Chapter 14
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~~~~~~~~ Ek Mulaqat Mukhtasar Si ~~~~~~~~~
"arrrey bhai dhyaan se...uss me meri kaanch ki dish set hai toot jayegi. araam se uthaaye..." bua ji folds her forehead with frustration. She has been packing for more than a week now and the whole process is really taking a toll on her! Bauji has gone to pick up the van for removal services. Nupur has been strictly instructed to stay inside the building as Buaji believes this area is one of the worst locations in Mumbai. Ever since they relocated here, not for a minute she enjoyed the heavily congested roads and buildings especially the close proximity of neighbouring buildings have somehow always created a level of suffocation for her. There seems to be no privacy at all! Seems like everyone is watching thorugh each others' window!! Above and beyond all her personal misery, she had a constant fear about the safety and security of Nupur, her only niece and always made sure she is well protected or as per Nupur's view "well guarded".
While buaji is managing the workers to take their stuff outside, sitting at the steps of the apartment building, Nupur tries to continue reading her novel when suddenly a long shadow devours the light upon her book. Before she could react, a familiar yet unknown voice startles her with a question
M: Bauji ka intezar ker rahi ho?
N: (taken a back bit she instantly stands up) jee...aap...? yahan?
M: woh Adi se milne jaaraha hoon. kab ki hai train?
N: shaam ki 4 baje (she mumbles)
Suddenly there seems a mile long silence between them. Feeling the awkwardness, Mayank breaks the silence
M: yeh kitaab abhi tak parh rahi ho?
N: abhi tak matlab?
M: matlab pichle 3 mahine se yehi kitaab leke ghoom rahi hai aap. itni wafa toh pehle kisi bhi kitaab k saath nahi nibhayi aap ne (he has a grin on his face)
N: woh shift hone ki chakkar me zyada waqt nahi mila parhne ko...kher... aap ki exams kaise jaarahe hai?
M: aapko kaise pata k exams chal rahe hai?
N: waise toh aap ki room ki batti hamesha dair raat tak jalti rehti hai per aajkal subhe hone se pehle nahi bujhti toh andaaza laga liya k exams hi chal rahe honge
M: (astonished by her observations) jee...bas ek final assignment aur presentation ka kaam baaki tha. isi liye Adi se milne jaaraha tha
N: parhayi k ilawa bhi doston se milne ki wajah hoti hai
M: hote honge per hamari dosti kitaabon se hi hai. waise aap ne apna kamre ka rang blue kyun kiya? aap ki favorite color hai kya?
N: nahi...bas humain apne kamre me ek chota sa aasman chahiye tha..aapki mumbai me aasman nahi dikhta...sirf oonchi oonchi emaratein! bas isi liye shayed. By the way, lagta hai blue AApki favorite color hai, hai na?
M: haan...per aapko kaise pata?
N: kyunke aapke zyada tar shirts blue hai..dark blue, navy blue, sky blue...(she looks away from him)
M: waqai me ...humnain toh notice hi nahi kiya. accha aap k haath ab kaise hai? moch agayi thee na?
N: arre woh toh 6 mahine pehle ki baat hai. rickshaw se college jaarahi thee toh motorbike se dhakka lag gaya aur hum gir gaye. abhi theek hai haath...dekhiye! (she extends her hand towards him and then instantly pulls it back). Accha aapki behen Diya kaisi hai ab? shaadi k baad usse dekha hi nahi yahan per
M: woh log ab Delhi me shift hogaye toh yahan bohat kam aana hota hai. She is fine though..khush bhi hai.
N: Aur aap?
M: jee?
N: matlab aap ka kya plan hai? Exams k baad kya kerna hai?
M: well..kuch job interviews lined up hai. dekhte hai..
N: ufff accha yaad aaya..woh letter mila aapko? kisi bari company se aaya tha...pata nahi kyun postman hamare building me chhor ke chala gaya. woh toh shukar hai Khuda ka k hamare haath lag gaya. Chotu k haath aap k ghar bhijwaya tha..mila tha na?
M: (smiles..) toh woh aap thee! chotu se poocha toh bas yehi kaha k pados wali building ki didi ne diya. jee mil gaya aur waqai me bohat zaroori letter tha. ek job interview ki call thee...Thank you!
Their conversation is disrupted by the labours who were bringing further boxes down the stairs. Watching the men carrying the boxes Mayank takes a deep sigh!
M: kya Mumbai phir kabhi nahi aana hoga?
N: uhu..bachpan se lekar aaj tak bauji apne job ko leke kahin daffa transfer hue aur hum log issi tarha se shift karte rahe ek sheher se doosre sheher. per ab Bauji retire kar chuke hai toh hum Morena wapas laut rahe hai hamesha k liye. waise bhi Mumbai jaise baray baray sheher ko hum jaise chote chote log raas nahi (she smiles)
M: haan per shayed Mumbai ki logon ko chote sheher k log raas aajaye. Who knows? He tries to gauge her reaction by looking directly into her eyes.
That's when Buaji calls Nupur from outside..."Nupur..beta tere Bauji agaye hai gaari lekar. jaldi se bahar aaja..dair hogayi toh train chut jayegi"
N: apna khayal rakhiyega. university jaana zaroori hai per utna nahi k bukhar k bawajood bhi baarish me bheeg k class attend kerna paray. aur haan...aap ki woh navy blue shirt...usski doosri button bhi toot gayi hai. Aunt ji se keh ker silwa lijiyega. Best of luck with your exams, not that you need it. Dua hai aap kaamyaabi ki bulandiyon ko chhooain aur hamesha khush rahe. Allah Hafiz...
She picks up her bag and her book and starts walking downstairs.
-Neela-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
dilwalon k muqaddar me bhi kya kya likkha hota hai
kabhi diye ki lau toh kabhi aag ka dariya likkha hota hai
gham nahi k uss aag me rooh tak raakh ho jaata hai
malaal hai k woh makaan bhi jalta hai jiss per naam unn ka likkha hota hai
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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