(Scene: Delhi office, shift wrapping up. You’re slowly packing your bag. A junior colleague comes by, sipping chai.)

Colleague (teasing):
“Richa di, ghar jaa rahi ho aaj?”

You (smiling faintly, still organizing stuff):
“Nahi yaar… flat jaa rahi hoon.
Ghar toh Bareilly mein hai, Mumma ke paas.”

Colleague (laughing):
“Bas wahi toh, same hi baat hai na?”

You (looking up, a bit wistful):
“Nahi yaar, flat mein fridge, AC, silence toh hai,
par Mumma ki daant, roti, aur pyaar nahi hai.”

(They start walking slowly together.)

You:
“Roz jab office se nikalti hoon, toh Mumma ka phone aata hai,
‘Khaana kha liya?’
Main kehti hoon ‘haan’, aur woh bina kuch bole phone rakh deti hai.
Aisa lagta hai jaise check kar rahi ho, meri beti zinda hai ya nahi.”

Colleague:
“Roz itni baar call karti hai?”

You (chuckling):
“Haan, 5-6 baar. Kabhi lunch ke liye, kabhi bas yunhi.
Aur end mein woh line nahi bhoolti:
‘Chhod office ki tension maar goli, ghar aa ja.
Chali jaaungi ek din bina bole, tu dekhna.’”

(You pause, smile with a little ache.)

You:
“Main aur Mumma Urvashi golgappe wale pe golgappe khane jaate the…
Par pata bhi nahi chala Mumma ka asli favorite khana kya hai.
Bas mera favorite, rajma chawal, woh banati rehti hai,
apna kuch batati hi nahi.”

(A soft sigh.)

You:
“Woh chhoti-chhoti baatein, woh apne-apne pal, kahin beech mein kho gaye hain.
Waqt aise nikalta jaa raha hai, aur main bas un yaadon ko dil mein thoda sa sambhaal ke rakhti hoon.”

Colleague (softly):
“Phir bhi tu Dilli mein sab sambhal leti hai na?”

You (smiling softly):
“Sambhal toh leti hoon, par sab kuch toh yahaan nahi hai—
job hai, freedom hai, salary hai,
par ghar nahi hai.”

(Lift dings. Door opens. You step inside slowly.)

You (quietly, almost to yourself):
“Phone charge pe hai, par dil low hai.”

• Richa ❤