Tea and Trials: A Journey of Friendship and Resilience

Scene 1: The Tea Shop

A small tea shop. Four friends sit at a table, dressed in formals. They sip tea, cracking jokes to hide their disappointment.

Friend 1: (grinning) Do you know when I told that HR guy I'm a fast learner?

Friend 2: (laughing) Oh, man, he looked as if you said you were a superhero.

Friend 3: ( mock-serious) Maybe you should have said, "My superpower is surviving unemployment!"

Friend 4: (dramatic) Forget that. They asked me, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" I said, "Here, sipping tea with these losers!"

(They burst out laughing, but the laughter fades quickly as reality sets in.)

Friend 1: (sighing) Honestly, though, how many more rejections can we take?

Friend 2: (nodding) Yeah, they didn't even bother looking at my resume. Just smiled and said, "We'll let you know."

Friend 4: Now I have to go home and declare to my parents, once again, that I failed.

Friend 3: (stirring tea) My dad doesn’t even ask anymore. Just gives me that “You’re wasting your life” look.

(The tea vendor, overhearing, approaches with a grin.)

Tea Vendor: You boys are back! What’s the occasion today? Another job hunt adventure?

Friend 1: (sarcastic) Yeah, another day, another rejection.

Tea Vendor: Life’s like my tea. Bitter at first, but it gets better if you keep stirring.

Friend 2: (laughing) Uncle, we’ve been stirring for years now. Where’s the sweetness?

Tea Vendor: (chuckling) Patience, boys. Even tea doesn’t brew in a second.

Friend 3: (teasing) That’s deep, uncle. You should start a motivational podcast!

Friend 4: Oh i got my rapido oder i should go guys see you next week!

Friend 3: (sighing dramatically) "Me too, maga. Some chikkappa has landed at home, and now I need to go give one Oscar-level performance on 'Why I'm still jobless.' You know these relatives, no? They ask questions like HR only!" (rolls eyes, making the others burst into laughter.)

All of them : byee…

They laugh again, the mood lightened for a moment)

Scene 2: Another Day, Another Struggle A week later, the friends meet at the tea shop again. Their clothes are casual, and the mood is lighter, though their struggles persist.

Friend 2: (grinning) Guess what? I got an email today.

Friend 1: (excited) Did you finally land a job?

Friend 2: Nope. It was spam. They wanted me to buy a lucky charm for “guaranteed success.”

Friend 4: (laughing) Maybe we should buy one for all of us. Group discount?

Friend 3: (smirking) Or better, let’s pool our money and open a shop right next to uncle’s. Call it “Rejected & Proud.”

Tea Vendor: (walking over) That’s a great name, but do you boys even know how to make tea?

Friend 1: (pretending to think) Boil water, toss in some tea leaves, done. How hard can it be?

Tea Vendor: (mock-scolding) If it’s that easy, why are you drinking my tea?

Friend 2: (grinning) Because your tea comes with free life advice.

Tea Vendor: (smiling) Here’s more advice: start something. It won’t be easy, but it’s better than sitting here complaining.

Friend 4: (teasing) So what you’re saying is, misery loves chai?

(They laugh again, but there’s a hint of seriousness as they consider his words.)

Scene 3: The Harsh Truth (A few weeks later. The same tea shop. The friends sit together, visibly defeated. They sip tea quietly, their earlier jokes replaced with a heavy silence.)

Friend 1: (softly) Tried freelancing. The client disappeared without paying.

Friend 2: I pitched a startup idea. They laughed. Said it wasn’t “practical.”

Friend 4: My bike broke down last week. I had to borrow money to repair it.

Friend 3: My dad’s pension can barely cover expenses. And here I am, adding to the burden.

The tea vendor watches from a distance, hesitant to interrupt. After a moment, he approaches.

Tea Vendor: Boys, I know it’s hard. But giving up isn’t the answer.

Friend 2: (tiredly) Then what is, uncle?

Tea Vendor: (after a pause) I don’t know. But as long as you’re breathing, there’s still a chance. Maybe not today, but someday.

Tea Vendor: Life’s like chai, boys. Bitter at first, but it gets better if you keep stirring.

Friend 2: Easy for you to say. You’ve got a shop.

Tea Vendor: (chuckling) You think it was easy? My first few years, people barely came. I’d sit here all day with no customers.

Friend 3: So why didn’t you give up?

Tea Vendor: Because giving up won’t solve anything. You just take it one step at a time, even if it’s slow.

Friend 4: again… we think practically we were taught how to solve existing problems with different solutions but we werent taught how to solve problems which do not have an answer… all we know is how to write a code using c, c++, python and java but we don't have to boil tea or to start a business…we get it life is hard but why only us?

Tea Vendor: I know boys' lives are hard so now drink the tea before it gets cold and I know you will figure something out.

The friends nod, though their expressions remain grim. They sip their tea in silence, the weight of their struggles still heavy, but the tea vendor’s words offer a faint glimmer of comfort.