Sach hote Khwaab

Khayalaat

I was woken up by the Azaan in the morning. There was probably a mosque, very close by.
As I lazily opened my eyes, I saw Amrit was sitting across me, against the bed-post. I blinked my eyes twice and sat up.
'Amrit!', I exclaimed.
She just smiled.
'Kal Telephone operator ne ek ghante intezaar karwaane ke baad kaha ki line nahi mili! Badi mushkil se Raizada sadan phone laga. Mummyji ne bataya ki aap so gayi hain isiliye maine Prem Niwaas phone nahi kiya dobaara. Aap naraz toh nahi hain na mujhse ?'
She shook her head sweetly.
'Mere haath mein hota to aapko saath hi le aata! Par...khair. Umeed hai aaj telephone dhokha na de!', I sighed.
As I bent forward to take her hand, she faded away. And I stroked the back of my neck dreamily.

Na hai ye paana... na khona hi hai...
tera na hona jaane... kyun hona hi hai...

tum se hi din hota hai , surmayi shaam aati hai
tum se hi.. tum se hi...
har ghadi saans aati hai... zindagi kehlaati hai...
tum se hi.... tum se hi...

Na hai ye paana... na khona hi hai...
tera na hona jaane... kyun hona hi hai...

I got dressed in a black shirt, with a grey coat and trousers. In the mirror I could see Amrit making a ring gesture with her thumb and forefinger. I looked down with an embarrassed smile.

Aankhon mein mein aankhon teri ...
baahon mein baahon teri...
mera na mujh mein kuch raha..
hua kya?...
baaton mein baatein teri
raatein saugaatein teri...
kyun tera sab ye ho gaya?
hua kya?...

main kahin bhi jaata hoon tum se hi mil jaata hoon
tumse hi... tum se hi...
shor mein khaamoshi hai
thodi si behoshi hai
tum se hi... tum se hi...'

I walked down the stairs into the reception of the Saraay. Kaushikji, the manager stood behind the desk.
'Ram Ram ji !' He greeted me.
'Ram Ram!', I replied with a smile. 'Ji ek phone kar sakta hoon main?'
'Nai nai Sahabji. Main kal samajh gaya ji. Aap dubaara trunk call karenge. Adha ghanta to line milne mein hi gaya. Aur aap karenge phone Dilli! Dilli to bhai linein milni waise hi mushkil hai, ek ghanta maan ke chaliye. Upar se subah ka waqt hai, rush zyaada rehti hai. Kal to do ghante rakh liya phone aapne! Roz roz aise nahi chalega ji. Maaf kijiye. Telephone aise vyast nahi rakh sakte hum.', he chattered on crossly.
'Arey arey Janaab teheriye teheriye. Aapka telephone kal itni der tak humne apne kabze mein rakha iske liye maaf kar dijiye hume.', I apologized. 'Aur aap fikr mat kijiye. Kal ki galti se thodi samajh aa gayi hai mujhe. Aaj urgent trunk call karunga, to umeed hai zyaada waqt nahi lagega. Zyada se zyaada pandrah minute. Ye thik hai ?'

He looked at me suspiciously and then agreed.
Relieved, I turned the telephone towards myself and picking up the receiver, I dialed.
After a couple of rings, a telephone operator, picked up the phone.
'Hello, Ambala!'
'Hello, ji mujhe ek trunk call book karni hai. Dilli.'
'Kise karni hai? Naam aur extension number bataiye', he asked indifferently.
'Amrit Sahni. Extension number hai 9847.'
'Standard, urgent ya lightning ?'
'Urgent'
'Aap line par rahiye. Main connect karta hoon'

Bauji had taught me that Lightning call should only booked in dire circumstances. Booking urgent calls for our convienience was fine but lighting calls had limited lines. Booking them frivolously could pose a problem to someone else.

After about ten minutes of waiting, someone answered the phone. But it was not Amrit. It was Radhaji.
'Hello! Damaadji ?!', she said chirpily. 'Satsrikaal!'
'Satsrikaal! Ji aap sab thik hai?'
'Ji Damaadji, hum sab itthe ekdum change hai! Tussi vi thik ho?'
'Ji main bhi theek hoon. Uh... Amrit hai aas-paas? Baat ho payegi unse?'
'Oh ji, Amrit te Vashma to college gayi hain na! Bas abhi hi nikli das minute pehle!'
Oh no! I shut my eyes and held my head with my other hand. I was feeling stupid and disappointed at the same time.