Shopkeeper- SK
Mohan- M
•••
1:00 AM
Lucknow Bus Stand.
Karishma reached the depo, face covered with a scarf to hide her identity and was keenly observing everything around.
.
.
KS: Picchli baar dopahar ko aaye the, shayad issiliye kuch khaas pata nahi chala.
Raat ka mahool alag hota hain.
She went to a local shop.
KS: Bhaiyaa 1 cup chai dena. (Changing her voice)
Shopkeeper: Ji.
While he was preparing tea.
SK: Waise behen ji ek baat kahe?
KS: Ji kahiya. (Feebly)
SK: Aap akeli aayi hain?
Karishma glares him.
SK: Galat mat samajhiye. Main toh bas aapke bhale ke liye bol raha hoon.
KS: Hum kuch samjhe nahi bhaiya.
SK: Aaj hi ek police officer aayi thi, voh bata rahi thi yaha se kisi ladki ka apharan ho gaya.
Karishma understood he was taking about her, as she met him in afternoon.
KS: Haayee Daiyaa! (Dramatically)
Kya kare bhaiya, humare patidev ko time hi nahi milta ke hume lene aaye.
Opper bus late ho gayi aur ab hume shehar jaana hain. (In a tensed voice)
SK: Chinta mat kijiye. Aise toh yeh jagah surakshit hi rahi hain. Aap chai lijiye. (Giving her the cup)
KS: Dhanyawad.
She took the cup, sat on a chair nearby and enquired about few more things from him.
.
.
KS: Iss par koi sandeh nahi hain ab hume. Jo bhi issne humse dopahar mein kaha, vahi abhi keh raha hain. Aur kaun ho sakta hain... (sipping tea)
After few minutes
KS: Uss auto wale ka pata lagana hoga. (She thinks and finishes her tea quickly)
KS: Thank you bhaiya. (Giving him the empty cup)
Vaise yaha se Aliganj ke liye auto kaha milega?
SK: Yeh toh bohot dur hain. Aur yaha sirf 2 hi log hain jo raat ke samay iss jagah jaate hain.
Nitesh aur Mohan...
KS: (thinks) Bhakkk! Janvi ko kis auto wale ne chhoda tha, kaise pata kare? (Scratching her forehead gently)
KS: Hume toh bas ek hi auto chahiye. Aap hi bata dijiye kaha se auto le.
SK: Nitesh 10 din se chhuti par hain.
Aur Mohan ka auto vaha khada hain. (Pointing towards a tree where auto was standing)
Naya hain.
KS: Kya matlab?
SK: 10 din hue isse Lucknow aaye. Aksar humari tapri par aata reheta hain.
KS: (thinks) Mil gaya! (Takes a sigh of relief)
KS: Aap bohot acche hain bhaiya, warna hum toh dar hi gaye the.
SK: Mohan accha ladka hain.
Thodi baatein zayada karta hain, lekin Dil ka saaf hain.
Keval, Raat ko auto chalata hain.
KS: Sirf Raat ko? (Raised her eyebrows)
SK: Haan. Din mein majduri aur raat ko auto. Fir raat mein paise bhi zayada milte hain na. Auto wale 100, 200 rupay zayada lete hain.
KS: Ji sahi kaha aapne. Main chalti hoon. Aapka bohot bohot dhanyawad.
She went quickly.
...
Quarters
Santu was switching her sides as she wasn't able to sleep. This broke Babita ji's sleep.
BS: Santosh, itna asantosh kyun hain tumhara mann? (Sitting on bed)
Santu who was on the opposite side, opened her eyes and sat on bed.
SS: Bhook lag rahi hain. (Cutely holding her stomach)
BS: Kya? (Surprised)
SS: Bhook...Bhook madam... (loudly)
BS: Shhh...dhire bolo. Hume sunai de raha hain.
SS: Toh "Kya" kyun boli aap? (Frowns cutely)
BS: Humari galti hain.
SS: It's okay. (Smiled)
BS rolled her eyes and said,
BS: Laao hum kuch bana dete hain tumhare liye.
SS: It's okay madam, main Maggie bana lungi.
BS: Aaj kal ke bacche! Jab dekho tab maggie. Maggie healthy nahi hoti hain, jaanti ho na?
Santu nods.
BS: Aise hi kitni patli ho, dhang se khaaogi nahi toh kaise chalega Santosh. Tumne mess mein khana nahi khaya?
SS: Bhook nahi thi madam. Aaj kal pata nahi bhook hi nahi lagti time pe. Par aap kaha gayi thi, mujhe ghar chhodke?
BS: Kuch kaam tha. Voh sab chhodo.
Naa bhi mann ho fir bhi bhooke pet nahi sote. Hume laga tumne khana kha liya, issiliye hum mess mein akele khake aaye.
SS: Madam aisa mere saath hota reheta hain. Duty pe bhi khana skip ho jaata hain. Koi baat nahi, aap aaram kijiye main bana lungi kuch healthy. (Sadly)
BS: Humne kaha na hum bana dete hain. (Firmly)
SS: Sacchiii? (Her eyes shined with happiness)
BS: Raat ke 1 baje hum mazak thodi karenge. Batao kya khaogi? (Softly)
SS: Jo bhi aapko convenient lage madam. (Hesitantly)
BS: Aree, batao itna hichkichana kyun? Kya mann hain khane ka?
SS: Aaa...mujhe na bhajiye khane ka bohot mann hain madam. (Excitedly like kid)
BS: Kiske?
SS: Potato ke...mujhe bohot pasand hain. (Rolls her tongue on her lips)
BS: Hume bhi. Chalo hum banake aate hain. (Gets up)
SS: Main bhi aati hoon.
BS nods.
...
They went in kitchen and Santu helped Babita ji in cutting potatoes.
BS: Accha ek baat batao, yeh aalu (potatoes) hum paani mein kyun rakhte hain, kaatne ke baad?
SS: Dekha toh bohot baar hain madam, mummy ko aisa karte par kabhi socha nahi.
Lekin haan ek baar jab maine potatoes cut kiye the tab unhe paani mein nahi dala aur unka colour change ho gaya. (Peeling them)
BS: Taste mein kuch antar aaya tha uss din.
SS: Unka colour brown ho gaya tha,toh maine fhek diye.
BS: Bohot badiya. (Sarcastically)
SS: Thank you. (Smiled innocently)
BS: Hey bhagwan! (Taking a deep breath)
Accha ab hum bataye aisa kyun hua? (Chopping potatoes)
SS: Haan Madam. (Eagerly)
BS: Inn mein starch aur sugar content bohot hota hain. Aur jab yeh hawa ke sampark (contact) mein aate hain toh oxidise hone ke kaaran Brown, gray ya black ho jaate hain.
Oxidation jaanti ho na?
SS: Ji. Kal hi ek Instagram reel pe dekha tha.
BS: Aree wah, batao!
SS: "Addition of Oxygen to a compound with loss of electrons" matlab,
Oxygen add ho jaata hain aur electrons bahar ho jaate hain.
BS: Bilkul sahi!
Aur paani mein soak karne se, potato ka excess starch nikal jaata hain, jisse oxidation bohot kam hoga aur colour change nahi hota.
SS: Kam kyun madam?
BS: Paani mein bhi toh oxygen hota hain na Santu...bas hawa se kaafi kam matra mein.
SS: Ohh haan! Madam mere brown wale potatoes kharab ho gaye the?
BS: Nahi. Iss se khane mein koi antar nahi padta.
SS: Toh paani mein kyun soak karna?
BS: Besan laao. (Putting chopped potatoes in a big bowl)
Santu brought and cleaned the platform.
BS: Zayada matra (amount) mein starch hone se aalu ek jaise (evenly) nahi pakte, aur kachche (raw) reh jaate hain.
Kaafi zayada samay lagta hain unhe pakne mein.
Aur thode chip chipe (sticky) bhi lagte hain.
.
.
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SS: Kaash mujhe pehele pata hota, toh Cheetah aaram se bhajiye khaa pata uss din. (Sadly)
BS: Kis din? (Pouring oil in a cauldron)
[Note: Cauldron- a large, round container for cooking.
Kadhai in Hindi.]
SS: Jab hum saath rehete the madam.
BS: Kyaa? (Shocked)
Tum dono ek dusre se pyar karte ho?
Cheetah ka toh pata tha hume, tumne usse haan keh diya?
SS: Ji. Bohot lambi kahani hain bhajiye khate khate batati hoon.
BS (nods): Tum bahar baitho hum lekar aate hain.
Santu went taking tomato sauce and plates
...
Bus Depo
Karishma went near the tree, checked her scarf properly covering her face, took a deep breath and headed towards auto.
"Bhaiyaa Aliganj chalenge?"
KS: Amma hum toh ek hi hain toh yeh dusri aawaj kaha se aayi? (Thinks)
She saw another girl beside her, in Salwar kameez, with a black dupatta covering her face.
Mohan who was busy with his phone, looked at both of them.
M: Jaana kisko hain?
KS and Girl (together) : Hume!
They looked at each other.
KS: Pehele humne kaha tha, issiliye bhaiyaa hum chalenge.
Girl: Nahi ji, humne kaha tha.
KS: Dekhiye, humara jaana jaroori hain. Aap dusra auto le lijiye.
Girl: Aap le lo dusra auto. Hum toh issi auto mein jaayenge, haann! (Adamantly)
...
KS: Isse bhi abhi hi aana tha. Hum itna important lead aise nahi chhod sakte. Agar yeh Mohan hi mujrim hain toh iss ladki ki jaan ko bhi khatra hain. (Thinks while looking at her)
...
Girl: Bhaiya aap pehele hume chhod dijiye, fir inhe.
KS: Aapko sharm nahi aati ek chhoti si ladki ka auto chhinte hue. (Dramatically)
Girl: Chhoti? Kis angle se chhoti hain aap. Pachees (25) saal se zayada hain aapki umar.
KS: Toh tum kaunsa sweet 16 ho, humse badi hi lagti ho.
Girl: Dekhiye mohtarma, ek akeli ladki se usski Umar nahi pucchte. (Dramatically)
KS: Amma topa.. (girl immediately looked at her)
Toh...kaa, tumne hi shuru kiya yeh sab. (Changing her voice again)
Mohan: Hey bhagwaan kaha raat ko 2 jhagadti aurton ke beech fasa diya. (Looked upwards)
They were still arguing
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.
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Mohan: Maidaaammm (Madam) chupp ho jaiyeee!!
Hum aap dono ko ek saath chhod dete hain. (Adjusting his face cover)
They both thought for a minute.
KS-Girl (together) : Theek hain! Chaliye.
He received a call.
Mohan: Hum eko (one) minat (minute) mein aate hain. Aap dono andar baithiye.
They nod and he went.
...
KS: Vaise tum ho kaha se?
Girl: Pehele tum batao.
KS: Kya bawal ladki hain. (Thinks)
Hum yahi ke rehene wale hain.
Girl: Hum Kanpur se aaye hain.
...
KS: Amma yeh jhoot kahe bol rahi hain? Kanpur ki gaadi toh humare saamne hi khali hui, yeh toh vaha nahi thi. (Thinks)
...
Girl: Yeh baar baar kiske khaabon mein kho jaati hain aap?
Bringing her out of thoughts.
KS: Kuch nahi. Kya kaam karti ho?
Girl: Aaa...reporter hain, job dekhne aaye hain yaha.
Aur tum?
KS: Hum...hum housewife hain. Ee sasural hain humara.
Girl: Accha.
Saying this she went and was roaming near auto.
KS: Reporter, job, jhoot.
Humko samajh nahi aata, ek case dundhne jaaye, toh yeh naya paheli kaha se tapak padhta hain.
Isske baare mein aur pata karna hoga. (Thinks)
...
She saw that girl observing the area very keenly. Her eyes though in a veil, were confident enough to make Karishma suspicious.
Karishma went near her.
...
KS: Vaise, ghar pe kaun kaun hain tumhare.
Girl: Hum kisi anjaan ko apne baarein mein nahi batate. (Adjusting her veil)
KS: Hum toh bas aise hi pucche.
Kaa hain na hum Kanpur mein reh chuke hain, issiliye socha kuch baatein karte hain saath.
Kanpur mein kaha se ho? (Trying to initiate the conversation)
Girl: Ajeeb hain aap!
Humne kaha na, hum apne baare mein kisi ko nahi batate.
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.
.
Saying this the girl hastily went towards the back end of auto and her leg hit a stone, causing her purse to fall.
She somehow balanced herself taking auto's support.
But, due to purse's zipper being open, everything spilled out.
Karishma heard the sound and went to see her.
.
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KS: Kaa ladki hain. (Rolling her eyes)
...
She was about to help her, when Karishma saw gun with other contents scattered around the bag.
She quickly hid behind auto and saw the girl, keeping revolver inside her purse. The Girl was simultaneously looking near by and was hurriedly picking other stuff.
Karishma glanced around. It was 2 am by that time.
Everyone was sleeping and Mohan wasn't around as well.
She took out her revolver and headed towards the girl who was still kneeling on ground, busy picking other things.
She slowly went near her, and aimed gun at her head, such that the gun was touching girl's back head
KS: Hoshiyari mat karna warna Chitra denge tumko yahi ke yahi.
(Angrily in her original voice, tightly grasping gun)
....
Quarters
Santu and BS were together enjoying bhajiye and Santu was narrating everything to BS.
SS: .........aur itna sab ho gaya. (Ending her narration)
BS: Hmmm! Baat toh kaafi serious hain.
SS: Aapko kuch bolna nahi hain?
BS: Cheetah se apne mann ki baat kaho. Kisi din dono samay nikalkar aap si shikayatein hal kar lo.
SS: Ji. Ek sawal pucch sakti hoon? (Squeezing her eyes)
BS: Puccho.
SS: Aap bhi Bua ji ki tarah sochti hain?
'Live-in' galat baat hain kya?
(She wanted to hear BS' s view)
BS: Pyaar karna galat hain kya Santu?
SS: Nahi.
BS: Toh saath rehena galat kaise ho sakta hain?
SS: (smiled) Par bohot log sochte hain, shaadi ke bina saath rehena galat hain. Jaise bua ji.
BS: (took a deep breath) Iss par hum kisi aur din charcha karenge. Abhi soo jaate hain. Theek hain?
SS: Okay. (Eating last bhajiya)
They washed hands and went inside bedroom.
...
SS: Madam Thank you so much.
She hugged BS. A gentle smile crept across Babita Ji's lips.
BS: Tumhari Mummy hoti toh voh tumhe bhooka thodi sone deti.
Tab unhe bhi thank you bolti?
(Caressing her head)
SS: Haan! (Coming out of hug)
Babita ji looked at her confusingly
.
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SS: Thank you bolna toh acchi baat hain na madam.
Uss mein koi rishta hona ya na hona, kya farak padhta hain?
Ulta Maddam sir ne kaha tha,
"Thank you, Shukriya, Dhanyawad yeh sunne mein bohot chhota sa shabd hain lekin agar isse poore dil se, gale laga kar kaha jaaye, toh bohot bada lagne lagata hain yeh word."
(Episode-11)
SS: Iss se rishte aur zayada mazboot ho jaate hain madam.
Bhale hi hum mana kare, lekin thank you sunke sab ko andar khushi toh mehsoos hoti hi hain na? (Asked by raising her finger)
Babita ji chuckled and nodded.
SS: Aisa lagta hain jaise humari, humare efforts ki value hain saamne wale ko.
Woh kehete hain na madam,
"Always have an attitude of Gratitude!"
...
Babita ji was speechless at Santu's thoughts, the way she so effortlessly explained this big lesson which people often don't pay attention towards.
...
BS: Bohot sayani ho tum beta. (Tapping her head)
Thank you hume bhi yeh baat samajhane. (Smiled)
Santu chuckled.
SS: Chaliye abb sote hain. Good Night! (Moving towards her side of bed)
BS: Good Night. (Sitting on bed, taking her blanket)
•••
Who is this suspicious girl?
Is Mohan really a culprit?
Waiting for your feedback pleaseee!
~•~•~•
Hope this part made you smile.
Dear readers
Today,
Please Thank your parents, siblings, friends, Universe, Nature, the energies/faiths you believe in,
the people you love (even though they may be unknown of your existence),
And see the magical smile they would be having on their faces and the inner feeling of YOU being a little more happier and positive.
If you are away from them, please drop a message thanking them.
Pray and appreciate small things in life, for later these turn out to be very precious, than we ever thought.
Practice gratitude!
Also,
A Biggg Thank you to you all, for reading, appreciating, voting, sharing your feedback, following... everything!
In short for all the love you people have been showering.
Humbled! ❤️
Sending lots of love and prosperous wishes on your way! ✨
Take care!