OUR MEMOIRS OF CID
He opened his eyes and looked around. The walls with all the other things in the surrounding were still white. He sighed. How potently he had wished while closing his eyes that the surrounding might change when he woke up. He knew his wish was not that easy to be fulfilled but still… He was irritated with his white surroundings. Well, partly because it reminded him of his hair which was now of the same colour which in turn reminded him that now he was old. He thought of dying his hair like DCP sir, proving himself young. He chuckled at his own thought. That chuckle broke the sleep of his best buddy beside him.
"Are Abhi, tum kab uthe? Mujhe jaga diya hota na yaar…. Ruko mai abhi doctor ko –"
But the sudden rising gave an instant shooting pain in his knees.
Abhijeet: (removing his oxygen mask) "Kya kar rahe ho tum haan? Pata hai ghutno me dard hai phir bhi har cheez ki ghaai hai janaab ko… hunh… Buddhe ho gaye ho tum, jawaan nahi rahe ab pehle ki tarah…"
Daya: (smilingly sitting beside him, massaging his knees) "Hospital bed par tum lete ho aur bol mujhe rahe ho… Aur yeh oxygen mask kyu nikala? Ruko mai –"
Abhijeet: (irritatedly) "Nahi yaar… nahi lagana wapas woh…. Thik hu mai ab…. Aur doctor ko maro goli… Chalo na yaar baate karte hai… kitna waqt ho gaya hai hume saath me baithe baate karte huye…"
Daya: (surrendering to his bhai) "Thik hai… Bolo… waise soch kya rahe the tum jagane ke baad?"
Abhijeet: (smilingly starring at the ceiling) "Woh chhodo… Yaar… Waqt kitna jaldi beet gaya na? Dekho na… jab CID join kiya tha tab koi nahi tha humare aage – pichhe… hum dono bhi us waqt kitne anjaan the aur ab… itne rishte bana liye hai ki ginne baitho toh ungliyaan kam pad jayengi…"
Daya: (smiling tearily and travelling to the past) "Haan na… Kitne haseen pal bitaye hai humne us CID bureau me…. Ab jab retire ho gaye hai toh ek – ek pal yaad aata hai us jagah ka… Yaad hai pehle hum ACP sir se kitne ukhade ukhade rehte the…. 'Raavan' kehte the hum unhe…"
Abhijeet: (laughingly) "Muskaan ke saamne kitni buraai ki thi humne unki… Itni ki unhone hume humara termination letter hi thama diya tha…."
Daya: "Are meri toh hawaa hi nikal gayi thi… Laga tha ki ho gaya… career ka toh band hi baj gaya… Par phir pata chala tha ki woh toh bas ek mazaak tha…"
Abhijeet: "Aur phir pata hi nahi chala ki kab unke liye fikar hone lagi aur kab unko pita ki jagah de di humne… (tearily) Sach me ek baap hone ke saare farz adaa kiye hai unhone humare liye…. Woh jab chale gaye tab kuch sujh hi nahi raha tha aur… aur unke jaate hi ACP ki post mujhe de di gayi… Har pal bas ek hi dar laga rehta tha ke unki tarah sab manage kar bhi paunga ya nahi…"
Daya: "Boss, unke hote huye bhi kai baar tum sab achhe se manage kar hi lete the… (sadly) Haan par unko aise nahi jaana tha… Sab kuch kitna achanak ho gaya… Pehle unki maut aur uske ek hafte me Salunkhe sir ki… Bhagwaan ne ek saath humse humare dono pita chhin liye… hunh…"
Abhijeet: "Sach yaar… Salunkhe sir ke bina lab me jaane ka man hi nahi karta tha… Koi tokne wala nahi… koi jhagadne wala nahi… Lab ki toh shaan hi unhise thi…"
Daya: "Par ek baat hai… Dono dosto ko ek dusre se jyada dur nahi rehna pada… Ek ke jaate hi dusra bhi uske paas pohonch gaya… Sach me kismat wale hai dono…"
A short silence prevailed in the room as if to moan their death.
Abhijeet: (again initiating) "Humare juniors bhi kuch kam nahi hai… Freddy, Rajat Sachin, Purvi, Kajal…. sab kitne achhe hai… Freddy toh bhai kamaal ka banda hai…. Uski bachpane se bhari harkate sach me yaad aati hai…"
Daya: (curiously) "Freddy se yaad aaya… Are tumhare love – letter ka woh kissa sunao na jo tumne Freddy ko diya tha Tarika ko dene ke liye…"
Abhijeet: (angrily) "Daya…"
Daya: (with puppy eyes) "Boss pleaseee…."
Abhijeet: (instantly melting and smiling disappointedly) "Achha thik hai sunaata hu… Us din toh sach me mujhe Freddy aur Salunkhe sir par gussa aa gaya tha…. Ek toh Freddy ko maine woh letter 10 din pehle diya tha Tarika ko dene ke liye aur use dena yaad bhi aaya ACP sir aur Salunkhe sir ke saamne… Aur Salunkhe sir… Letter Tarika ke liye tha na? Toh unhe padhne ki kya jarurat thi? Aur padha toh padha… Upar se use ACP sir ko padhne ke liye de diya… Pata hai unhone sidhe letter ke do tukde kar diye the aur mod – marodkar phenk diya… Dr. sahab toh humesha se hi mere aur Tarika ke beech me kabaab me haddi bante aaye the… Toh us din kaunsa chhod dete hum dono ko? Hunh…"
Daya was laughing madly while listening to that anger – filled childish complaint of his oldie brother.
Daya: (controlling his laughter) "Phir bhi aakhir shaadi toh Tarika ki tumse hi karayi na unhone… Woh kyu nahi sochte tum?"
Abhijeet: (defending himself) "Woh unhone ACP sir ke kehne par karayi thi… ACP sir na kehte toh woh toh chale hi thi Tarika ke liye dusra ladka dhundne…."
Daya: (again going back to the trance) "Haan… Yaad hai jab DCP sir ne woh shaadi ka card bheja tha bureau me… Tab ACP sir ko dekhkar hum kya kya nahi soch rahe the… Maine toh keh bhi diya tha ki ACP sir ke rehte humari shaadi bhi DCP sir ki umar me hi hogi…"
Abhijeet: "Haan…. Aur ab dekho… unhi ki wajah se itna bhala – pura parivaar hai humara… Teri shaadi bhi ho gayi tere pyaar se, teri Shreya se…"
Daya: (smiling sweetly) "Aur Ahana naam ki ek pari bhi aa gayi meri jindagi me… Aur tumne thama diya god me ek he – man beta Adi naam ka…"
Abhijeet: "Jo bilkul teri tarah nautanki hai."
Daya: "Are toh meri beti hai na tumhari tarah…. Serious… sincere…. workaholic."
Abhijeet: "Yaar… Is CID ki naukri ne jitne rishte diye utne hi chhine bhi, hai na?"
Daya: (in low tone) "Tum Tasha aur Vivek ki baat kar rahe ho na?"
Abhijeet just turned his gaze to other side.
Abhijeet: "Tasha ki maut aaj bhi mere dil ek bojh ki tarah hai yaar… Tasha toh chali gayi magar apne saath Vivek ki hasi bhi le gayi… Kitna chup aur shaant ho gaya tha woh uske jaane ke baad…"
Daya: "Haan… Warna pehle Freddy ki tang khichne se baaz nahi aata tha woh… Woh guldaste wala kissa yaad hai?"
Abhijeet: (laughingly) "Are use kaise bhul sakta hu? Ghar se nikale the first class paani se nahakar… aur bureau aakar phirse naha liya… woh bhi kichad se… hahahaha…"
Daya: "Aise toh hazaar kisse honge uski shaitaaniyo ke… par Tasha ke jaane ke baad woh chup ho gaya aur kuch mahino baad chala bhi gaya… Aaj kal kaha hai pata bhi nahi… Freddy bhi Vivek ke jaane ke baad chup sa ho gaya tha…."
Abhijeet: "Par phir use Pankaj ka saath mil gaya… Sach me kya Jodi hai dono ki… ek jaise hai dono… Jitna pyaar hai ek dusre ke liye utni hi nok – jhok karte hai ek dusre se…"
Daya: "Are ab toh umar ho gayi hai dono ki… Phir bhi baaz nahi aate apni harkato se…. Bacche hai bilkul abhi bhi…"
Abhijeet: "Sach yaar… unki isi masoom harkato se din – bhar ki thakaan jaise chhumantar ho jaati thi… Bhale hi hum unhe is sab ke liye daante the par andar se bohot achha lagta tha aur aaj bhi kisi gathering me woh log na ho toh kuch missing sa lagta hai…"
Daya: "Aur Purvi… Uska toh kya kehna hai… Usne toh ek behen ki kami puri kardi meri jindagi me…"
Abhijeet: "Sirf tumhari hi nahi, meri bhi jindagi me… Yaad hai jab woh kidnap huyi thi aur phir hum sab kidnap ho gaye the?"
Daya: "Haan… Kaise bhul sakta hu woh din? Bewakuf… hume bachane ke liye apni jaan lene chali thi… Mera toh dil hi ruk gaya tha jab woh waha se kud gayi thi… Phir jaise taise use pakad ke humne woh bomb nikala tha… Sach me bohot gussa aaya tha us din uspar… Par phir laga ki hum hote toh hum bhi yahi karte na… Aakhir bhai – behen jo thehere…"
Abhijeet: "Haan… Aaj bhi kuch ho toh sabse pehle usi ka phone aata hai ki Dada aap thik ho, Bhai thik hai wagera… wagera… kitni… kitni fikar… karti hai humari…"
Daya: (in concerned tone) "Kya hua boss? Saans phul rahi hai, haan? (angrily) Kisne kaha tha tumse yeh oxygen mask nikalne ke liye? Dekho tabiyat bhi karaab ho rahi hai…"
Abhijeet: (holding Daya's hand) "Yaar… yaar lagta hai… waqt… waqt aa gaya hai… Rehne de… kuch… kuch mat kar… Baith yahi mere paas…."
Daya: (tearily and fearfully) "Boss, aisa kyu bol rahe ho yaar? Kuch… kuch nahi hoga tumhe… Mai abhi Doctor ko bulata hu… Kuch nahi – "
Abhijeet: (tightening his grip on Daya's hand) "Na… nahi yaar…. tu… tu kahi mat… kahi mat jaa… Mere paas baith… please… mai… mai tere paas hi… ma… maarna… chahta hu… please yaar… sir par… sir par haath pher de…. mujhe achhi neend aayegi… please."
Daya silently obeyed his body while letting his cheeks go wet. Doctors had already given up. He was just alive on that ventilator. They had even doubted his coming back to consciousness but he had. After all, how could he leave without meeting his brother? Both had cherished happily those sweet memories and now Abhijeet closed his eyes feeling that sooth inside him. And soon enough, Daya heard Abhijeet's breathing stop.
Daya: (tearily) "Boss…"
He sighed heavily and placed his head on the most secure place in the world – his brother's chest and closed his eyes….
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Abhijeet was struggling to open his eyes. And soon enough he heard a familiar voice which was sounding irritated.
"Kya yaar Abhijeet? Yaha bhi aa gaye tum mujhe tang karne? Kyu mera pichha nahi chhodte tum mera, haan?"
Abhijeet instantly opened his eyes to find Dr. Salunkhe and ACP sir standing in front of him. He smiled hugely and instantly hugged them.
Dr. Salunkhe: "Bhai Pradyuman… Ab toh khush ho na… Aa gaye tumhare dono laadle tumhare paas…"
Abhijeet was confused at the word 'dono' and looked around to find Daya too there standing just behind him.
ACP: "Abhijeet… tum hum dono ko khushkismat keh rahe the… aur ab apni kismat dekho… ek saath hi duniya chhod aaye na…"
Abhijeet: (in mock sadness) "Kya karu sir? Yeh mota meri jaan chhodne ko tayyar hi nahi hai…"
Daya: (shocked) "Abhijeeeeeeeet"
All the three burst out laughing seeing his expression. Soon Daya too joined them and all of them looked down smilingly to find that their two bodies were wearing a contented smile on their face. Even the angel of death had kept them unseparable.
Many many many Happy Returns of the Day to you, Akansha… Hope you like my gift…. It isn't that good but still… It was all I could think of…. Please do let me know how it was…
Other readers too… Please R and R.
Thankyou!