trapped. How did I get myself to this place? I wanted to leave. I left the room and went to the office. I sat down and said: I want to go home. I’m not happy here. I don’t want to live here for another year. But I don’t want to leave you. I thought you said you were going to quit? We can go home and start over.

How, he asked. We have no money, no job. At least here I have this job and the chance that they will pay me the 30,000 pounds they owe me. We don’t even have money for the return tickets.

True. We didn’t have enough money for our ride home. Fuck. We were stuck.