Hum ek chhote se restaurant mein mile, station ke paas.
Woh pehle se baitha tha. Neeli shirt, saaf, press ki hui. Uske saamne chai thi jo thandi ho chuki thi, matlab woh kaafi der se baitha tha.
Woh khada ho gaya jab maine usko dekha.
“Bhabhi ji.”
Yeh sunkar mera gala ruk gaya.
Hum baith gaye. Kuch der koi kuch nahi bola.
“Aapka naam?” maine poocha.
“Vinod.”
“Vinod ji, main aapke paise nahi le sakti.”
“Le sakti hain.”
“Nahi—”
“Bhabhi ji.” Usne mujhe dekha, seedha. “Bees saal pehle mere paas kuch nahi tha. Chaudah saal ka tha, school chhoot gaya tha, aur meri maa doosron ke ghar bartan dhoti thi. Phir ek din ek aadmi aaya jisko main jaanta bhi nahi tha. Usne kaha ki woh Kishan Lal ka beta hai.”
Rajesh ke Papa ka naam.
“Maine usko ghar se nikaal diya tha.” Vinod haske bola, par hansi mein kuch nahi tha. “Maine kaha ki tumhare baap ki wajah se mera baap mara hai, nikal jao. Woh chala gaya.”
Woh ruka.
“Agle mahine ki paanch tareekh ko money order aaya. Paanch hazaar. Bina naam ke.”
Meri aankhein bharne lagi.
“Maine wapas bhejne ki koshish ki. Post office wale ne kaha sender ka address nahi hai.” Vinod ne chai ka cup ghumaya. “Agle mahine phir aaya. Phir aaya. Do saal tak maine ek rupaya haath nahi lagaya, sab ek dabbe mein rakhta gaya.”
“Phir?”
“Phir meri behen ki shaadi tay hui aur mere paas kuch nahi tha.” Uski aankhein laal ho gayi. “Maine dabba khola.”
Hum dono chup rahe.
“Bhabhi ji, unhone mujhse kabhi maafi nahi maangi. Ek baar bhi nahi. Kyunki galti unki thi hi nahi.” Vinod ne sar hilaya. “Woh sirf paise bhejte rahe. Bees saal. Aur jab main Pune aaya tab pehli baar hum mile, aur unhone mujhe Bhaiya bulaya, chhota hone ke baad bhi.”
Maine poocha, “Us din… unhone aapko phone kiya tha? Subah?”
“Haan.” Vinod ne neeche dekha. “Unhone poocha tha ki main shaam ko khaane pe aa sakta hun kya. Aarav ka program tha school mein. Woh chahte the main dekhun.”
Main wahin baithi roti rahi, us restaurant mein, ek ajnabi ke saamne jo ajnabi nahi tha.
Jab main jaane lagi toh maine kaha, “Vinod ji, paise mat bhejiye ab. Please.”
Woh khada ho gaya aur usne haath jod diye.
“Bhabhi ji, bees saal tak ek aadmi ne mujhse yeh nahi kaha. Maine bhi nahi kaha tha.”
Aur phir woh chala gaya.
Agle mahine ki paanch tareekh ko, gyarah bajkar chaar minute pe, mera phone baja.
Maine message padha, aur phone rakh diya, aur Aarav ko school ke liye taiyar karne chali gayi.