[Babab96]

Mere shehar mein aaye hue ab lagbhag chhe mahine ho chuke the. Dheere-dheere main apne naye mahaul mein adjust ho gaya tha.

Meri subah jaldi shuru hoti thi. Main taiyaar hokar office nikal jaata aur shaam ko kareeb 9-10 baje wapas aata tha yaa kabhi kabhi isse bhi let..

Meri makan malkin ka naam abhi tak maine theek se nahi poochha tha. Main unhe bas Aunty kehkar bulaata tha.

Woh hamesha traditional saree mein nazar aati thi. Unka andaaz kaafi dignified tha. Baat karte waqt awaaz naram rakhti thi, lekin ghar ke niyamon ko lekar bilkul strict thi.

Ek shaam office se lautne ke baad main apne kamre ke bahar khada tha. Tabhi woh aangan mein nazar aayi.

Unhone mujhe dekhkar poochha,

Landlady: "Bhavik beta, aaj office se der ho gayi?"

Main: "Ji Aunty, aaj kuch customers ke yahan jaana pad gaya tha."

Landlady: "Achha. Khana kha liya tumne?"

Main: "Abhi nahi Aunty, abhi banaunga."

Woh kuch pal ruki aur phir boli,

Landlady: "Roz bahar ka khana mat khaya karo. Sehat kharab ho jayegi."

Main muskura diya.

Main: "Ji Aunty, dhyan rakhunga."

Woh apne ghar ki taraf chali gayi aur main apne kamre mein aa gaya.

Mujhe unka vyavhaar achha lagta tha. Woh ek taraf ghar ki strict malikin thi, toh doosri taraf kabhi-kabhi fikr bhi kar leti thi.

Mujhe nahi pata tha ki aane wale dino mein hamari jaan-pehchaan aur badhne wali thi.

........