man-o-salwa by Umera Ahmed

part 5

"Tumhara." Woh bhi muskuraya. "Lekin mere paas toh waqt hai hi nahin." Us ne la parwai se kandhay uchkate hue kaha.

"Tumhein pata hai, main ne zindagi mein kabhi wrist watch nahi pehni."

"Kyun?" Us ne dilchuspi li.

"Mujhe waqt ko kalayi par baandhne ki bajaye mutthi mein qaid rakhna zyada aasaan lagta hai." Us ne ajeeb se lehje mein uski di hui besh qeemat ghari ko dekhte hue kaha. "Mujhe lagta hai, waqt kalayi par ho toh yeh intezar karwane lagta hai."

"Toh is se kya farq parta hai?" Woh chonka.

"Intezaar maut hai." Us ne ghari ko dekhte hue bay-had ajeeb lehje mein kaha.

"Ahmaqana baatein mat karo." Us ne use daanta aur phir ghari case se nikaal kar uski kalayi par baandh di.

Woh aur kartab dikhaata rehta ya chand glasses ko hawa mein uchhalta rehta. Woh wahi mink coat pehne hue tha jo us ne naye saal par usay diya tha. Woh is ladies mink coat ko apne duble patle jism par charhaye bay-had muzahika khez magar...

Ab woh ghari us dabbe mein pari thi, uske dil ko bay-iqtiyar kuch hua.

Usay dekhna tha, woh aglay bhikari ko kya de kar gayi thi. Is baar usay kisi dabbe mein jhaankna nahi pada.

Woh street clown jisay woh har waqt nashe mein dekhte the aur jo kabhi hosh mein hota toh chand rangeen balls ko hawa mein uchhalta, bay-had khush nazar aa raha tha. Uska dil bay-iqtiyar dooba.

Us ne us din woh qeemti mink coat pehli baar pehna tha, us khaas mauqe par aur ab woh aik matrookah cheez ban chuka tha.

"My God." Woh us coat ko dekh kar bay-iqtiyar chillayi thi.

"Tumhein pasand nahi aaya kya?" Woh jaan boojh kar anjaan bana.

"Is mink coat ki qeemat mein das bohot achay coat aa jate." Tum aik bay-had fazool kharch aadmi ho." Woh waqai naraaz thi.

"Toh kya ise wapas kar ke das achay aur shaandar coat la doon tumhein?" Us ne isi andaaz mein kaha.

"Kitna paisa tum ne aurton mein is tarah ke mink coat baantne par zaya kiya hoga."

Woh uska munh dekh kar reh gaya.

"Kaun si auratein?" Us ne be-sakhta poocha.

"Acha ab naraaz hone ki zaroorat nahi hai." Woh mudafi'ana andaaz mein boli. Usay andaza ho gaya tha ke us ne koi ghalat baat keh di thi. Woh jawab dene ke bajaye bay-had naraaz ho kar uske apartment se bahar nikal aaya tha. Woh hawas bakhta uske peechay bhagti hui aayi. "Mazaak kar rahi thi. Acha ab bas khatam karo baat ko, okay I'm sorry. Ab kya tum yeh chahtay ho ke main tumhare samne haath joru? Achha kam az kam tum kuch kaho toh sahi, ab excuse kar rahi hoon, ab aur kya karoon... kya mar jaoon?"

Woh be-ikhtiyar ruka. "Main pehle toh maaf kar deta, magar yeh behuda baat jo ab tum ne kahi hai... yeh." Woh waqai bay-had gusse mein aa gaya tha.

Uske peechay gaari tak aate aate woh rohaansi ho gayi thi.

"Tum mujhe tohfay mat diya karo." Us ne be-ikhtiyar uski baat kaat kar bay-had sanjeeda lehje mein kaha.

"Kyun?" Uske maathay par bal par gaye.

"Kyunke main tumhare itne qeemti tohfay ke badlay mein itne qeemti tohfay nahi de sakti."

"Toh tumse tohfay maang kaun raha hai?"

"Haan, koi nahi maang raha magar mujhe apna aap bohot chhota lagne lagta hai."

"Iski buniyadi wajah yeh hai ke tumhara dimagh chhota hai aur chhote dimagh ke sath insaan sirf chhoti baatein sochta hai."

Usne be-ikhtiyar use wahin kharay kharay daanta aur phir aglay das minute wahin parking mein gaari ke paas khara musalsal bolta raha tha. "Kisi samajhdar mard ko kisi bewaqoof aurat se mohabbat nahi karni chahiye." Usne bil-aakhir baat khatam karte hue kaha. "Wapas chalein?"

"Chalo, phir toh sara jhagra hi khatam hua, kyunke na main bewaqoof aurat hoon, na tum samajhdar mard ho. Aao."

Woh uska bazu pakar kar kheenchte hue be-sakhta baray itminan se boli thi. Woh chand lamhay hont bheench kar use dekhta raha phir aik dum hans pada.