PROLOGUE:
At Gujranwala railway station,
There was great hustle and bustle at the platform as the train was about to arrive. Everyone seemed to be in hurry. Passengers were eagerly waiting for the train's arrival. Few were sitting on benches and reading newspaper or just smoking to pass the time. Few were pacing up and down on the platform. The vendors were having a busy time. Almost everyone was either drinking tea or relishing the baked chanas. The coolies too, sitting in straight line, were waiting for train.
A man fairly in his mid-thirties was rushing down the staircase along with heavy luggage hanging all around him. This was Firdous Waqar. He was leaving with his family for Karachi to London from there. "Arre bhai, zara pakdo toh!" he called out for a porter. One or two porters rushed towards him. "Haan, bhai ji laiye... main le leta hoon..!" one porter offered. "Arre aise kaise, main pehle aaya tha... main lunga aapka saaman..." other argued. "Tum pehle aae toh kya hua... puchchha toh maine na! main lunga aap ka saaman." First one argued further as both of them began snatching the bags from each other's hands as if they were playing passing the parcel. "Arre.. are.. bhai rehne do! Mujhe nahi chahiye coolie voolie.. jao bhai!" Firdous said irritated.
"Aise kaise nahi chahiye.. bilkul chahiye..!" a female voice called out from his back. "Nahi, Isra rani baat samjho... coolie ki kya zaroorat hai, main hoon na aur Ibrahim bhi aane wala hoga!... yeh lo aa gaya.." he said pointing towards another man who had just arrived in his perfectly iron kurta-pajama with fairly built body. "Salamwalekum bhabhiji, ki gaal hai? Kyu gussa kar rahe ho?" "Kuch nahi.. aur aap! Hume coolie chahiye... thoda toh apne status ke baare mein socho... abb hum London mein rehne jaa rahe hai, kab tak yeh middle class wale tareeke se rahoge.. kyu coolie nahi lenge bilkul lenge?!" she said and both of them started arguing on the matter. Even the porters had their heads spinning. They realized that it is better to leave than go mad with them. They quietly kept the bags on the floor and ran away as fast as they could. Ibrahim, who was watching everything, tapped his friend's shoulder, "Chale gaye!"
"Chale gaye?! Kaun chale gaye?" Firdous asked confused.
"Coolie bhaag gaye darr ke!" He replied.
"Yeh dekho, kitna ladte ho tum ki coolie bhi tum se darr ke bhaag gaye... kya zaroorat hai itna ladne ki?! Mera matlab insan ke andar tameez aur zahaneeyat naam ki bhi cheez hoti hai magar nahi... karni toh woh he middle class wali harkat hai..." Isra blabbered continuously. Firdous was getting irritated and Ibrahim knew that world war 3 waits if he didn't intervene. "Bhabhi ji! Aaj toh tussi bade kamaal ke lag rahe ho! Chakkar kya hai?" Isra looked at him and smiled, "Chakkar kya hota, Arre bhai London jaa rahe hai, mazak thodi hai...kisi na kisi ko toh class maintain karna padega na!" she said with proud. "Ae gaal toh ik dum thik hai, tussi he class-shlass maintain kar sakte ho, Firu ki baski toh hai nahi!" he added. "Woh mujhe pata hai!" she said. "Achchha yeh batao, meri gud aur ladoo kahan hai?" he inquired. He used to call Heer and Amirah as gud and ladoo lovingly as both of them had sweet tooth. "Heer aur Amirah bauji ke saath aane wali thi..." Just then, Karim approached them with Heer and Amirah. Both the girls were holding Karim's hand tightly. "Asalam walekum!" he wished everyone. "Walekum a salam bauji!" Firdous wished him as he touched his feet. "Khub khush raho, khub tarrakki karo, aur hum sab ka naam roshan karo!" he showered him with blessings. "Dekho abb tum mulk ke bahar jaa rahe ho, apna aur bachchho ka khayal rakhna... aur kuch bhi aisa mat karna jisse humari mulk ka, humari sar zameen ka naam badnaam ho!" he preached. "Ohho tussi fikr na karo bauji, main agli baar aaunga na toh bada aadmi ban kar!" "Inshallah!" Ibrahim wished.
In matter of two or three mins, train stamped in, whistling in its top volume. There was noise and commotion everywhere. Many passengers got down and many got in. Both Amirah and Heer clung to their parents in a great rush as they struggled to get inside. Both the friends bided each other a teary goodbye as they hugged each other. "Abb pata nahi kab mulakat hogi, veere. Apna, biji, bauji, Bhabhi aur aman-asad sab ka khayal rakhi!" Firdous said as they embraced each other. "Tu bhi apna khayal rakhna!" Ibrahim said. Firdous got inside the train compartment and train whistled. He waved everyone goodbye with a hope to return back again and that time to strengthen their friendship.
That's it!!! I hope you all will like..
Shiv Shakti
