Factory Siren Aur Human Timetable

Dono ke beech ki hawa suddenly heavy ho gayi. Jo baat hamesha hasi mein nikal jaati thi, woh pehli baar thoda sharp lag rahi thi. Aas-paas khade do teachers ek doosre ko dekhne lage. Business association ke do uncle jinhone pehle unka mazaak enjoy kiya tha, ab chup ho gaye. Sabko laga, shayad is baar scene thoda real hai.

Vishnu ne kuchh bolne ke liye muh khola, phir ruk gaya. Asha ne bhi kuchh kehna chaha, par stage se children ke applause ki awaaz aa gayi. Announcement hua ki next segment start hone wala hai. Asha turant apni principal wali posture mein wapas aa gayi, jaise emotions ko ek drawer mein band kar diya ho. Vishnu bhi seedha ho gaya, lekin uski aankhon mein woh usual masti nahi thi.

Event aage badh gaya. Par dono ka mood alag-alag tha.

Asha stage pe busy rahi, lekin uska dhyan bar-bar Vishnu ki taraf chala jaata. Vishnu front row mein baitha tha, ab bilkul quiet. Na koi dramatic reaction, na koi cheeky smile. Usne bas haath folded rakhe aur programme dekhता रहा. Asha ko pehli baar realize hua ki uska silence bhi ajeeb lag raha hai. Vishnu jab loud hota tha tab hall mein warmth hoti thi. Ab jab woh chup tha, toh room thoda khaali sa lag raha tha.

Event ke end ke baad, jab guests nikalne lage aur staff chairs fold karne mein lag gaya, Asha ko stage ke side pe ek envelope mila. Us par uska naam likha tha. She opened it, and inside there was a printed photo from a previous school function—Asha children ke saath stage pe khadi thi, aur side mein Vishnu tha, apni usual bright shirt mein, but smiling in a way that looked unusually soft. Neeche chhota sa handwritten note tha:

“Is shirt mein tumhari smile achchi lagti hai. Aaj ka colour tumhare annual day ke bright moment ke liye. Agar tum notice karo toh better. — Vishnu”

Asha ka face ek second ke liye freeze ho gaya.

Usne photo ko dobara dekha. Yeh shirt random nahi thi. Yeh attention grab karne ke liye nahi thi. Vishnu ne specifically yeh sochkar pehni thi ki event ki photos mein ek bright, happy memory ban jaaye. Something that would stand out. Something she might remember. Something that would maybe make her smile, even if she wouldn’t say it out loud.

Asha ke dil mein jo irritation thi, uske neeche ek soft sa guilt aa gaya. Usne usse public mein bachcha samajhkar tok diya tha, jabki woh bas apna pyar thoda noisy tareeke se dikha raha tha.

Udhar Vishnu hall ke side corridor mein khada tha. Ek business friend usse pooch raha tha ki sab theek hai ya nahi, par Vishnu bas “haan, haan” bolkar bahar nikal aaya. Usko bhi thoda bura lag raha tha. Uske dimaag mein Asha ki line ghoom rahi thi—“timetable chahiye, husband nahi.” Woh line chhoti thi, par chubh gayi thi. Kyunki uske liye Asha ka serious hona kabhi kabhi criticism jaisa lagta tha. Aur woh yeh samajh nahi paata tha ki Asha ka discipline usko chhota dikhane ke liye nahi, balki sabke saamne unki dignity bachane ke liye hota hai.

Asha usko dhoondhte hue corridor mein aayi. Dono ek quiet corner mein ek-doosre ke saamne khade ho gaye. Aas-paas children ki awaaz, chairs ki khad-khad, aur distant music chal raha tha. Par unke beech ab pehle jaisi audience wali energy nahi thi. Ab bas sach tha.

Asha ne photo aur note Vishnu ko diya. “Yeh… tumne pehni thi?”

Vishnu ne note padha, phir ek chhota sa shrug kiya. “Haan. Socha tha tum notice karogi.”

Asha ne ek long breath li. “I did notice. Bas galat time pe.”

Vishnu ne side glance kiya. “Mujhe laga tumhe meri shirt pasand nahi.”

Asha ne almost automatically bola, “Pasand nahi? Maine kab bola?”

Vishnu ka face thoda sa soften hua. “Tum bolti toh ho, ‘factory siren,’ ‘warning signal,’ aur pata nahi kya-kya.”

Asha ne ek pal ke liye aankhen neeche kiं. Phir sach bol diya. “Maine mazaak mein bola tha. Main tumhari shirts ko bas… zyada loud bolti hoon. But honestly, they suit you. Tum par yeh sab awkward nahi lagta.”

Vishnu ki aankhon mein pehli baar us din ek real smile aayi. “Acha?”

“Hmm,” Asha ne bhi thoda soft hote hue kaha. “Aur public mein main isliye tokti hoon kyunki mujhe lagta hai log tumhe irresponsible na samjhein. Tumhare business mein image important hai. School mein bhi. Sabke saamne thoda dignity maintain karni padti hai.”

Vishnu chup raha. Phir dheere se bola, “Toh tum mujhe control nahi kar rahi thi?”

Asha ne uski taraf dekha. “Nahi, Vishnu. Main care kar rahi thi. Bas mere tareeke thode boring hain.”

Vishnu has diya, ekdum halka sa. “Boring? Tumhara boring bhi kaafi strict hota hai.”

Asha ke lips par finally ek proper smile aayi. “Aur tumhara loud bhi kaafi unnecessary hota hai.”

“Unnecessary?” Vishnu ne pretend offend hote hue kaha, “Mera style hi meri identity hai.”

“Pata hai,” Asha ne dry tone mein bola, “aur isi identity ne mujhe har function mein pareshan kiya hai.”

Vishnu ne ek step aage aakar note ko fold kiya. “Actually… mujhe bas yeh chahiye tha ki tum ek baar main ko dekh ke smile karo. Bas itna. Tum jab kaam mein hoti ho na, toh lagta hai duniya mein sirf rules hain. Main socha thoda colour laa doon.”

Asha ki aankhon mein ek soft warmth aa gayi. Usne uski shirt ko dobara dekha, phir uske face ko. “Colour aa gaya tha, Vishnu. Bas tumhara volume thoda zyada tha.”

“Volume toh mera nature hai,” Vishnu bola, lekin ab uske tone mein bachkaani shaitani kam aur pyaar zyada tha. “Par theek hai. Agli baar thoda less loud.”

Asha ne eyebrow uthayi. “Agli baar?”

Vishnu ne grin kiya. “Haan ji. Ab toh approval mil gaya.”

Asha ne uske arm pe halka sa tap kiya. “Approval nahi, understanding. Dono mein difference hota hai.”

“Principal madam, noted,” Vishnu ne respect mein haath jod diya.