Sach hote Khwaab

A Walk

I was sitting in my cabin, writing, when Gopi Kaka knocked at the door with my bouquet.
'Amrit Bitiya ye-'
'Jaanti hoon kaka!', I said with a crimson blush, walking up to him. 'Shukriya!'
They were double pink buttercups. The bouquet had a note attached -
'Aaj?'
Haye Rabba! Hun iska ki jawaab doon?
I went back to my desk and gently placed them in the vase. Now I'd spend the entire day drooling over these. But first I took a piece of paper and wrote-
'Nahi, kal'
I folded it and turned to Gopi kaka, 'Tussi ye ohnu de aaoge ?'
He nodded with a smile and left. I too went back to my writing.
A while later he returned with a note,
'Aur aaj?'
I thought for a while and then wrote yet another note,
'Nahi aaj nahi'
I requested Gopi Kaka to carry it downstairs and bit my lip, smiling impishly.

Eventually another reply arrived.
'Thik hai, aaj ke baad white nahi pehenge'

'Nahi nahi nahi!', I exclaimed worriedly. I was just larking around. Obviously he looked too hadsome. Hun ki karaan!? I looked here and there, edgily.

'Ahem Ahem!'
Randheer was leaning against the door cross-armed with that murderous smile.
'Kuch keh rahi thi aap?', he said, slowly walking towards me.
'Kuch bhi to nahi!', I said, looking elsewhere.
'Thik hai toh phir tay raha. Fir kabhi -'
'Nahi nahi nahi nahi!', I blurted out.
He raised his eyebrows.
'White bada jach raha hai aap-pe.', I said meekly, turning pink.

'Sirf white ?', he asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Why was this happening in my cabin?! - I can't even run away now!
'Amrit ?', he asked tilting his face
'Har rang aap-pe bohot jachta hai', I said with lowered eyes, my face growing hot.
'Mera poora saala bana dene ke bohot bohot shukriya!', he said softly.
'Ab main chalta hoon'
I so wanted to hide my face behind the end of my saree. But I nodded meekly and he left with a bright smile.
None of us had noticed when Gopi Kaka made his escape.

***

It was about five in the evening. I was writing an article. It was just on the edge of completion, when I ran out of ink. As I opened the drawer for a new inkpot, I noticed a diary. It was a deep brown hand-stitched leather bound diary with a long leather strap wound around it twice. I had bought it for Randheer long ago but it had slipped out of my mind. I recalled the time when he carried a diary all the time with him, maybe to jot down some ideas or to capture some thoughts or maybe just to look around and make a note of things which he found either amazing or unpleasant - things or happenings which needed attention.
'Koi nai, abhi de aati hoon!', I said gleefully and sprinted downstairs. But after a thought, I stopped behind the staircase wall and peeped out. He was sitting in his cabin, engaged in a conversation with Ali Bhaijaan. This had become my favourite spot in the office.

Fursatein kahan aankhon ko hai meri aajkal
ho dekhne mein tujhe ...saara din jaaye nikal
aur fir aahista se.. jab chhu ke tu nikle
teri aankh mein dil mera.. dheeme dheeme pighle..

Mainu ishq tera lae dooba...
haan ishq tera lae dooba...

After a bit I wanted to go closer to the cabin, so that I could hear their conversation. Carefully avoiding the direct view from his cabin as well as acting casually, I emerged from behind the wall and tip-toed nearer. I stood against the wall, near the door. I opened that new blank diary and pretended to read it, while peeking in every now and then.

'Janaab main soch raha tha, kyun na hum ek naya column shuru karein akhbaar mein ?', Randheer suggested. 'Jo aam log hai, jinhone kahin koi pareshaaniyaan uthaayi ho - munasib na ho, jaise umm.. maan lijiye sarkaari daftaron mein- jinka janta aur zimmedaar adhikaariyon ki nazar mein aana zaroori ho; jin logon ke aaspaas koi galat vakya hua ho, ya koi aisi ghatna jisse vo nakhush ho...Kisi shehar ya kisi ilaake mein koi badi musibaat aayi ho aur apni taraf se poori koshish ke baad bhi us musibat se nikalne ka raasta na nikal paaya ho... ya vo apni baat kahin pohochana chahte ho! Hum unki baatein, unki maange apne akhbaar mein chhaap sakte hain! Unki awaaz sahi kaano tak pohoncha sakte hai!', he said eagerly, 'Aapka kya khayal hai ?'