Usay kahin bohat door se shor ki aawaz sunai de rahi thi. Laashoor mein uthne wala shor aahista aahista jaise buland hota ja raha tha, jaise darwaze par koi dastak de raha ho. Shaoor ne aahista aahista us shor ko pehchaan liya tha. Umer ne oondhe paday hue aankhein kholni shuru kar di thi. Chand lamhe to woh aankhein kholne mein bilkul hi nakaam raha. Magar phir kuch jidd-o-jehad ke baad usne aankhein khol di thi. Kamray mein roshni thi. Kuch dair tak to woh apne ird gird ke mahol ko pehchaanay ki koshish karta raha, aur phir uska dhyaan darwaze par hone wali dastak par chala gaya. Koi bari mustaqil mazhab se darwaza baj raha tha aur saath uska naam bhi pukar raha tha. Umer ka sar chakra raha tha, woh lete lete hi karwat le kar seedha ho gaya aur aawaz ko pehchaanay ki koshish karne laga. Aawaz ko shanakht karne mein use kuch waqt laga tha. Magar woh aawaz ko pehchaan gaya, woh aawaz Nano ki thi aur woh baar baar usi ka naam pukar rahi thi.
“Granny! Main jaag gaya hoon, abhi baahar aa jaunga.”
Usne be ikhtiyar buland aawaz mein unki aawaz ke jawab mein kaha tha. Is waqt uske darwaze par hone wali dastak uske aasaar ko jhanjhor rahi thi aur woh ise rok dena chahta tha. Dastak ek dam ruk gayi thi.
“Thik hai, Umer jaldi baahar aa jao, bohat dair ho gayi hai. Main khana lagwa rahi hoon!”
Usne Granny ko kehte hue suna.
Woh kuch kahe bina hi chup chaap bistar mein pada raha, ungliyon ke pooron se usne apni kanpatiyon ko dabane ki koshish ki thi. Magar woh sar mein hone wali us takleef se nijaat hasil nahin kar saka tha. Uske liye yeh saari kayfiyaat nayi nahin thi. Woh jaanta tha ke woh zabardast hangover ke shikaar ho raha hai.
Kuch dair woh usi tarah leta apne aasaar ko pur sukoon karne ki koshish karta raha, phir jidd-o-jehad karte hue bed par baith gaya. Usne sar ko do teen baar jhatak kar kamray mein lage hue wall clock par nazar daurane ki koshish ki thi magar woh waqt dekhne mein kamiyab na ho saka.
Samne tapai par pari hui bottles ne ek baar phir raat ke tamam manazir ko uske samne khada kar diya tha. Uske honton par ek talkh muskurahat ubhri thi.
Aur is kamray ke bahar ek baar phir wahi shaitaan hoga. Kaash main kahin ghairab ho sakta?" Usne kambal ko ek jhatke se door phenkte hue socha tha. Bed se khada hone ki koshish mein woh ladkhada gaya. Use matli ho rahi thi. Chand lamhon ke liye woh ek baar phir bed par baith gaya. Phir himmat kar ke dono haathon ki ungliyon se kanpatiyon ko dabate hue uth khada hua tha. Ladkhadate hue qadmon se woh dressing room ki taraf chal diya.
Dressing room mein daakhil hone ke baad usne wardrobe mein pada huwa briefcase nikaal liya tha. Woh ab jald az jald us hangover se nijaat hasil karne ke liye briefcase mein pari hui goliyaan lena chahta tha. Magar briefcase kholne ke baad bhi woh briefcase mein se apni matloobah goliyaan talash nahin kar paaya tha.
"Uff!" Usne briefcase ko door phenk diya tha. Kuch dair ghoomte hue sar ko dono haathon se pakre dressing table ke stool par baitha raha tha. Phir woh uth kar ladkhadate qadmon se washroom ki taraf barh gaya.
Nal ko puri raftar se kholte hue woh wash basin ke saamne jhuk kar daaye haath ki ungliyaan apne halq mein daalney laga. Yeh koshish kamiyab rahi. Use apna maida khali hota hua mehsoos hua tha. Magar uske chakrate hue sar ko zyada afaqa nahin hua tha.
Chand minute baad usne sabun se haath dhone ke baad apne chehre par paani ke chhintay maarne shuru kar diye the. Magar yeh tarkeeb bhi kuch zyada faida mand saabit nahin hui. Chand lamhe woh usi tarah wahin khada raha. Phir kuch becharagi ke aalam mein woh washroom se nikal aaya. Ab kitchen mein jaane ke ilawa aur koi rasta nahin tha.
Woh jaanta tha. Kitchen mein is waqt khansaamaan ke ilawa Granny bhi hongi aur shayad Alizeh bhi aur woh is haalat mein un logon ke saamne nahin jaana chahta tha. Magar ab uske ilawa aur koi chara nahin tha.
