Kaam karte karte kab thandi si shaam ghir aayi use andaza nahi ho saka. Set per maujood workers ab camera wagaira samet rahe the. Usi peher use dur se kisi ke overcoat ki jhalak nazar aayi. Jaana pehchana sa long overcoat. Usne bagaur us shaks ko dekha aur phir chonk gayi. Wo moid hassan tha. Usse zara faasle per aistadah tha.
Hamesha ki tarah wajeeh, thehra hua. Kisi mujasma ki manand safed aur yakh.
Uske dekhne per wo halki si shanasa muskurahat liye aage badh aaya tha. Wo ab tak hairat se use chehra uthaye dekh rahi thi. Phir yakdam hi chehre per dheron Khushi ubhar aayi. Wo besaakhta uth khadi hui thi.
"Tum. Yahan. Wow." Use waq'atan acha laga tha. Moid halka sa muskuraya phir sar hilane laga.
"Saira ka phone aaya tha mujhe. Aapki zehni sehat ke baare mein khaasi pareshan lag rahi thien wo. Mujhe kaha ke aap mujhse khud raabta karengi lekin phir aap ne do din tak nahi kiya. Mujhe tashweesh ho rahi thi isi liye khud chala aaya. Address saira se liya tha." Azli shahistagi liye kaha tha usne. Wo mamnoon (grateful) nazron se use dekhne lagi thi. Phir usne ek nigaah aitraaf mein daudai.
"Aap toh khaasi masroof actress ho gayi hain." Uske tabsire per wo hans di thi.
"Khuda ka shukar hai."
"Kisi ne pareshan toh nahi kiya aapko is saare arse mein?"
Uske chehre ko gehri nazron se bagaur dekhte hue usne pucha tha. Wo zara sa chonki aur phir sambhal gayi. Saath hi muskura kar nafi mein sar hilaya. Sar bhi jhatka. Yasir ki kahi gayi baatein yunhi yaad aagayi thien.
"Aisi toh koi baat nahi." Uske taalne per wo chup sa hogaya tha.
"Bahar mausam khula khula sa hai. Chalein. Kuch der ki walk aapke stress se bharpoor din ke liye achi saabit hogi." Usi ke saath wo dono bahar ki jaanib badh gaye the. Sadak per kuch der yunhi bemaqsad se aage badhte rahe. Street bulb har jaanib roshan the. Qataar dar qataar maujood restaurants se madham mauseeqi ki awaazein aa rahi thien.
"Work stress zyada hai kya?" Moid ke sawal per usne sar asbaat mein hilaya tha.
"Infact." Wo halka sa hansi. " Bohot zyada hai."
"Mujhe andaza ho raha hai." Moid ke zu maani se andaaz per wo khakhla kar hans padi thi. Wo muskura raha tha.
"Kaam karna itna mushkil Kyun hai? Paise kamana itna mushkil Kyun hai? Logon ke saath maamlaat tay karna aur diet karna itna mushkil Kyun hai, moid hassan. Aakhir sab itna mushkil Kyun hai? Kuch asaan kyun nahi? Na insaan. Na kaam." Uske sawalon ka wo aadi tha. Isi liye narm muskurahat liye uski jaanib dekha.
"Kuch bhi mushkil nahi hota. Jab hum kamzor padne lagte hain toh har shay khud se zyada badi aur wazni mehsoos hoti hai. Jab hum mazboot hote hain toh har shay khud se choti aur halki mehsoos hoti hai. It's just all in mind." Nape tule lafzon mein kaha toh selena ne uski jaanib dekha.
"Itne perfect lafz kahan se laate ho? Mehez in do jumlon mein tum ne meri zehni gutthiyon (tangled) ko khol kar rakh diya hai. Tumhare liye kitna asaan hota hoga na moid khud ke dimaag ko qabu karna!" Uski baat sun kar uske chehre per lamhe bhar ko saaya sa lehraya tha. Lekin phir wo sambhal Gaya.
"Ye logon ki ek bohot badi galat fehmi hai. Wo samajhte hain ke maahire nafsiyat ko nafsiyat ka koi masla lahaq nahi hota hoga halanke haqeeqat uske bilkul bar aks hoti hai. Hamare field mein ek maqoola (saying) mashoor hai ke nafsiyat padhne wale aur dimaag ki gutthiyan sambhalne wale, khud nafsiyaati hote hain. Aap pagal hue bagair pagalon ka ilaaj nahi kar sakte. Usi tarah aap nafsiyaati hue bagair nafsiyat ka ilaaj nahi kar sakte. Kya aap jaanti hain ke anxiety contagious (mata'ad/ ya'ani ek insaan se dusre ko lagne wali bimaari) hoti hai. Ye aap se hoti hui dusre bande ko lag jaati hai. Bagair ehsaas kiye. Bagair koshish kiye. Bilkul gair iraadi tor per." Wo uske jawab per aankhein phailaye bilkul theher kar use dekh rahi thi. Moid ne sar asbaat mein hila kar uski yakeen dihani karwayi thi.
