Part 20
Sameer drove faster than usual. He felt exhilarated with whatever he managed to achieve in a short span of time. Moresoever, he was glad that he managed to save Nanu's business. He wished that the most important pillar of his life was there to applaud his grandson's achievement in person. Speaking of which, he was now reminded again of his absence and that he needed to take immediate action to start searching for him. The only question was where to begin.
Munna Pandit found Sameer happy but unusually quiet too. Sameer was not one to pass up on his victories. Even if he didn't always openly gloat about them, he did behave like a victorious emerger, specially in school and college in sports or studies. And today's was one of his real win in the actual world without any support or background training. How did he not zeal in it. Munna in the front seat glanced sideways to Pandit in the back, who also pursed his lips as none had any idea. But both decided to keep mum for a while and then talk about the happenings once reached home.
They drove in silence and after a while, when inside the mansion, Sameer headed straight to the room without worrying about the boys. It was as much their house as his and he never worried about how to make them comfortable. They always were and it was a given.
"Sameer se baat karni padegi. Kuch hai jo abhi bhi use pareshan kar raha hai", Munna decided the next course of action and Pandit agreed. They followed him to his room and Sameer realized the minute they entered. Attribute it to his heightened sense of feel or hearing or knowing who was around when or an extra receptive sixth sense or plain I-am-used-to-you-around feel, he knew they weren't letting him off the hook without knowing what had been the basis of his hatched plan. He had promised them of no lies or secrecy. So, he was ready to share more. The question was how much more were they ready to take in and accept? How long before they tagged him freak and bailed out?
With his back still turned to them, he gazed out at the black sky illuminated with the starlight. It gave him the tranquility he sought. "Main jaanta hoon tum donon ke mann mein kayi sawaal hai? Par hamesha ki tarah, mere paas saare jawab nahi hai".
"Kal se hum bina sawal kiye teri har baat maante aa rahe hai. Tune jo kaha humne kiya. Tune jaan ka khatra bhi le liye, humne fir bhi tera saath diya. Ab sach bataa, tere dimaag mein chal kya raha tha Sameer? Tujhe koi andaaza bhi hai humpe kya beeti thi?" Munna walked to him furiously and was done talking to his back and whirled him around.
"Hum toh tujhpe aankh bandh karke bharosa karte hai Sameer. Sawaal yeh hai ki tu humpe kitna bharosa karta hai? Karta bhi hai ya nahi?" Now it was Pandit's turn too to express some disappointment.
Sameer was quick to erase that, "jaan se bhi zyaada!" They hugged in their trio. "Issliye aaj tum donon ko woh sab kuch bataunga jo main jaanta hoon". This time he had decided firmly to share every bit about him.
Thus began Sameer's narration. "Jab se business ki iss problem ke baare mein pataa chala tha, main Nanu ke office records, files aur kuch personal notes padh raha tha. Nanu ki aadat thi ki jab bhi kisi naye insaan se milte the, khaskar ke business ke silsile mein, unke baare mein apni first impression ek diary mein note down karte hai. Jaise ki unke haav bhaav, nain naksh, soch, manners, attitude, wagareh. Woh kehte hai na ki first impression is usually the last impression. Inn sabse aur apne tajurabe se Nanu uss insaan ko padhte aur parakhte the aur unhe dealings ke samay faisla lene mein aasani hoti thi. Unki aisi notes aur Amit Shah ki madad se kuch chaan been karvayi thi. Toh pataa chala ki Parekh uncle ko show off ka bahut shauq hai. Unke museum jaise ghar mein saare antiques nakli hai, kuch Bombay ke Crawford market se khareede hue hai aur kuch toh yahan Manek Chowk ke paas Bade Bazaar se. Woh puri zindagi mein Gujarat ke bahar sirf Bombay gaye hai".
"Tabhi tune unhe suna diya tha ki yeh sab nakli hai? Tujhe pataa tha?" Munna was bewildered. Sameer shrugged as if it was common knowledge that Parekh was lying.
Sameer continued. "Fir dusri important baat mujhe yeh pataa chali ki woh business mein chahe kitne modern equipment aur machines istemaal kare, parivaar aur sanskaaron ko leke unki soch ekdum purani aur rudhiwadi hai. Biraadari ke bahar shaadi karna unki vicharadhara ke bilkul ulta tha. Lekin teesri aur sabse ehem baat yeh thi ki woh apni ek lauti santaan, Sunaina se bahut pyaar karte hai. Sunaina ke dil ki khwahish zabaan par aane se pehle puri kar di jaati thi. Chunki unki shaadi ke kayi saal baad paida hui thi aur fir kuch saal pehle Sunaina ki Mummy bhi guzar gayi toh woh apne Papa ke aankh ka taara ban gayi. Ab woh log Gujarati hai aur him Marwari, issliye inter caste marriage ka sawal hi nahi uthta tha. Par tum log toh jaante ho Sunaina college ke dinon se kaise mere peeche padi thi".
