Wabasta | Complete ✔

Chapter 6

Firdaus was hesitant to enter, but she knocked on the door anyway. She had already started the process quite late and could not afford to lose more time. Normally she would go to her father for things like these, but Dawood had gone outside the country for some work, so she was left with no choice but go to her mother.

"Firdaus? Andar aajao. Kya baat hai, sab khiariyat?"

She nodded her head in response. "Jee. Woh mujhe aapse kuch baat karni hai. Meri university ke admission se related."

Shagufta kept her book down and straightened up, gesturing her to speak ahead.

"Actually, main kuch forms le ayi thi. Achhe universities hai, I did some research as well."

"Hmm, achhi baat hai. Waise bhi admission deadlines kaafi nazdeek aa rahe hai." She looked up at her again. "Toh, kya decide kiya tumne? Kahan jana chahti ho?"

Firdaus stretched her hand out in front of her showing her the forms. "In mein se kahin bhi apply karloongi, saare ache hain."

Shagufta took the papers from her hand and took a look at them.

"Par yeh toh Arts college ke forms hai."

"Jee, main literature ke liye apply kar rahi hoon."

Shagufta went silent for a moment.

"Literature? Magar mujhe laga tum business ke liye apply kar rahi ho. Phir yeh literature kahan se agaya beech mein?"

"Beech mein? Beech mein nahi aaya maama. Main hamesha se hi literature parhna chahti thi. A levels mein business toh maine sirf aapke kehne par liya tha. Mujhe business parhne mein koi interest nahi hai."

"Firdaus, bacchon jaisi baatein mat karo. Yahan Islamabad mein kitne ache business schools hai, tumhare business ke grades bhi bauhat achhe hai, phir literature parh ke kya karogi tum? It's a waste of time."

She gaped at her mother.

"Maama aap yeh kaisi baatein kar rahi hain? Aapko pata hai mujhe literature kitna pasand hai. Main writer banna chahti hoon, phir aap –"

"Writer? Tumhe pata bhi hai writing ka profession kaisa hota hai? Koi fixed job nahi, future ke bare mein koi predictibilty nahi. Jo aaj ke best sellers hain woh kal raddi ke bhav mein bik jate hai. Phir berozgari aur nakaami mein insaan apna khud aitimad aur sukoon gawah deta hai."

"Sab ke saath aisa nahi hota," Firdaus protested. "Kuch writers hai jinka career bauhat strong hota hai. Un mein se bauhat sari aurtein hai. Agar woh kar sakti hai toh main kyun nahi?"

"Kuch writers ke success ke basis par apna career dao pe mat lagao Firdaus. Main tumhare bhalai ke liye bol rahi hoon. Business parhogi toh tumhe bauhat kuch seekhne ko milega. Job milne mein asaani hogi aur phir mera business bhi toh hai, usko sambhal sakti ho tum."

"Par mujhe aapke business mein koi interest nahi hai! In fact mujhe kisi bhi tarah ke business mein koi interest nahi hai. Mujhe jo pasand hai woh main kyun nahi parh sakti?"

"Jis raah par tum chalna chahti ho wahan par na koi fixed income hai na future ki koi guarantee. Main kaise tumhe itna bara risk lene doon?"

"Kaunse profession mein success guaranteed hota hai maama? Risk toh har peyshe mein hota hai. Lekin uske darr se hum sapne toh nahi chhor sakte hai na?"

"Beta jab insaan ke paas kuch nahi hota hai na, tab uski taleem hoti hai."

Shagufta took a deep breath. She did not want to raise her voice at her. In her mind, she could only think of a young 23-year-old girl, roaming around the city with two month old baby in her arms, looking for a job. When life hit her the hardest, that was when she really wished she had studied further after her graduation. She always wanted to but the chances of further education looked bleak after marriage. If it wasn't for Dawood and his persuasion, she could have never fulfilled that dream.