[Greenwood]

Update 59


Subah ke 7:15 baj rahe the.
Phone ka alarm baj raha tha.
Reyansh ne aankhein khole bina haath badhaya aur alarm band kar diya.
Paanch minute baad alarm phir baja.
Is baar usne takiya apne kaanon par rakh liya.
"Bas paanch minute aur..."
Phone par teesri baar alarm baja toh usne aankhein khol di.
"Yaar, tumhari bhi zindagi hai. Mere peeche kyun pade ho?"
Phone ne jawaab nahi diya.
Reyansh khud hi halki si hansi hans diya.
Woh bed se utha, bathroom mein gaya aur taiyaar hone laga. Aaj usne apni shirt khud iron ki. Breakfast ke liye bread nikali, toaster mein daali aur chai banane ke liye paani chadha diya.
Kitchen mein khade-khade uski nazar dining table par padi.
Jheel ka letter ab bhi wahin tha.
Usne ek pal ke liye use dekha.
Phir nazar hata li.
Pichhle kuch dino se woh letter uske ghar ka ek aisa hissa ban gaya tha jise woh dekhna bhi nahi chahta tha aur hata bhi nahi paa raha tha.
Chai taiyaar hui toh usne cup uthaya aur table par baith gaya.
Phone ki screen par Arshad ka message chamak raha tha.
Arshad: Aaj office time par pahunchna. Mujhe apni aankhon se yeh historical event dekhna hai.
Reyansh ne reply kiya.
Reyansh: Apna kaam kar.
Arshad: Kar raha hoon. Teri punctuality par documentary likh raha hoon.
Reyansh: Title kya hoga?
Arshad: Ek aadmi, ek alarm aur haar maan chuki ghadi.
Reyansh hans pada.
Usne chai khatam ki, bag uthaya aur flat se nikal gaya.
Aaj bhi woh khush nahi tha.
Lekin aaj usne udaasi ko apne poore din ka schedule nahi banane diya.


Office pahunchte hi Reyansh ne apna laptop khola aur pending emails check karne laga.
Pichhle hafte se chal rahe ek campaign ke final changes client ne bheje the. Presentation ko revise karna tha aur team ke saath short meeting bhi scheduled thi.
Reyansh ne document khola.
Pehle headline padhi.
Phir subheading.
Phir poora paragraph.
Ek jagah rukkar usne khud se kaha, "Nahi, yeh line kaam nahi karegi."
Usne sentence delete kiya aur naya version type kiya.
Kuch der baad Neha uski desk ke paas aayi.
"Morning."
Reyansh ne screen se nazar uthayi.
"Morning."
Neha ne uske laptop par nazar daali.
"Already working? Yeh kaun hai aur hamare Reyansh ko kahan chhupa diya?"
"Main hi hoon."
"Proof?"
"Employee ID dikhaun?"
Neha hans padi.
"Nahi, woh bhi fake banwa sakte ho."
Reyansh ne laptop ki screen uski taraf thodi ghumayi.
"Yeh dekho. Campaign ka revised draft. Tumhare paas isse better kuch hai toh batao."
Neha ne document padhna shuru kiya.
Kuch seconds baad usne kaha, "Yeh line achhi hai."
"Bas achhi?"
"Kaafi achhi."
"Thoda aur enthusiasm dikhao. Main appreciation ka bhookha insaan hoon."
Neha ne seedha jawaab diya, "Toh canteen se sandwich le lo."
Reyansh hans diya.
"Very funny."
"Thank you. Main apni comedy par kaam kar rahi hoon."
Neha ne draft ke do points suggest kiye. Reyansh ne unhe note kar liya.
Dono kuch der campaign ke baare mein baat karte rahe.
Kaam ki baat karte waqt Reyansh ka andaaz ab bhi pehle jaisa tha. Woh suggestions sunta, zaroorat padne par argue karta aur achhe idea ko bina ego ke accept bhi kar leta.
Neha ne yeh sab notice kiya.
Lekin usne ek aur cheez bhi notice ki.
Pichhle kuch hafton mein Reyansh kaafi baar apna phone check karta tha. Ab woh phone ko ulta rakhkar kaam kar raha tha.
Aur jab bhi koi baat uski personal life ki taraf jaati, woh mazaak karke use doosri taraf mod deta.
Neha ko itna samajh aa gaya tha ki kuch badla hai.
Lekin kya badla hai, yeh poochhne ka usne abhi faisla nahi kiya.

Das baje team meeting shuru hui.
Conference room mein chaar log baithe the. Screen par campaign ke visuals dikh rahe the aur table par notebooks khuli hui thi.
Reyansh presentation ke ek section ko explain kar raha tha.
"Hum product ko sirf ek daily-use item ki tarah position nahi karenge. Campaign ka focus us moment par hoga jab customer ko product ki zaroorat mehsoos hoti hai."


Team ka ek member bola, "Toh emotional angle zyada rakhein?"
"Emotional, lekin overdramatic nahi. Humein relatable rehna hai."
Reyansh ne agla slide khola.
Screen par tagline aayi:
"Some connections change the way we see everything."
Uski awaaz ek pal ke liye ruk gayi.
Bas ek pal.
Lekin us ek pal mein uske dimaag mein Jheel ki hansi ubhar aayi.
Woh shaam yaad aayi jab usne uski baat par hanskar kaha tha ki Reyansh har simple cheez ko complicated bana deta hai.
Phir ek aur yaad.
Jheel ka uski taraf dekhna.
Uska kehna, "Tum kabhi-kabhi bahut irritating ho."
Aur uske baad khud hi hans dena.
Reyansh ki ungli presentation ke remote par ruk gayi.
"Sir?"
Team member ki awaaz se uska dhyaan wapas aaya.
"Haan?"
"Is slide ke baad hum audience segmentation par ja rahe hain na?"
Reyansh ne screen ki taraf dekha.
"Yes. Sorry. Audience segmentation."
Usne agla slide khol diya aur meeting jaari rakhi.
Kisi aur ke liye yeh bas ek chhota sa pause tha.
Reyansh ke liye nahi.
Usne presentation poori ki, team ke questions ke jawaab diye aur meeting khatam hone par apni notebook band kar di.
Sab log bahar nikal gaye.
Woh kuch seconds wahi baitha raha.
Usne khud se kaha, "Focus, Reyansh."
Phir laptop uthaya aur room se bahar aa gaya.
Usne koi dramatic decision nahi liya.
Bas apne agle kaam ki taraf badh gaya.


Meeting ke baad Neha uske paas aayi.
"Coffee?"
Reyansh ne apni screen se nazar uthayi.
"Free hai?"
"Main tumhe coffee offer kar rahi hoon, loan nahi."
"Toh phir haan."
Dono office pantry ki taraf chale gaye.
Neha ne coffee machine on ki aur do cups nikaale.
"Meeting mein ek second ke liye kho gaye the."
Reyansh ne cup uthaya.
"Main presentation ka next slide yaad kar raha tha."
"Achha? Slide ko dekhkar?"
"Multitasking kehte hain ise."
Neha ne use dekha.
"Reyansh."
Uske tone mein is baar mazaak nahi tha.
Reyansh ne cup neeche kar diya.
"Kya?"
"Main tumse personal details nahi poochh rahi. Bas itna keh rahi hoon ki agar kuch chal raha hai, toh har baar sab kuch normal dikhane ki zaroorat nahi."
Reyansh kuch der chup raha.
Uske paas do options the.
Woh mazaak karke baat badal sakta tha.
Ya phir ek chhoti si sachchai accept kar sakta tha.
"Sab normal nahi hai," usne aakhir kaha.
Neha ne kuch nahi poochha.
Reyansh ne coffee ka ek sip liya.
"Bas kuch personal cheezein hain. Thoda time lagega."
"Okay."
Bas itna hi.
Na sawaalon ki baarish.
Na zabardasti ki sympathy.
Na koi lamba lecture.
Neha ne apna cup uthaya.
"Waise, tumhara revised draft mujhe pasand aaya."
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
"Thank you."
"Is baar genuinely bol rahi hoon."
"Main bhi genuinely thank you bol raha hoon."
Neha muskuraayi.
"Good. Ab wapas kaam karo. Client ko tumhare emotional development se zyada campaign ki deadline mein interest hai."
Reyansh hans pada.
"Finally, someone who understands corporate priorities."
Dono apni-apni desk par laut gaye.
Neha ne uska dard door nahi kiya tha.
Lekin usne usse yeh mehsoos nahi hone diya ki office mein har kisi ke saamne use apni udaasi chhupane ke liye acting karni padegi.
Kabhi-kabhi itni si jagah bhi kaafi hoti hai.


Dopahar ke kareeb ek baje Reyansh ka phone baja.
Arshad ka call tha.
"Bol, copywriter."
"Tu lunch kar raha hai?"
"Karne wala hoon."
"Matlab abhi tak nahi kiya."
"Reyansh, tu mere dost se zyada meri attendance sheet kyun bana hua hai?"
"Experience."
Arshad hans pada.
"Achha sun. Kal raat Sakshi thodi irritated thi."
Reyansh apni chair par peeche tik gaya.
"Kyun?"
"Bas, kal hum plan discuss kar rahe the. Maine poochha tha ki weekend par kahin chalte hain. Uske paas kaam tha."
"Toh?"
"Toh maine kaha theek hai. Baat khatam."
Reyansh ne kuch seconds chup rehkar poochha, "Sach mein baat khatam?"
Arshad ne jawaab dene se pehle ek chhoti si saans li.
"Haan. Matlab... maine uske baad kuch nahi kaha."
"Par dimaag mein toh abhi bhi chal raha hai."
"Tu dost hai ya mind reader?"
"Main bas tujhe kaafi saalon se jaanta hoon."
Arshad kuch pal chup raha.
"Yaar, main samajhta hoon ki uska kaam important hai. Lekin kabhi-kabhi mujhe lagta hai ki hum dono ke liye time nikaalna bhi important hona chahiye."
Reyansh ne is baar uski baat ko mazaak mein nahi udaaya.
"Bilkul. Lekin uske liye dono ko milkar time nikaalna padega. Agar uske paas abhi time nahi hai, toh baad mein poochh le. Aur agar tujhe bura laga hai, toh woh bhi bata."
"Main har chhoti baat par discussion nahi karna chahta."
"Toh phir usse umeed kyun kar raha hai ki woh bina bataye samajh jaayegi?"
Phone ke doosri taraf kuch der khamoshi rahi.
Phir Arshad bola, "Yeh line tune kahan se seekhi?"
"Zindagi naam ki ek free online class hai. Bas fees thodi zyada hai."
Arshad hans pada.
"Achha, professor. Tu apna lunch kar. Main bhi karta hoon."
"Done."
Call kat gaya.
Reyansh ne phone table par rakha.
Arshad ke saath baat karke use apne dard se kuch der ke liye doori mili thi. Lekin usne yeh bhi mehsoos kiya ki uska dost apni hi baat ko samajhne ki koshish kar raha tha.
Arshad doosron ke liye achhe words dhoondh leta tha.
Apne liye sahi words dhoondhna shayad utna aasaan nahi tha.


Shaam ko Arshad apne ghar par tha.
Sakshi kitchen se paani lekar living room mein aayi. Usne Arshad ko laptop par kaam karte dekha.

"Kal ki presentation ke baare mein poochhna tha," Arshad ne kaha. "Tumhe kisi help ki zaroorat hai?"
Sakshi ne use dekha. Shayad woh is sawaal ki ummeed nahi kar rahi thi.
"Nahi, slides complete hain. Bas final practice karni hai."
"Okay."
Arshad ne laptop band kiya.
"Aur weekend ke liye... hum koi chhota sa plan bana sakte hain. Tumhari presentation ke baad."
Sakshi ne kuch pal socha.
"Saturday shaam shayad free ho jaaun. Lekin abhi confirm nahi kar sakti."
Arshad ne sir hila diya.
"Theek hai. Jab confirm ho jaaye, bata dena."
Sakshi uski taraf dekhti rahi.
"Bas?"
Arshad ne bhauhein uthayi.
"Ab kya hua?"
"Pichhli baar tum naraaz ho gaye the."
"Main naraaz nahi tha."
Sakshi ne use dekha.
Arshad ne apni baat sudhaari.
"Okay, thoda bura laga tha. Lekin iska matlab yeh nahi ki tum galat thi."
Sakshi ka chehra kuch halka hua.
"Main tumhare saath waqt bitana chahti hoon, Arshad. Bas kabhi-kabhi mere paas bahut kuch hota hai."
"Samajhta hoon."
"Main nahi chahti ki tumhe lage ki tum mere liye important nahi ho."
Arshad ne uski taraf dekha.
"Achha hai. Kyunki kabhi-kabhi mujhe aisa lag jaata hai."
Sakshi kuch kehne hi wali thi ki Arshad ne apni usual smile ke saath kaha, "Lekin tension mat lo. Main emotionally available hoon. Bas kabhi-kabhi meri availability ka server down ho jaata hai."
Sakshi hans padi.
"Tumse serious baat karna mushkil hai."
"Main serious hoon. Mera face bas meri personality ke against kaam karta hai."
"Yeh toh mujhe pehle din se pata hai."
Dono ke beech ka tanaav kuch kam hua.
Lekin poori tarah khatam nahi hua tha.
Sakshi apni presentation ki taiyaari karne chali gayi aur Arshad apne laptop par laut aaya.
Unhone baat ki thi.
Kuch samjha bhi tha.
Lekin kuch baatein abhi bhi aisi thi jinhe dono sahi waqt par dobara kehna chahte the.
Aur shayad unhe woh waqt abhi nahi mila tha.

Reyansh raat ko ghar lauta toh flat pehle ki tarah shaant tha.
Usne lights on ki, bag sofa par rakha aur shirt ki sleeves fold karte hue kitchen mein chala gaya.
Aaj usne khaana khud banane ka faisla kiya.
Kuch complicated nahi.
Bas simple dinner.
Cooking karte waqt uska dhyaan ek baar phir Jheel ki taraf gaya.
Use yaad aaya ki Jheel ne ek baar uske banaye khaane ko taste karke kaha tha, "Tum cooking karte ho ya ingredients ko ek doosre se milwa dete ho?"
Reyansh hans pada tha.
Usne jawaab diya tha, "Main creative hoon. Har dish ek experiment hai."
Jheel ne kaha tha, "Toh main tumhari laboratory se door hi rahungi."
Woh yaad ab bhi use hansa sakti thi.
Aur agle hi pal uske seene mein ek halka sa dard bhar sakti thi.
Reyansh ne chammach rakh diya.
Kuch seconds tak woh bas gas par rakhe bartan ko dekhta raha.
Phir usne flame kam ki aur khaana poora kiya.
Dinner ke baad woh sofa par baith gaya. Phone paas hi tha.
Usne Jheel ka chat khola.
Purane messages ab bhi wahin the.
Usne kuch der screen dekhi, lekin is baar neeche tak scroll nahi kiya. Na usne uske purane voice notes dhoondhe, na last conversation ko baar-baar padha.
Usne chat band kar diya.
Phir phone table par rakh diya.
Yeh bhool jaana nahi tha.
Yeh maaf kar dena bhi nahi tha.
Aur na hi iska matlab tha ki uska dil ab theek ho gaya tha.
Bas aaj ki raat usne apne dard ko aur kholkar dekhne se inkaar kar diya.
Woh balcony mein gaya.
Bengaluru ki sadak par gaadiyan aa-ja rahi thi. Kuch log apne gharon ki taraf laut rahe the, kuch apni shaam shuru kar rahe the.
Har kisi ki zindagi apni raftaar se chal rahi thi.
Reyansh railing ke paas khada raha.
Uske paas abhi bhi kai sawaal the.
Lekin aaj usne un sabka jawaab dhoondhne ki koshish nahi ki.
Woh andar aaya, alarm set kiya aur bed par let gaya.
Sone se pehle usne khud se bas ek baat kahi.
"Kal ka din kal dekhenge."


Raat ke kareeb gyarah bajkar pachaas minute par phone ki screen jal uthi.
Ek unknown number se message aaya tha.
Reyansh ki aankhein aadhi band thi. Usne phone uthaya.
Message padha.
Unknown Number:
Kabhi-kabhi kisi ke chale jaane se zyada takleef us wajah ki hoti hai, jo woh bata kar jaata hai.
Reyansh seedha hokar baith gaya.
Usne message dobara padha.
Phir teesri baar.
Uske dimaag mein Jheel ka letter aa gaya.
Uski likhi hui baatein.
Woh wajah jo usne Reyansh ko di thi.
Aur woh sawaal jiska jawaab Reyansh ko ab tak nahi mila tha.
Usne message box khola aur type kiya:
Reyansh:
Aapko kaise pata ki meri zindagi mein kya hua hai?
Usne message send kar diya.
Screen par message deliver ho gaya.
Reyansh kuch der phone ko dekhta raha.
Koi reply nahi aaya.
Usne chat band nahi ki.
Bas phone apne paas rakh diya.
Kuch minute beet gaye.
Phir aur kuch minute.
Koi jawaab nahi.
Aakhirkaar usne phone lock kiya aur bed par let gaya.
Uske dimaag mein ab do alag sawaal the.
Ek Jheel ke jaane ka.
Doosra ek aise insaan ka jo uski zindagi ke baare mein kuch jaanta hua lagta tha, lekin kabhi poori baat nahi karta tha.
Reyansh ko nahi pata tha ki us unknown number ke peeche kaun hai.
Na hi use pata tha ki agla message kab aayega.
Filhaal, usne phone side mein rakha aur aankhein band kar li.
Bengaluru mein raat aage badh rahi thi.
Flat 303 mein ek aadmi sone ki koshish kar raha tha.