Raat ke 9 baj rahe hain. Ek chhota sa legal office cabin, jahan desk lamp ki peeli roshni, flickering tube light aur glass door ke bahar vending machine ki warm glow milkar ek thaki hui duniya bana rahe hain. Pankaj, tie loosened, glasses slide hote hue, baar-baar watch dekh raha hai. Suresh, usse bhi zyada disheveled, legal pad aur chips ke packet ke saath kursi par jhool raha hai. Dono ka bas ek hi mission hai: aaj ka last client aisa ho ki case unke sar par na pad jaye. Tabhi Tara andar aati hai—stylish, sharp-tongued, aur bag se paper files ka pura jungle nikaalti hui. Woh confidence se bolti hai ki uska “bahut important” matter hai, aur dono lawyers turant professional mode on kar lete hain.
Pankaj pehle impress karne ki koshish karta hai. Suresh beech-beech mein supportive banne ka natak karta hai, par dono ki asli strategy ek hi hai—case ko gently ek dusre ki taraf push kar do. Tara apni story shuru karti hai: kabhi woh tenant hai, kabhi landlord, kabhi kisi “urgent injunction” ki victim. Ek minute ke andar woh teen alag-alag dates, do alag addresses aur ek aisa agreement nikaalti hai jisme uska naam har page par thoda alag likha hota hai. Pankaj watch dekhte hue polite questions poochta hai, Suresh stamp pad ko aise pakadta hai jaise woh case ko stamp karke gayab kar dega. Tara har sawal ka jawab naya version dekar deti hai, aur jab dono clarification maangte hain, woh unhe hi confuse kar deti hai—“Aap log lawyer ho ya weather forecast? Itna guess kyun kar rahe ho?”
Comedy tab aur badh jaati hai jab Tara bag se contradictory documents nikaalti hai: ek receipt jisme payment cash mein dikh rahi hai, doosri UPI screenshot, teesri visiting card jisme office ka naam toh hai, par number alag hai. Suresh snack khate hue dheere se Pankaj se bolta hai ki case “complicated” lag raha hai. Pankaj instantly agree karta hai aur suggest karta hai ki “best course” ye hoga ki pehle internal review ho. Tara samajh jaati hai ki dono usse avoid kar rahe hain. Woh unke beech ki tension ko enjoy karte hue aur bhi random facts bolti hai—kabhi boli ki uska kaam “civil” hai, kabhi “criminal”, kabhi “family.” Dono lawyers ki halat aisi ho jaati hai jaise unhone ek case nahi, ek logic puzzle accept kar liya ho.
Phir climax ki taraf, Tara unke table par ek visiting card rakhti hai. Card pe office owner ka naam hai. Pankaj aur Suresh dono ek second ke liye freeze ho jaate hain. Tara calmly bolti hai, “Main client nahi hoon.” Dono shocked. Woh batati hai ki woh office owner ki wife hai, aur aaj unka audit hai—dekhna hai ki office ke lawyers honest hain ya har impossible case dekhkar bhaag jaate hain. Pankaj aur Suresh ek dusre ko dekhte hain, phir Tara ko, phir watch ko, jaise unki salary bhi audit ho rahi ho. Tara muskurati hai aur kehti hai ki agar dono sach bol dete, toh shayad unka score achha hota. Ab dono ko samajh aata hai ki poori evening mein jis client ko woh “problem” samajh rahe the, woh unki professionalism ka test thi.
End mein twist aur bhi funny ho jaata hai jab Tara unke legal pads aur snack packets ko dekhkar bolti hai, “Relax. Main bas dekh rahi thi ki pressure mein tum log kaam karte ho ya excuses.” Pankaj, pehli baar honestly, bolta hai ki case lena possible nahi tha. Suresh bhi maan leta hai ki unhe clarity chahiye thi, confusion nahi. Tara satisfied ho jaati hai, visiting card wapas bag mein rakhti hai, aur door ki taraf jaate hue ek last line deti hai: “Kal se office mein honesty ka audit hoga. Aur haan, vending machine ka bill bhi.” Door band hota hai. Pankaj aur Suresh khamosh khade reh jaate hain, phir ek saath vending machine ki taraf dekhte hain—jaise wahi unki next legal problem ho. Final beat mein Suresh chips ka packet uthata hai aur bolta hai, “Bro, is office mein sabse safe case lagta hai snack ka hai.” Pankaj watch dekhkar sigh karta hai. Raat ki thakan ke beech, unke face par ek helpless smile aa jaati hai—because the last client was never a client, and the real case was their own honesty.
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