The Cost of Living...
Part 1
Bani walked out onto the front verandah... She paced up and down for a while. Restless. Feral. Then she sat on the wicker chair?she sat there in the dark, a lonely lambent young woman looking out at her mother's ornamental garden listening to a voice coming from far away as if from the sky wafting through the night, sailing over lakes and rivers, over dense heads of trees, past the small temple, past the yellow church, past the old school, bumping up the dirt road, up the steps of the verandah, To Her?she closed her eyes trying to fill those slight audible notes in her ears? ?Bani drew her knees up and hugged herself?she stared fiercely out at the garden, the fleshy anthuriums gleamed like gunmetal, watching the frenzy of insects flitting around the neon tube light, vying to kill themselves?she remained sitting for a while? her eyes moistened?
"Bani?thand lagjayegi?andar chalo?" pia, her elder sister came to call her inside?the winters were pretty cold in Mt. Abu?
Bani looked at her with misty eyes?
"Bani?" pia pressed her palm?looking at her sadly?she had never seen her ever bubbly and vivacious little sister so distressed?her heart went out to her?
"Chalo?" pia pulled bani up from her position?
Both the sisters entered their home to find their mother pacing towards them with a glass full of something whitish and yellowish?
"Pia kahan thi tu?chal yeh kesar ka dood peele bache ke liye acha hain?" Kiran said lovingly looking at her daughter who was pregnant?pia made a face; she hated milk from childhood?
"Maa?" pia whined?
"Koi bahana nahin, waise bhi yeh sab mere naati ke liye?" kiran pushing the glass towards her?
"Haan, haan, ab toh naati ki hi chinta hain, humari toh koi fikar hi nahin?" pia complained finishing the contents of the glass?
Bani smiled at them weakly and left for her room?kiran looked at her retreating figure?
"Yeh bani ko kya hogaya hain kuch dino se, bohot pareshaan si rehti hain?" kiran enquired?
"Maa, woh kuch nahin, bas who thodi stressed hain, job application bheja tha na, ussike bare main thodi tensed hain?" pia said?
"Acha?tu ab jaldi so jaa?"
"Jee maa?"
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"Bani?Walia Industries se call letter aaya hain, why don't you join?" Pia said carefully resting on the bed?bani came and adjusted a few cushions so that her back won't hurt?
"Hmm?soch rahin thi ki aapki delivery ke baad join kar loongi?" bani said sitting besides her?
"Oh!! Common on bani?meri delivery main toh abhi bohot din baaki hain?suna hain Walia industries is a huge company; you should not let this opportunity go away?"
"Jee Di, main sochti hoon, waise bhi training agle hafte se shuru hain?"
"Sochna kuch nahin, you must go?main kal hi pushkar se baat karti hoon, he will help you out?after all Mumbai is a big city?"
"Jee?ab aap so jaayiye?" bani said arranging the bed?
"Bani?jo hua usse bhoolne ki koshish toh karo?it was just destiny, honi ko koi nahin tal sakta hain?" pia said as she rested her back?
Bani didn't' reply and lay on the other side switching off the bed lamp?
"Why do we have to pay such a huge price for living?" bani asked in an unaccented voice after a few minutes?pia sighed?
"we don't a pay a price for living bani?its just that we want everything we wish, aur jab yeh nahin hota hain, we feel zindagi khatam ho gayi hain, par yeh sirf humara bhram hain aur kuch, nahin, hume aaj main jeena chaihye, one should not regret what happened yesterday and one should not think about what will happen tomorrow, just enjoy the present moment?"
"Whoa?jaise aapki aagya Mata pia anandmayi? "
Pia giggled?"Mummyji ke Art of living classes ka asar hain?"
"Tumhari saasuma ne gossiping chodke adhyathmik marg apna liya hain, chalo better late then never?"
"Bani!!!!"
Pia smiled as she closed her eyes?the real bani was getting back?a good omen?she said a silent prayer before falling into a deep slumber?
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Nishikant thought seriously as he strolled ticking away his wooden stick? he was very much able to walk properly but it was gift from Bani who humorously gifted a walking stick to him on his 60th birthday joking that he had grown old, he used it for his regular morning walks?Bani looked at her father with apprehension?
"Beta, maine tumhe aur pia ko kissi bhi cheez ke liye mana nahin kiya, I have given both of you that freedom, aur I am proud ki tum don one uss freedom ka koi galat use nahin kiya, you are wonderful children bani?aur agar tum kaam karna chahti ho toh I have no problem?I have always encouraged you?" nishikant said pushing the iron gates of his house inhaling the fresh oxygen?
"Thank you papa?I love you?" bani said excitedly hugging her father?
"Yeh baap beti main kya baaten ho rahin hain?" kiran said as she came out carrying a tray of tea and biscuits?
"Maine toh haan kardi, ab apni maa ko tumhi manao?" nishikant said as he grabbed the tea cup along with the saucer?
Bani looked at her father who was enjoying this completely?convincing her mother was a mammoth task?
"Maa, woh mujhe ek job offer aaya hain?" bani began
"Hmm?" kiran replied?
"Walia Group of Hotels main?bohot badi company hain?training ke liye bulaya hain aur phir posting bhi Mumbai main hogi?"
"Mumbai?" kiran shrieked out?
"Here goes the atom bomb, ready to explode bani?" nishikant joked eating the marie biscuit soaked in tea?
"Maa, toh kay hua, I want to go maa?" bani made a puppy face?
"Theek hain, itna rone ki koi zaroorat nahin, pia ke saath rehlena?"
"Maa, di Navi Mumabi main rehti, woh main Bombay se bohot door hain?mere saath aur bhi ladkyan hongi na, hum ek apartment rent lelenge?"
"Ladkiyan ek saath, Bani?nahin, tum pia ke saath rahogi toh jao warna nahin?"
"Maa, aap bhi, ladkiyan chand tak pahunch gayi hain, aur bani ko Mumbai nahin jaane de rahin hain, main aur pushkar hain na, weekends par bani se millenge?koi problem nahin hain?" pia said as she came out?
"Nahin pia?aur waise bhi shaadi ki umar ho gayi hain, naukri karne ki koi zaroorat nahin?"
"Maa?" bani crossed her arms?
"Kiran, kuch saal baad wahin karna hain, kuch din usse apni zindagi apni marzi se jeene do, phir toh shaadi, bache, yeh toh chalta hi rehta hain, insaan ko apni pehchaan bana bohot zaroori hain?aur waise bhi my bani is the best?" nishikant intervened?
Kiran saw her husband and two daughters seated together looking at her with anticipation?
"Aap teeno se main kabhi jeet paayi hoon bhala?" kiran said dejectedly?
"Yeh!!!!!" the three musketeers shouted?
Bani went and hugged her mother?
"Main abhi mail bhejti hoon?" saying bani went inside?
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Bani packed her bags; she was all set to leave tomorrow, her eyes invariably moistened when she found a photograph in one of her books?she looked at the photograph intently, she blinked a tear drop, keeping the photo beneath her dress, she closed the suitcase?probably it was time to live in the present? ?keeping the suitcase aside she took out a pouch putting her toiletries? ?
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God bless
Dhani
Edited by vardhani - 17 years ago
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