Uljhe Dor

11. Poolside Chill

  "Shaivi aisa bol kaise sakti hai?" Kunal poolside pe patio lounge chair pe umbrella ke neeche baitha tha. Anshuman juice station pe teeno bhaiyon ke liye drinks arrange kar raha tha aur Veer pool mein laps laga raha tha. "Mere baare mein, Veer Mehrotra, India ke top bachelor ke baare mein. Agar kisi ne usko yeh sab bolte sun liye to-"

  "Haan to galti teri thi. Tune shuru kiya."

  "Bhaiya! Aap mere bhai ho ki uske? Hamesha uski side lete rehte ho."

  Kunal pool mein dive karta hai aur upar aake Veer ko jawab deta hai, "Tu kaam hi aisa karta hai, bechari ko hamesha pareshan karta hai."

  "Excuse me, wo bhi kam nahi hai. Aapke saamne achhi banti hai lekin akele mein puchho mat."

  "Janna bhi nahi hai," Anshuman kehta hai. "Tu hamesha usse jhagadta rehta hai. This is not you."

  Teeno bhai ke alag personalities hain. Sabko alag cheezein pasand hain, soch alag hai lekin unke beech do cheez common hai, apne bhaiyon aur pariwar ke liye pyaar, aur swimming. Swimming teeno bhaiyon ka bond karne ka tareeka hai. Kisi ko koi bhi pareshani ya stress ho, ya koi khushi ki baat ho, teeno pool side pahunch jate hain, din ho ya raat.

  "Ansh sahi keh raha hai, tu usse jhagadna band kar, usse achhe se baat kar. Phir wo bhi tujhse achhe se baat karegi."

  "Main kyun usse achhe se baat karun?"

  "Tu baccha hai kya, Veer? Grow up, be mature," Kunal kehta hai.

  "Veer, tu apne aap ko to bada lady's man kehta hai, ab kya hua tujhe?"

  Veer Ansh ki baat sunkar soch mein pad jata hai. "Ladkiyon ko main pasand hoon. Main sab se achhe se baat karta hoon, sabko khush rakhta hoon, then why does Shaivi bring out my bad side?"

  "Ab pata chala actual problem kya hai," Kunal kehta hai. "Saari ladkiyan Veer pe marti hai lekin Shaivi nahi. Wo alag hai, she's immune to Veer's charm. Yeh baat hamare Veer ko digest nahi hui aur uski ego hurt ho gayi."

  "Tu sahi keh raha hai, Kunal. Veer Shaivi ke saath ekdam alag hai, very different from how he is with his other friends. Wo ise affect karti hai aur Veer ko pata nahi kaise react karna hai."

  "Absolutely, aur kya wajah ho sakti hai? Shaivi is such a sweet girl, kitni helpful hai wo. She's kind and caring. I mean Dadi bhi use pasand karti hai." Kunal kehta hai.

  "Now that's something. Dadi kisi ko ek baar mein pasand nahi karti, lekin Bela aur Shaivi? Dadi to aise un dono se baat karti hai jaise unhe bachpan se janti ho. Maine to suna hai ki Dadi Mom aur Badi Maa ko bhi shuru shuru mein pasand nahi karti thi."

  "Kya baat kar rahe ho, Ansh?" Veer kehta hai. "Dadi? I can't believe it. Abhi to Dadi apni bahuon se sagi beti jitna pyaar karti hain."

  "Unhe time laga tha dono ko apnane mein."

  "Iska matlab Dadi saas- bahu soap opera ki saas ki tarah thi?"

  "Not exactly. Kisi ko apne life mein accept karne mein wakt lagta hai. It's hard to find someone jiske saath wo connection pehli baar mein feel ho. Dadi ke saath bhi wahi tha. She needed time, lekin iska matlab yeh nahi hai ki Dadi TV wali saas ki tarah thi. Ek minute, tujhe kaise pata soap opera ki saas-bahu ke baare mein?"

  "Main dekhta hoon, is liye."

  "What? Tu saas bahu wale soap operas dekhta hai?" Kunal puchhta hai.

  "Haan, har raat Dadi ke saath."

  "Kab se?" Kunal puchhta hai.

  "Ek saal se, Bhaiya. Keep up."