[Greenwood]

Update 60



Subah 7:40 baje.
Reyansh ki aankh khuli toh sabse pehle usne apna phone dekha.
Kal raat usne unknown number par message bheja tha.
Aapko kaise pata ki meri zindagi mein kya hua hai?
Ab tak koi reply nahi aaya tha.
Usne chat kholi, kuch seconds tak screen dekhi aur phir phone side mein rakh diya.
"Reply karna hai toh karo. Main tumhara intezaar karte hue retirement nahi lene wala."
Woh bed se utha aur bathroom ki taraf chala gaya.
Kuch der baad kitchen mein breakfast bana raha tha. Bread toaster mein thi aur chai stove par.
Uski nazar dining table par padi.
Jheel ka letter ab bhi wahin tha.
Reyansh ne kuch pal use dekha. Phir letter ko uthakar ek drawer mein rakh diya.
Usne use phaada nahi.
Na hi usse chhupakar apne aap ko yeh samjhaya ki sab khatam ho gaya.
Bas woh nahi chahta tha ki har subah uthte hi uski nazar sabse pehle usi par pade.
Drawer band karke woh wapas kitchen mein aaya.
"Ek problem solve."
Usne chai ka cup uthaya.
"Ab baaki duniya ki problems solve karni hain."
Phone baja.
Arshad ka call tha.
Reyansh ne call receive kiya.
Reyansh: "Good morning, berozgaar copywriter."
Arshad: "Good morning, dukhi brand manager."
Reyansh kuch pal chup raha, phir hans diya.
Reyansh: "Tere paas koi normal greeting nahi hai?"
Arshad: "Hai. Lekin tere liye special subscription hai."
Reyansh: "Kitne paise leta hai?"
Arshad: "Dosti mein paise nahi leta. Bas kabhi-kabhi teri gaadi mein petrol bharwa diya kar."
Reyansh: "Achha, toh asli agenda yeh hai!"
Dono hans pade.
Kuch der baad Arshad ne poochha, "Aaj kaisa hai?"
Reyansh ne chai ka sip liya.
"Kal se thoda better."
"Good."
"Bas, abhi bhi kabhi-kabhi dimaag wahi atak jaata hai."
Arshad ki awaaz naram ho gayi.
"Atakne de. Jab tak tu apna poora din usi mein nahi guzaar raha, tab tak dheere-dheere cheezein settle hongi."
Reyansh ne halki si saans li.
"Tu kabse itni samajhdari ki baatein karne laga?"
"Jabse mere clients ne meri creativity ki kadar karni band kar di."
Reyansh hans pada.
"Chal, main office ke liye nikal raha hoon."
"Ja. Aur lunch karna."
"Ji, attendance officer."
Call kat gaya.
Reyansh ne bag uthaya aur flat se nikal gaya.
Drawer mein rakha letter apni jagah tha.
Lekin aaj subah Reyansh ki nazar us par nahi ruki thi.
Yeh koi badi jeet nahi thi.
Bas ek chhota sa badlaav tha.


Office pahunchkar Reyansh ne apna laptop khola.
Kuch emails check kiye, ek presentation revise ki aur team ke saath upcoming campaign ki short meeting attend ki.
Woh kaam mein laga hua tha, lekin phone ki taraf uska dhyaan baar-baar chala jaata.
Aakhirkaar, kareeb gyarah baje phone ki screen jal uthi.
Unknown number.
Reyansh ne message khola.
Unknown Number:
Kabhi-kabhi insaan ki baaton se zyada uski khamoshi bata deti hai ki woh kis daur se guzar raha hai.
Reyansh ne message padha.
Uski aankhon mein uljhan ubhar aayi.
Yeh kaun tha?
Aur is insaan ko uski zindagi mein itni dilchaspi kyun thi?
Usne turant reply kiya.
Reyansh:
Aap meri khamoshi ko samajhne ka daawa karte hain, lekin apni pehchaan batane se darte hain?
Message send ho gaya.
Kuch seconds baad usne doosra message type kiya.
Reyansh:
Aakhir aap chahte kya hain?
Is baar bhi message deliver ho gaya.
Reyansh screen dekhta raha.
Ek minute.
Do minute.
Paanch minute.
Koi reply nahi.
Usne phone table par rakh diya.
"Perfect. Sawaal main poochhun, jawaab yeh apni marzi se denge."
Woh laptop ki taraf mud gaya.
Lekin ab uske dimaag mein ek naya sawaal tha.
Kya yeh unknown insaan sach mein uske baare mein kuch jaanta tha, ya sirf uski zindagi ke kuch aam andaaze laga raha tha?
Abhi uske paas koi jawaab nahi tha.
Aur woh is mystery ko suljhane ke liye apna kaam chhodkar baithna bhi nahi chahta tha.


Dopahar ke kareeb Neha ek file lekar Reyansh ki desk par aayi.
"Yeh client ke revised points hain. Ek baar dekh lena."
Reyansh ne file le li.
"Okay."


Neha jaane lagi, phir ruk gayi.
"Waise, tum aajkal phone bahut check karte ho."
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
"Office mein phone check karna allowed nahi hai kya?"
"Allowed hai. Bas tum pehle har notification ko itni importance nahi dete the."
Reyansh ne phone ko ulta rakh diya.
"Shayad ab mujhe technology ki kadar hone lagi hai."
Neha hans padi.
"Achha? Kal tak toh tum kehte the ki phone sirf kaam ke liye hai."
"Insaan badal sakta hai."
"Bilkul. Lekin har badlaav ke peeche koi interesting story hoti hai."
Reyansh ne file kholi.
"Tum apna kaam karo, detective."
Neha ne haath utha diye.
"Theek hai, Mr. Secretive."
Woh apni desk par laut gayi.
Reyansh ne file padhni shuru ki.
Neha ne sawaal toh poochha tha, lekin usne uske jawaab ke peeche padne ka faisla nahi kiya.
Woh jaanti thi ki Reyansh jab apni personal life ke baare mein baat karna chahega, tab khud karega.
Filhaal, dono ke beech kaam tha.
Aur kaam ke maamle mein Reyansh ab bhi utna hi focused rehne ki koshish kar raha tha jitna pehle hua karta tha.

Dopahar ek baje Reyansh office cafeteria mein baitha tha.
Usne lunch ka order diya aur phone table par rakh diya.
Koi naya message nahi aaya tha.
Woh unknown number ki chat kholne hi wala tha ki Arshad ka call aa gaya.
Reyansh: "Bol."
Arshad: "Khaana kha raha hai?"
Reyansh: "Haan."
Arshad: "Photo bhej."
Reyansh ne hairaani se phone dekha.
Reyansh: "Kya?"
Arshad: "Proof chahiye. Pichhle kuch dino se tu khaane ke naam par hawa kha raha tha."
Reyansh ne apni plate ki photo kheenchkar bhej di.
Arshad: "Good. Ab mujhe sukoon mila."
Reyansh: "Mere khaane se tujhe sukoon kyun milta hai?"
Arshad: "Kyunki agar tu bhookha raha toh mujhe teri taraf se emotional calls zyada aayengi."
Reyansh hans pada.
Reyansh: "Tu dost hai ya customer care ka budget department?"
Arshad: "Dono. Lekin overtime charge alag hai."
Dono kuch der baat karte rahe.
Arshad ne apne ek client ka kissa sunaya, jisne usse ek advertisement ki line badalne ke liye kaha tha, lekin khud yeh nahi bata paa raha tha ki use line mein kya galat lag raha hai.
"Usne kaha, 'Arshad, kuch missing hai.' Maine poochha, 'Sir, kya?' Woh bola, 'Woh toh tumhara kaam hai.'"
Reyansh hans-hanskar apna sir hilaane laga.
"Phir tune kya kiya?"
"Maine usse kaha, 'Sir, aapki feedback bhi missing hai.'"
Reyansh zor se hans pada.
Paas wali table par baithe do logon ne palatkar dekha.
Reyansh ne haath se maafi ka ishara kiya aur apni awaaz dheemi kar li.
Arshad bhi hans raha tha.
Kuch der baad Arshad ne kaha, "Waise, aaj Sakshi ki presentation hai. Subah se busy thi."
"Toh tune usse wish kiya?"
"Obviously."
"Achha."
"Reyansh, main relationship mein hoon. Itna toh kar hi sakta hoon."
Reyansh ne mazaak kiya, "Bas kabhi-kabhi relationship ke terms and conditions padhna bhool jaata hai."
Arshad ki hansi halki pad gayi.
"Kal wali baat abhi bhi dimaag mein hai."
Reyansh ne uski baat ko dhyaan se suna.
"Toh usse baat kar."
"Karunga. Bas presentation ke baad."
"Good."
Arshad ne topic badal diya.
"Achha, ab lunch kar. Mujhe ek aur client ka phone aa raha hai. Lagta hai aaj meri creativity ka post-mortem hone wala hai."
Call kat gaya.
Reyansh ne phone neeche rakha aur khaana khane laga.
Usne mehsoos kiya ki pichhle kuch dino mein Arshad ki company uske liye kitni important ho gayi thi.
Arshad uske saare sawaalon ke jawaab nahi jaanta tha.
Lekin woh uske saath baitha reh sakta tha, uski bakwaas sun sakta tha aur zaroorat padne par use hansaa bhi sakta tha.
Filhaal, Reyansh ko isi ki zaroorat thi.


Doosri taraf Sakshi conference room mein apni presentation shuru kar chuki thi.
Usne laptop connect kiya, slides kholi aur apna introduction diya.
Pehle do slides ke baad uska confidence aur badh gaya.
Usne apne ideas explain kiye, questions ke jawaab diye aur ek jagah apne proposal ke support mein additional data bhi dikhaya.
Meeting khatam hone par uske manager ne kaha, "Good work, Sakshi. Tumne points clearly present kiye."
Sakshi ke chehre par genuine smile aa gayi.
"Thank you."
Meeting room se bahar nikalte hi usne phone check kiya.
Arshad ka message tha.
Arshad: Presentation ke liye good luck! Aur agar kisi ne sawaal poochhkar tumhe confuse karne ki koshish ki, toh usse bolo ki woh apna sawaal pehle khud samjhe.
Sakshi hans padi.
Usne reply kiya.
Sakshi: Presentation ho gayi. Achhi gayi.
Arshad ka jawaab turant aaya.
Arshad: I knew it. Treat kab de rahi ho?
Sakshi ne screen dekhi.
Sakshi: Abhi office ka kaam baaki hai. Shaam ko baat karti hoon.
Arshad: Theek hai, boss.
Sakshi ne phone bag mein rakha aur apni desk par laut gayi.
Arshad ka message padhkar use achha laga tha.
Lekin pichhli shaam ki baat abhi poori tarah uske dimaag se gayi nahi thi.
Woh Arshad se pyaar karti thi aur uske saath waqt bitana chahti thi.
Lekin apne career ko lekar uski seriousness bhi utni hi sach thi.
Woh nahi chahti thi ki har baar busy hone par use apni priorities justify karni padein.
Usne apna laptop khola aur kaam mein lag gayi.
Shayad shaam ko dono aaram se baat kar paayenge.
Filhaal, Sakshi ke liye apni presentation ka achha jaana ek badi baat thi.
Aur woh us khushi ko poori tarah mehsoos karna chahti thi.

Office se ghar lautne ke baad Reyansh ne apna bag sofa par rakha aur kitchen mein paani lene chala gaya.
Wapas aakar usne phone check kiya.
Unknown number se koi naya message nahi tha.
Usne chat kholi.
Uske bheje hue dono messages ab bhi unanswered the.
Reyansh ne type kiya:
Reyansh: Agar aapko mujhse kuch kehna hai, toh seedha kahiye. Paheliyan mujhe pasand nahi hain.
Usne message send kar diya.
Phir kuch der screen dekhta raha.
Koi reply nahi aaya.
Usne phone lock kar diya.
"Bas. Aaj ke liye kaafi mystery ho gayi."
Woh sofa par baithkar TV on karne laga.
Lekin uske dimaag mein ek baat baar-baar aa rahi thi.
Unknown number ke messages mein kuch aisa tha jo use pareshan kar raha tha.
Woh insaan uski khamoshi, uske badalte hue andaaz aur uski zindagi mein hone wali cheezon ki baat karta tha.
Lekin kya yeh sab usne waqai notice kiya tha?
Ya woh bas kuch aise jumle likh raha tha jinmein har insaan apni kahani dhoondh sakta hai?
Reyansh ne remote table par rakh diya.
Woh abhi kisi natije par nahi pahunchna chahta tha.
Uske paas pehle se hi kaafi uljhan thi.
Use ek aur uljhan ki zaroorat nahi thi.


Raat ko Arshad ghar aaya toh Sakshi dining table par baithi apna laptop band kar rahi thi.
"Presentation kaisi rahi?" Arshad ne poochha.
Sakshi ke chehre par smile aa gayi.
"Achhi rahi. Manager ne appreciate kiya."
"See! Maine kaha tha na, tum kar logi."
Sakshi hans padi.
"Thanks."
Arshad ne bag sofa par rakha.
"Toh ab treat?"
Sakshi ne ghadi dekhi.
"Aaj bahut thak gayi hoon. Ghar par hi dinner kar lete hain?"
Arshad ne kuch pal use dekha.
Pichhli shaam ki baat use yaad aayi.
Usne apni pehli instinct ko rok liya.
"Theek hai. Ghar par hi karte hain."
Sakshi ne uski taraf dekha.
"Pakki baat?"
"Haan. Tum thaki hui ho. Har baar bahar jaana zaroori thodi hai."
Sakshi ke chehre par rahat aayi.
"Thank you."
Arshad ne phone nikaala.
"Waise, ghar par dinner ka matlab yeh nahi ki mujhe cooking karni padegi."
Sakshi hans padi.
"Main bhi tumse yahi kehne wali thi."
"Toh order karte hain."
"Done."
Dono ne milkar dinner order kar diya.
Khaana aane tak Arshad ne Sakshi ko apne client ki ek aur ajeeb demand sunayi. Sakshi ne uski baat sunte hue do baar use roka aur kaha ki client ki baat mein ek point toh tha.
Arshad ne turant kaha, "Tum meri girlfriend ho ya us client ki brand consultant?"
Sakshi hans padi.
"Main bas sach bol rahi hoon."
"Yahi toh problem hai. Tum sach bahut bolti ho."
"Toh tum jhooth sunna chahte ho?"
"Bilkul nahi. Lekin kabhi-kabhi thoda flattering feedback bhi diya ja sakta hai."
Sakshi ne uski taraf dekha.
"Achha, Mr. Copywriter. Tum bahut talented ho, tumhare clients tumhari kadar nahi karte aur tumhare jokes duniya ke liye ek gift hain."
Arshad ne seene par haath rakh liya.
"Bas. Aaj ki raat safal ho gayi."
Sakshi hans padi.
Dono ke beech ka mahaul halka tha.
Lekin unki pichhli baat poori tarah gayab nahi hui thi.
Abhi dono ek doosre ko samajhne ki koshish kar rahe the.
Abhi tak unke beech itni doori nahi aayi thi ki woh saath baithkar hans na sakein.
Lekin kuch sawaal aise the jinhe sirf ek achhi shaam se hamesha ke liye khatam nahi kiya ja sakta.


Raat ke kareeb gyarah baje Reyansh apne bedroom mein aaya.
Phone bedside table par rakha aur alarm set kar diya.
Usne ek baar phir unknown number ki chat kholi.
Koi naya message nahi tha.
Usne apna bheja hua aakhri message padha.
Agar aapko mujhse kuch kehna hai, toh seedha kahiye. Paheliyan mujhe pasand nahi hain.
Reyansh ne phone lock kar diya.
"Ab reply aaya toh dekhenge."
Woh bed par let gaya.
Aaj ka din poori tarah aasaan nahi tha.
Meeting ke beech Jheel yaad aayi thi. Unknown number ke messages ne uski uljhan badha di thi. Lekin usne kaam kiya, lunch kiya, Arshad se baat ki aur raat ka khaana bhi khaaya.
Zindagi abhi bhi uske liye mushkil thi.
Lekin woh har mushkil ko ek hi din mein solve karne ki koshish nahi kar raha tha.
Usne aankhein band kar li.
Kuch der baad phone ki screen ek baar phir jal uthi.
Unknown Number:
Har sawaal ka jawaab dena aasaan nahi hota, Reyansh.
Message ke neeche koi aur line nahi thi.
Reyansh ne aankhein kholkar screen dekhi.
Is baar uske chehre par muskurahat nahi thi.
Usne dheere se message dobara padha.
Us anjaan insaan ko uska naam pata tha.
Yeh baat pehle bhi sach thi, lekin aaj usne use alag tarah se mehsoos kiya.
Reyansh ne reply type kiya:
Reyansh: Aap mujhe jaante hain?
Usne send kar diya.
Is baar usne phone ko table par rakhne ke bajaye haath mein hi pakde rakha.
Kuch seconds beet gaye.
Phir ek minute.
Koi jawaab nahi aaya.
Reyansh ne phone lock kar diya aur use bedside table par rakh diya.
Woh nahi jaanta tha ki yeh anjaan insaan kaun tha.
Na hi use pata tha ki uske sawaalon ke peeche koi sach tha ya sirf ek khel.
Lekin ab ek baat saaf thi.
Yeh unknown number sirf uski zindagi par comments nahi kar raha tha. Woh Reyansh ko naam se jaanta tha.
Aur Reyansh ab yeh jaanne ke liye pehle se zyada curious tha ki us screen ke doosri taraf aakhir kaun baitha hai.