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Update 20: Seedhi Line
Andhera kam hone ke baad hum ek lambe corridor mein pahonche jahan do raaste alag ho rahe the.
Ek taraf se halki si roshni aa rahi thi, peeli, jaise kisi bulb ki. Doosri taraf bilkul andhera tha, par hawa us taraf se thodi behtar beh rahi thi.
"Roshni wali taraf," maine kaha.
"Hawa wali taraf," Anwesha ne ek saath kaha.
Hum dono ruk gaye.
"Roshni ka matlab exit nahi hota," usne kaha. "Roshni ka matlab sirf itna hota hai ki kahin koi bulb jal raha hai."
"Aur hawa ka matlab?"
"Hawa bahar se aati hai. Agar hawa aa rahi hai, toh kahin na kahin ek khula hissa hai."
"Ya phir koi aur corridor hai jahan hawa phansi hui hai, bilkul yahan jaisi."
Anwesha ne mujhe dekha, thoda irritated.
"Tum hamesha aisa karte ho?"
"Kaisa?"
"Har idea ka ek doosra explanation dhoondh lete ho."
"Tum hamesha wahi karti ho jo pehla idea ho?"
Usne kuch nahi kaha, bas aankhein sikod kar dekha.
Hum kuch der khade rahe, dono options ke beech.
"Theek hai," maine kaha. "Tum jo bologi."
"Nahi, tumhe decide karna chahiye. Mujhe pata hai tum roshni wali taraf jaana chahte ho."
"Maine toh sirf suggestion diya tha."
"Suggestion nahi, tumhari body language bata rahi thi. Tum us taraf thoda jhuke hue ho."
Maine apne aap ko seedha kiya. "Ab nahi jhuka."
"Ab jaan boojh kar seedhe khade ho."
Hum dono ke beech thodi der khamoshi rahi, phir mujhe hasi aa gayi, halki si.
"Kya?" usne poocha.
"Kuch nahi. Bas... hum ek ajeeb jagah mein phase hain aur tum mere khade hone ke tareeke par comment kar rahi ho."
Anwesha ke hothon par bhi halki si muskaan aayi, jaldi se gayab ho gayi.
"Chalo," usne kaha. "Hawa wali taraf."
"Kyun tumhari baat maan loon?"
"Kyunki mere paas isse behtar koi aur tareeka nahi hai decide karne ka."
Hum hawa wali taraf chalne lage.
Kuch der tak koi nahi bola. Corridor sankra hota gaya, itna ki hum ek doosre ke bagal mein nahi chal sakte the, ek ke peeche ek chalna pada. Anwesha aage thi.
"Tumhe bhookh lagi hai?" usne achanak poocha, bina peeche mude.
"Kya?"
"Bhookh. Lagi hai ya nahi?"
"Abhi iske baare mein sochne ka time hai?"
"Sochne ka koi specific time nahi hota bhookh ke liye. Wo bas lagti hai."
Maine socha. "Haan, thodi lagi hai."
"Mujhe bhi. Maine aaj lunch nahi kiya tha properly."
"Kyun?"
"Riya se abhi bhi theek se baat nahi ho rahi."
"Kya hua?"
"Lambi kahani hai."
"Tumne bhi yahi bola tha mujhe do phones ke baare mein."
Usne peeche mudkar dekha, ek bhaunh uthaate hue. "Toh?"
"Toh kuch nahi. Bas noted."
Hum chalte rahe. Corridor ek jagah thoda chauda ho gaya, aur hum phir se saath saath chal sake.
"Tum kya khaate ho jab stressed ho?" usne poocha.
"Kuch bhi nahi khaata. Appetite chala jaata hai."
"Main zyada khaati hoon. Riya kehti hai main stress mein biscuit ka poora packet khatam kar deti hoon."
"Kaunsa biscuit?"
"Parle-G. Hamesha Parle-G."
"Ye kaafi specific rule hai."
"Chai ke saath Parle-G ka taste alag hota hai. Koi aur biscuit dip karke dekho, galega bhi uss tarah nahi, taste bhi match nahi karega."
Hum ek jagah pahonche jahan corridor ek chhoti si khuli jagah mein khulta tha, jahan do purani lakdi ki kursiyaan padi thi, jaise kisi ne bahut time pehle yahan rakhi ho aur bhool gaya ho.
Anwesha ek kursi par baith gayi. Kuch der mujhe dekha jab tak main bhi doosri par nahi baitha.
"Tumhe darr nahi lag raha?" maine poocha.
"Lag raha hai." Usne apni sketchbook godh mein rakh li. "Pehli baar jab yahan aayi thi, socha tha sapna hai. Thodi der baad socha pagal ho rahi hoon. Ab bhi pata nahi kya soch rahi hoon."
"Aur ab?"
"Ab main bas bhookhi hoon aur ek ajnabi ke saath baithi hoon jo apne khade hone ke tareeke ke baare mein defensive hai."
Maine hasi rok nahi payi.
"Main ajnabi nahi hoon," maine kaha.
"Thoda toh ho."
"Tumne mera haath pakda tha abhi."
"Haath pakadna aur kisi ko jaanna alag cheezein hain."
Ye baat thodi chubh gayi, halanki usne shayad aise kaha nahi tha.
"Theek hai," maine kaha. "Toh batao mujhe kuch, jisse tum mujhe kam ajnabi lago."
Usne sochne ka natak kiya. "Main raat ko so nahi paati agar kamre mein koi cheez seedhi nahi hoti. Frame tedha ho, ya kitaab ka dher asymmetric rakha ho, mujhe neend nahi aati jab tak theek nahi kar doon. Riya isse mera 'disease' bolti hai."
"Aur?"
"Aur maine kabhi kisi ko apni family se nahi milwaya. Teen saal se Mumbai mein hoon. Mere parents ko nahi pata Riya kaun hai."
"Mujhe trust kiya?"
"Nahi," usne kaha, bina jhijhak. "Par tumhare saath hoon kyunki akele hone se better hai."
Ye sunke thoda bura laga.
"Theek hai," maine kaha. "Mera baari... meri baari."
"Batao."
"Mummy teen baar pooch chuki hai Diwali par Pune aa raha hoon ya nahi. Har baar 'dekhunga' bol raha hoon."
"Toh jaana hai?"
"Pata nahi."
"Jaana nahi hai?"
"Wo bhi pata nahi."
Anwesha ne mujhe kuch der dekha.
"Tum 'na' nahi bol paate, hai na?" usne kaha.
"Bol leta hoon."
"Kab aakhri baar bola?"
Main kuch der jawab nahi soch paaya.
"Exactly," usne kaha.
Hum dono kuch der chup baithe rahe, un purani kursiyon par, khaali jagah ke beech.
"Hume chalna chahiye," Anwesha ne aakhir mein kaha, khadi hote hue.
"Haan."
Chalte waqt usne apna haath mere haath ke paas nahi rakha is baar. Bas aage chal di, sketchbook ko kas ke pakde.
Main uske peeche chala, kuch kadam ke faasle se.
