Gas, Maggi aur Thoda Sa Control

Kabir ne pan ko dheere se stir kiya. “Lena-dena hai. Aap har cheez mein control dhoondhti ho. Office mein bhi, ghar mein bhi. Kabhi lagta hai jaise agar duniya thodi si bhi idhar-udhar hui, toh aap personally usko straight kar doge.”

Meera ne uski taraf dekha. “Aur tum? Tum har serious cheez ko joke bana dete ho. Aise behave karte ho jaise life ek meme ho.”

Kabir ka mouth open hua, phir band. “Meme nahi, coping mechanism.”

“Bahut hi mediocre coping mechanism.”

“Thanks. Main bhi aapko har roz feedback deta hoon kya?”

Call pe kisi ne “Meera, are you there?” bola. Meera ne instantly mic on kiya, “Yes, I’m here. One minute.” Phir mic mute karke usne Kabir ko dekha. “Abhi ye fight ka time nahi hai.”

Kabir ne laddu jaisi awaaz mein bola, “Mujhe bhi nahi lagta ye fight hai. Mujhe lagta hai ye ek emotional gas leak hai.”

Meera ko almost hasi aa gayi, lekin usne usko rok liya. Kyunki us waqt uske pairon mein itni thakaan thi ki hasi bhi effort lag rahi thi. Kabir ne Maggi packet khola, noodles break kiye, aur pan mein daale. Uske haath automatically kaam kar rahe the, par uska dimaag abhi bhi usi pe atka tha ki Meera ko uski baat bura laga hai. Aur sach ye bhi tha ki uska mazaak kabhi-kabhi defense hota tha. Serious hona usko aata tha, bas wo dikhata nahi tha.

“Meera,” Kabir ne thoda dheere bola, “main bas... lazy nahi hoon.”

Meera ne uski taraf dekha, is baar thoda soft. “Toh phir?”

Kabir ne spoon rok diya. “Mujhe bas lagta hai ki aapko main disappoint kar dunga. Isliye main joke karta rehta hoon. Taaki agar kuch galat bhi ho, toh lage ki maine waise bhi serious nahi liya tha.”

Kitchen mein ek aur silence fail gaya. Is baar woh awkward nahi tha. Bas honest tha.

Meera ne call mute kiya. Usne apna forehead rub kiya aur pehli baar uska boss wala mask thoda sa neeche gira. “Kabir, tum samajhte ho main tumse kya expect karti hoon?”

Kabir ne shoulder shrug kiya. “Probably too much.”

Meera ne thoda sa saans chhodi. “Main expect karti hoon ki kaam time pe ho. Bas. Itna hi. Baaki tum jo bhi ho, wo alag baat hai.”

Kabir ne uski taraf dekha. “Aur aap?”

“Main?” Meera ne pan mein masala daalते hue bola, “Main bas itna chahti hoon ki ek raat bina kisi crisis ke dinner mil jaaye. Bas ek peaceful dinner. Itna simple cheez bhi kabhi-kabhi luxury lagti hai.”

Ye bolte waqt uski awaaz mein jo fatigue tha, wo Kabir ne pehli baar clearly suna. Office mein Meera hamesha sharp thi, organized thi, intimidating thi. But ab jo aurat uske saamne khadi thi, wo sirf ek tired human thi jo har din sabko sambhalte-sambhalte khud ko bhool jaati thi.

Kabir ne thoda sa sharminda hoke poocha, “Toh aapne pehle bola kyun nahi?”

Meera ne almost laugh kiya. “Kyuki mujhe maangna pasand nahi hai.”

Kabir ne nod kiya, jaise ye baat uske liye bhi familiar ho. “Mujhe bhi.”

Phir kisi ne society corridor mein loudly bola, “Renu aunty, dekho zara gas kab khatam hua!” Aur bas utna hi kaafi tha.

Kitchen ke bahar se Renu Aunty ki awaaz aayi, “Arre main toh bas check kar rahi thi safety ke liye. Itni raat ko kitchen mein light jal rahi hai, toh dekhna padta hai na.”

Kabir ne aankh band kar li. “Oh no. Society surveillance has arrived.”

Meera ne hiss karke bola, “Chup.”

Renu Aunty waise society ki unofficial news channel thi. Unko sab pata hota tha—kaun late aaya, kaun delivery boy ko extra tip de raha tha, kaun balcony mein akela khada tha, aur kaun raat ko kitchen mein “emergency” mode mein tha. Wo bina knock kiye hi duniya ki privacy pe comment pass kar deti thi. Aaj bhi unhone bas kitchen ke glass panel se ek nazar daali aur bola, “Maggi bana rahe ho? Achha achha. Main bas safety check kar rahi thi. Cylinder ka dhyaan rakhna.”

Kabir ne dheere se whisper kiya, “Safety check ke naam pe gossip collection chal raha hai.”

Meera ne usko elbow maara. “Bolo mat.”

Renu Aunty ka shadow wapas gaya, lekin unki presence room mein reh gayi. Jaise apartment ke walls bhi sun rahe hon.

Kabir ne Maggi mein thoda extra masala dala, aur Meera ne bina pooche ek boiled egg nikala jo fridge ke corner mein pada tha. “Ye add kar dete hain,” usne kaha.

Kabir ne surprise se dekha. “Aap egg khaati ho?”

“Emergency mein sab khati hoon.”

“Wow. Boss bhi adaptable hai.”

“Start mat karo.”

Kabir ne bowl nikaale. Meera ne plate wipe ki. Dono ne almost automatically kaam baant liya, bina discuss kiye. Ab fight ka energy level kam ho chuka tha. Pan se steam uth rahi thi, aur kitchen ka chaos thoda manageable lag raha tha. Kabir ne gas knob ko ek baar phir dekha aur bola, “Kal subah cylinder refill ka order kar deta hoon.”

Meera ne nod kiya. “Good.”

Phir kabir ne bowl mein Maggi daali aur ek second ke liye ruk gaya. “Aaj ke liye... sorry.”

Meera ne uski taraf dekha. “For what?”

Kabir ne kandhe uchka diye. “For acting like I don’t care. Main care karta hoon. Bas thoda overact kar deta hoon.”

Meera ne pehli baar genuinely soft smile di. “Pata hai.”

Kabir ko ye sunke thoda relief hua. “Aur aap...”

“Main?”

“Main samajh gaya. Aap control nahi, responsibility carry karti ho.”

Meera ne uski taraf dekha. Ye line usko zyada achhi lagi jitna usne expect kiya tha. “Kabir, tum kabhi kabhi useful baat bhi kar lete ho.”

“Please note it down. Rare occasion.”

Dono ne kitchen counter ke paas khade khade Maggi khayi. Koi dramatic music nahi, koi big apology speech nahi, koi sudden life lesson bhi nahi. Bas do thake hue log the, jo ek dead cylinder aur ek packet Maggi ke through thoda sa honest ho gaye the. Meera ne pehle bite ke baad aankh band ki. “Not bad.”