Yuva
Woh Sampurn Bada Din se Pehle ka Shaam
Jab main badh rahi thi, har ek varsh ka sabse pasandida samay Bada Din se pehle ki shaam thi mere liye. Main aur mera parivaar pizza banate, Masih geet gaane jaate, aur phir hum Bada Din ke prasaaran ke liye ikattha hote. Hum chaar-bhaag mein saath geet gaate aur apne geet shor ke saath gaate apne puraane aozaaron ko lekar. Pitaji hamesha shaam ka ant karte ek Bada Din ke sandesh ke saath jisse hum khush ho jaate the. Jiwan Bada Din se pehle ki Shaam se behtar nahin hota tha.
Jab main thoda aur badi hui, meri maa ek padosi ke bachche ki dekhbhaal karne lagi, jiska naam Kelly tha. Kelly hamare ghar har din paathshaala ke baad aati, jis samay uski maa Patty kaam par hoti. Kelly ek kutte ke bachche ki tarah mera picha karti—aur zarootmand ki tarah shor karti. Mujhe hamesha santushti milti jab Patty apne beti ko lene aati aur mere ghar aur parivaar ko shaanti deti.
Ek December ko, main bhaybheet hui jab maa ne Patty aur Kelly ko amantrit kiya hamare Bada Din se pehle Shaam ke liye. Mera Bada Din ka Shaam. Maa muskuraai aur mujhe aashwaasan diya, “Isse kuch nahin badlega.” Magar main usse behtar jaanti thi. Woh sab pizza kha lenge. Kelly hamare gaane ki mazaak udaaegi. Main sochne lagi yeh mere sabse bekaar Bada Din se pehle ka Shaam hoga.
Jab woh shaam aayi, Patty aur Kelly aaye, aur humne baate ki aur hase aur geet gaaye. Meri maa sahi thi. Sab kuch bilkul thik tha. Raat ke barah baje unhonne hamein dhanyevaad diya aur hichkichate hue chale gaye. Main prem aur abhaar bhare hriday se sone gayi. Mainne jaana ki Bada Din ke sabse bahumulye uphaar kam nahin hote baantne se. Balki woh aur behtar aur dugne ho jaate hai baantne se.