"Rimjhim gire saawan," ye gaana gungunaate huye Musaddilal office lock karne hi jaa raha tha ki tabhi use ek parchaai dikhai di.
"Koi hai," Musaddi ne aawaz di magar koi jawaab nahi mila.
"Are koi hai?" Mussaddi gusse se chillaya. Is baar hawaa ki saany saany ne jawaab diya.
Tabhi Musaddi ke kandhe ko kisi ne thapthapaaya.
"Aaj subah kiska chehra dekh liya tha jo aaj bhoot ke haathon marne ki naubat aa gayi," Musaddi ne roni soorat banayi.
"Musaddi!"
"Ye bhoot Malhar Sir ki aawaz me kyon bol raha h?" Musaddi budbudaya.
"Are main Malhar hoon to apni hi aawaz me bolunga na," Malhar ne Musaddi ko kandhe se pakadkar uska chehra apni taraf kiya, "Kitni baar kaha hai vo chhup chhupkar pyaasi chudail, bhooton ke sheher me jaisi kitaabein mat padha karo. Bakwaas cheezein dekho, bakwaas cheezein padho aur fir vahi bakwaas interest ke saath ham logon ko vaapis do."
"Sir aap yahaan?" Musaddi ko abhi bhi bharosa nahi ho raha tha ki jo uske saamne khada hai vo Malhar hi h koi bhoot nahi. Lekin aisi baatein karna kisi bhoot ke bas ki baat nahi thi. Aisi trademark khadoosiyat ka patent to sansaar me sirf ek hi bande ke paas tha.
"Musaddi," Malhar ki awaaz me ab thodi narmahat thi, "Bahar aarish abhi bhi ho rahi h kya?"
Musaddi badi mushkil se apni hasi rok paaya. Poora office jaanta tha ki Malhar ko baarish se kitni chidh thi. Aur kucch log to yahaan tak kehte the ki Malhar ko baarish se dar lagta tha.
Musaddi ne kaha, "Sir, aap mera raincoat pehen lijiye. Main aise hi ghar chala jaunga. Vaise bhi mujhe baarish me bheegna pasand hai."
"Haan aur Malini bhabhi ko apne beemar pati ki seva karna pasand hai ya nahi ye bhi zara pooch Lena. Baarish me bheegna pasand hai..." Malhar badbadaya, "Tum jao. Main bhi nikalta hoon. Koi na koi cab to mil hi jayegi. Kal ke liye bike to office parking me hai hi."
"Sir Mumbai ki baarish hai. Itni aasani se can nahi milegi yahaan," Musaddi bola.
"Haan haan pata hai tumhari Mumbai h ye. Abhi Delhi hota na to kabhi ye dikkat nahi aati," Malhar ne kaha aur office se nikal gaya.
Jab usne Musaddi ko apni bike se nikalte dekh liya, to ek baar fir apne cellphone ko dekha. No cabs nearby ka red circle screen par chamak raha tha. Malhar ne gehri saans li aur office bag ko apne sir ke oopar rakhkar daudte huye bus station ki or chal diya. Tabhi ek tez gaadi aayi aur us par keechad ke cheente udaati huyi chali gayi
"Dikhta nahi h kya?" Malhar chillaya. Par isme Naya kya tha? Baarish to hamesha uske liye anhoni hi laati rahi h. Uske pehle crush ne use baarish ke vaqt hi reject kiya tha, pehli baar Principal ne school me use baarish ke vaqt hi punish kiya tha vo bhi kisi aur ki galti ke kaaran, JEE ka result bhi jab aaya tha tab bhi baarish ho rahi thi vo bhi May ke maheene me, aur Sampada... accident me uske Marne ki khabar bhi jab aai...Malhar ne isse pehle kabhi nahi socha tha ki us jaisa boring insaan bhi kisi se itna toot ke pyaar kar sakta h. Uska pehla crush 13 saal ki umr me hua tha aur jab usne uska tedhi medhi soorajmukhi ki drawing ke saath uska love letter/ greeting card faad kar fenk diya tha uske baad usne kisi ladki ko nazar bhar ke dekha tak nahi...Sampada ke aane tak. Yoon to unki arrange marriage hone wali thi, lekin Malhar yakeen se keh sakta tha ki uski love story jitni khoobsurat kisi love marriage vale ki bhi premkahaani nahi hogi. Uski Zindagi ka sabse khoobsurat hissa ab beet chuka tha aur uska aane wala kal ek bojh bhar tha jise vo dho Raha tha.
Do ghante beet chuke the magar koi bus nahi aayi. Khade khade Malhar ke pair akad gaye the aur thakaan ke maare use aisa lag raha tha ki vo vahin gir jaayega. Tabhi use ek jhilmilati roshni dikhai di. Malhar us roshni ke kareeb jaata gaya na jaane kyon....
Malhar ko Mumbai aaye do mahine ho chuke the aur vo yakeen se keh sakta tha ki kal tak yahaan koi cafe nahi tha. Aur cafe ka naam kya tha- Dreamries Cafe- Kisi ne do words Dreams aur memories ko mashup karke ye bhadda sa naam bana diya tha aur apne aap ko Wordsworth samajhne laga tha.
"Sab paglaye huye hain," Malhar budbudaya magar na chahte huye bhi cafe ke andar jaane ke alawa uske paas koi aur raasta nahi tha. Coffee peekar shayad use thodi energy mil jaaye.
Cafe ke andar jaakar Malhar ko aisa laga jaise vo kisi aur duniya me aa gaya ho. Cafe ke beechon beech ek fireplace tha aur chaaron taraf faili ek ajib si sugandh jo coffee ki to bilkul nahi thi. Maddham awaz me bajta hua Sangeet aur har table par rakhi ek kitaab. Aise hi usne ek table par rakhi kitaab ke panne palte. Usme likha tha:
Har or sirf barf hi barf hai
Safed aur bejaan
Zara apni hatheliyon se ise chookar to dekho
Kya pata tumhare ehsaas se barf me chipi vo murjhaayi aag fir jee uthe
Cringey! Malhar ne bura sa chehra banaya fir bhi vo usi seat par baith gaya. Use pata hi nahi chala ki kab waitress uski seat ke paas aakar khadi ho gayi. Waitress ne ek peeli shirt aur light blue trouser pehen rakhi thi.
"Ek cup chai please," Malhar ne kaha.
Malhar ne apni jeebh katte huye khud ko fir kosa. Cafe hai ye Malhar Rane tumhare Mohalle ki tapri nahi jo ek cup chai milegi. Are usne to menu dekha hi nahi. Kya pata yahaan ki coffee uske budget me hai bhi ya nahi?
Waitress ne uski table par ek mug rakh diya.
"Ye kya hai?" Malhar chaunka, "Maine chai...chalo vo nahi to coffee hi le aati. Magar hot chocolate? Please iske badle ek cup coffee le aaiye?"
"Sorry Sir," waitress boli, "Aap order change nahi kar sakte aur ham yahaan customers ko vahi serve karte hain jo Madam kehti hain."
"Arey," Malhar ne kaha, "Cafe me to customer apni pasand ke according order karta h na?"
"No Sir, yahaan ka yahi rule hai," Waitress ne kaha.
Malhar ka din kya kam barbaad tha jo ye ajeeb cafe bhi use aana tha.
"Kahaan hai tumhari madam?" Malhar ne hot chocolate ka cup uthaya aur bola, "Mujhe ke chalo unke paas."
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