Subah ke saat baje the, aur Dadu ke purane Kolkata wale joint family house mein har din ki tarah ek hi symphony chal rahi thi—chai ki kettle se seeti, kitchen se fish fry ki khushboo, aur terrace se Haribol Cricket Club ki practice ka dhama-dham. Neeche veranda mein newspaper khula pada tha, par koi padh nahi raha tha; sab apni-apni opinions padhane mein busy the. Aur beech mein, tau Ajit apni usual chair par baithe the, aise expression ke saath jaise poora mohalla unse advice lene aata ho.
“Cricket ka zamaana bhi ajeeb hai,” tau Ajit ne chai ka sip lete hue bola. “Pehle bat aur ball hoti thi. Ab scoreboard, sponsorship, aur trophy cabinet. Aur phir log bolte hain nostalgia kaam ki cheez nahi hai.”
Riya, jo dining table ke corner mein apna laptop khol ke kisi client ke poster par kaam kar rahi thi, bina uthe boli, “Tau, nostalgia ka bhi budget hota hai. Aapka wala free mein aata hai, isliye zyada loud hai.”
Tau Ajit ne aankh tang kar uski taraf dekha. “Tu bol toh aise rahi hai jaise tu cricket se bahut door hai.”
Riya ne innocent face banaya. “Main? Cricket? Bilkul nahi. Mujhe toh bas logon ke overreactions dekhne mein interest hai.”
Ye dono ka daily routine tha. Family ko lagta tha ki tau aur Riya bas takraate rehte hain. Par sach yeh tha ki unki takraahat ke andar ek secret alliance chhupa tha—Haribol Cricket Club ke chhote-mote kaam. Tau Ajit purane fanboy type the; club ke har match, har old score, har retired player ka naam unhe yaad tha. Riya modern jugaad ki master thi. Posters banati, scorecards design karti, WhatsApp pe reminders bhejti, aur kabhi kabhi club ke liye extra chairs tak arrange kar deti. Sabko lagta tha yeh dono bas “ajab connection” wale hain. Asli chemistry, obviously, unke hidden kaam mein thi.
Us din bhi kuch aisa hi lag raha tha. Par shaam tak scene ulta ho gaya.
Haribol Cricket Club ke secretary, Mr. Dutta, ghar ke gate par hi aa gaye—wohi 46 saal ke practical aadmi, jinke face par hamesha aisa calm hota tha jaise unke paas har problem ka form number ho. Unhone apna bag adjust kiya aur seedhe bole, “Ajit da, trophy missing hai.”
Veranda mein ek second ke liye silence aaya. Phir woh silence family ke andar explosion ban gaya.
“Wohi purani annual meet wali,” secretary ne bola, “jo cabinet mein rehti thi. Aaj function ki preparation mein nikali toh gayab.”
Bas phir kya tha. Joint family house ekdum family courtroom ban gaya. Koi kitchen se aa gaya, koi terrace se, koi phone ka call rok ke darwaze pe khada ho gaya. Har kisi ke paas opinion tha, evidence nahi.
“Arey cupboard kisne khola tha last?” chachi ne aankh phaad ke poocha.
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“Main toh nahi,” chhote cousin ne jhat se bola, “mujhe trophy mein interest nahi hai.”
Tau Ajit ka face aur sakht ho gaya. “Interest aur guilt ka relation hota hai, yaad rakhna.”
Riya ne laptop band kiya aur seedha khadi ho gayi. “Wow, tau. Aap toh detective bhi ho aur judge bhi. Multi-tasking.”
Tau Ajit ne uski taraf dekhte hue kaha, “Aur tu? Tu toh har cheez mein involved hoti hai. Club ke posters bhi tu banati hai. Scorecards bhi. Ab trophy ka scene bhi?”
Riya ka mood instantly sharp ho gaya. “Toh? Iska matlab main chura ke ghar mein chhupa dungi? Kya logic hai, tau?”
Secretary Dutta ne dono ko dekha, phir calmly bola, “Main bas itna chahta hoon ki trophy mil jaaye. Annual function do din mein hai. Club ka pura record usse linked hai.”
Par family ko records se zyada drama mein interest tha. Tau Ajit ne apni moustache ko thoda sa twist kiya, jo unka serious mode hota tha. Unhone kaha, “Mujhe lagta hai yeh trophy yahan se gayi hi nahi. Kisi ne safe rakhne ke chakkar mein uchhal diya hoga.”
Riya ne turant counter kiya, “Aur mujhe lagta hai kisi ne apni purani glory ko zinda rakhne ke liye trophy ko move kiya hoga.”
Tau Ajit ne aankh sikodi. “Meri glory ko trophy ki zarurat nahi.”
“Woh toh aapko lagta hai,” Riya ne murmur kiya.
Ab tak family wale poore entertainment mode mein aa chuke the. Bua Shanta ne whisper kiya, “Mujhe toh pehle se lag raha tha Ajit bhaiya aur Riya ke beech kuch chal raha hai. Itni secretive chemistry normal nahi hoti.”
Chachi ne tea tray rakhte hue bola, “Haan, aur Riya ki generation mein sab online hota hai. Kuch bhi ho sakta hai.”
“Online ka trophy se kya relation?” chhota cousin bola.
“Relation nahi, possibility,” chachi ne full confidence se jawab diya.
Tau Ajit ne yeh sab suna, toh unka suspicion aur badh gaya. Unhe lagne laga Riya definitely kuch chhupa rahi hai. Aur Riya, jo waise hi defensive mood mein thi, sochne lagi tau ne shayad trophy ko kahin shift kiya hai just to create a scene and then act like the hero. Dono ek dusre ko dekh ke aise behave karne lage jaise unke beech secret code hai, par code ka meaning dono ne alag-alag book mein padha ho.
Investigation shuru hui. Secretary Dutta ne cupboard check karaya. Kitchen mein poocha gaya. Terrace pe dekha gaya. Drawing room ke old showcase ke peeche bhi haath dala gaya. Dadu ke room mein takiye uthaye gaye, jahan Dadu ne gusse se bola, “Mere room ko evidence locker samajh rakha hai kya?”
Tau Ajit ne ek ek cheez ko note karna shuru kiya, kyunki retired railways clerk ka mind waise hi filing system ki tarah chalta tha. Riya bina bole corners inspect kar rahi thi, phone flashlight on karke. Dono alag alag direction mein kaam kar rahe the, par dono ko yeh lag raha tha ki doosra kuch chhupa raha hai.
Ek point pe tau Ajit ne Riya ko side se dekhte hue bola, “Tere paas club ka key duplicate toh nahi?”
Riya hansi nahi, bas thandi awaaz mein boli, “Aur aapke paas apni purani memory ka duplicate toh nahi? Kyunki aapko sab yaad rehta hai, bas conveniently galat time pe.”
Tau Ajit ka chehra aur tight ho gaya. “Main sab samajh leta hoon, Riya.”
Riya ne instantly reply kiya, “Yahi toh problem hai, tau. Aap samajhte kam ho, assume zyada karte ho.”
Woh line thodi zyada sharp thi. Room mein ek awkward silence aa gaya. Secretary Dutta ne ek file ko adjust kiya, jaise usne kuch suna hi na ho. Family wale bhi suddenly interested ho gaye, kyunki asli masala toh ab start hua tha.
Tau Ajit ko laga Riya ne unki insult ki hai. Riya ko laga tau hamesha ki tarah unko suspect kar rahe hain. Dono ke beech jo secret bestie-bond tha, usme ek crack sa aa gaya. Aur family, obviously, us crack mein popcorn daalne ke mood mein thi.
Raat tak tension aur badh gayi. Dinner table pe sab chup-chup khana kha rahe the. Sirf spoons ki awaaz, aur kitchen se pressure cooker ki hiss. Tau Ajit ne ekdum se bola, “Mujhe lagta hai trophy Riya ne hi kahin hide ki hogi. Aise hi nahi bol rahi thi woh ki cricket mein interest nahi.”
Riya ne plate se nazar uthayi bhi nahi. “Aur mujhe lagta hai aapne hi trophy move ki hogi, kyunki aapko lagta hai club without you incomplete hai.”
“Was it wrong?” tau Ajit ne dry tone mein kaha.
Riya ne finally unki taraf dekha. “Wrong nahi, bas very predictable.”
Bas. Itna kaafi tha. Dadu ne khankhaar ke bola, “Bas karo. Ek trophy ke liye ghar ka mahaul mat bigado. Hum log already enough broken furniture aur opinions sambhaal rahe hain.”
Par damage ho chuka tha. Riya apna laptop leke terrace ki taraf chali gayi. Tau Ajit ne chai aur cigarette ki aadat ko mentally curse kiya, phir chair se uth ke courtyard mein walk karne lage. Secretary Dutta ne politely kaha ki woh kal subah phir aayenge. Family ko bhi lag raha tha ki issue ab sirf trophy ka nahi, ego ka ho gaya hai.
Thodi der baad, jab ghar mein sab apne apne corners mein settle ho gaye, Riya puja room ke paas se guzri. Wahan old trunks ki ek line thi—dusty, heavy, aur family secrets se bhari hui. Ek trunk ka lid thoda sa khula hua tha. Riya ne pehle ignore kiya, phir uski nazar andar rakhe ek old cloth bundle par padi. Usne haath se cloth hataya, aur uske neeche chamakti hui brass trophy ki top figure dikh gayi.
Riya ek second ke liye bas dekhti reh gayi. “Seriously?” usne under-breath bola.
Usi waqt tau Ajit bhi terrace se neeche utar rahe the. Unhone Riya ko puja room ke paas khade dekha, aur unka suspicion fir se jaga. “Kya mil gaya?”
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Riya ne trophy ka handle pakad ke bahar nikala. “Yeh.”
Tau Ajit ka face blank ho gaya. “Yeh… yahan thi?”
“Apparently, haan.”
“Kaun rakhega puja room ke trunk mein?”
Riya ne trophy ko dhool se saaf karte hue bola, “Family. Obviously. Kisi ne safai ke time socha hoga important cheez hai, safe jagah mein rakh dete hain. Aur phir bhool gaye.”
Tau Ajit ne trophy ko dekha, phir Riya ko. Unke expression mein ab guilt aur relief dono the. “Toh… hum dono galat the?”
Riya ne ek tiny shrug diya. “Nahi. Hum dono overconfident the.”
Tau Ajit ne hansi suppress ki. “Overthinking mein hum dono expert nikle.”
Riya ne finally ek proper smile di. “Haan, family trait lagta hai.”
Woh moment funny bhi tha aur thoda soft bhi. Jaise dono ko ek saath samajh aa gaya ho ki jis problem ko woh ek dusre ke against ladh rahe the, woh actually unki own assumptions ka product thi. Trophy stolen nahi thi. Trophy bas ghar ke clutter, safai, aur “important cheez” ke vague concept ke beech kho gayi thi.
Agli subah Haribol Cricket Club mein trophy wapas rakh di gayi. Secretary Dutta ne relief ki saans li, annual function ka schedule dobara set kiya, aur paperwork ke saath emotional damage ko bhi quietly file kar diya. Family ko full story nahi batayi gayi. Bas itna bola gaya, “Misplacement tha.” Waise bhi, full story sun ke unko aur questions mil jaate.
Tau Ajit aur Riya terrace pe chai ke saath baithe the. Niche se fish fry ki smell aa rahi thi, aur door kahin se cricket bat ki thap-thap. Tau Ajit ne cup ko dekhte hue bola, “Maine socha tha main sab samajh leta hoon.”
Riya ne eyebrow raise ki. “Aur?”
“Ab lag raha hai, kabhi kabhi main bas khud ko hi samajh leta hoon.”
Riya hansi. “Progress hai, tau.”
“Tu bhi kam nahi hai,” tau Ajit ne kaha. “Har baat pe attack mode.”
“Sirf un logon pe jo pehle suspect karein,” Riya ne cup se steam dekhte hue bola. “Trust loud nahi hota, tau. Bas consistent hota hai.”
Tau Ajit ne uski taraf dekha. Yeh line unhe zyada hit kar gayi, kyunki sach mein Riya ne kabhi apna kaam dikhaya nahi tha, par kiya hamesha tha. Posters, scorecards, logistics, reminders—sab quietly. Aur tau Ajit bhi, apni strictness ke peeche, usi consistency ka part the. Dono ko bas ek dusre ko thoda zyada dekhna tha, suspect kam.
Us din ke baad ghar mein drama toh raha, par uska flavour halka ho gaya. Bua Shanta ab bhi kabhi kabhi bol deti, “Mujhe lagta hai trophy waqai puja room mein hi khush thi,” aur chachi hansi mein bol deti, “Khush toh hum sab ho gaye, warna kal tak courtroom chal raha tha.” Secretary Dutta jab bhi aate, woh bas ek calm nod dekar chale jaate, jaise unhone community space ka emotion bhi samajh liya ho.
Aur tau Ajit? Woh ab bhi suspicious the, par thoda kam. Riya? Woh ab bhi sassy thi, par thodi zyada patient. Dono ne yeh seekh liya tha ki family mein har confusion ke peeche koi villain nahi hota. Kabhi kabhi bas ek misplaced trophy, ek overactive mind, aur thodi si ego ka dust storm hota hai.
Aur Haribol Cricket Club ki wo purani trophy? Ab bhi cabinet mein thi, chamak ke saath. Par uske andar ab sirf victory nahi, ek funny family story bhi thi—jisme tau Ajit ki “main sab samajh leta hoon” energy aur Riya ki “mujhe cricket se koi lena-dena nahi” wali acting dono expose ho chuki thi.
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