mainne kaha : apanee manahsthiti
main bata nahin sakata. par agar
apane ko upanyaas ka charitr bataata, to is samay apane ko
ek sharaabakhaane mein dikhaata, akele baithakar
peete hue – is koshish mein ki sochane kee taaqat
kisee tarah jad ho jae.
kaun ya kab akele baithakar sharaab peeta hai?
jo ya jab apane ko achchha nahin lagata – apane ko
sah nahin sakata.
usane kaha : hoon! koee baat hai bhala? sharaabakhaana bhee
(yah nahin ki mujhe is ka koee tazuraba hai, par)
koee baithane kee jagah hogee – vah bhee akele?
main vaise mein apane paatr ko
nadee kinaare baithaatee – akele udaas baithakar kudhane ke lie.
mainne kaha : sharaabakhaana
na sahee baithane ke laayaq jagah! par apane shahar mein
aisa nadee ka kinaara kahaan milega jo
baithane laayak ho – udaasee mein akele
baithakar apane par kudhane laayaq?
usane kaha : ab main kya karoon agar apanee nadee ka
aisa haal ho gaya hai? par kaheen to aisee nadee
zaroor hogee?
mainne kaha : so to hai – yaanee hogee. to main
apane upanyaas ka sharaabakhaana
kya tumhaare upanyaas kee nadee ke kinaare
nahin le ja sakata?
usane kaha : hun! yah kaise ho sakata hai?
mainne kaha : aisa poochhatee ho, to tum upanyaasakaar bhee
kaise ban sakatee ho?
usane kaha : na sahee – ham nahin banate upanyaasakaar.
par vaisee nadee hogee
to tumhaare sharaabakhaane kee zaroorat kya hogee, aur use
nadee ke kinaare tum le jaakar hee kya karoge?
mainne zid karake kaha : zaroor le jaoonga! ab dekho, main
upanyaas hee likhata hoon aur usamen
nadee kinaare sharaabakhaana banaata hoon!
usane bhee zid karake kaha : vah
banega hee nahin! aur ban bhee gaya to vahaan tum akele baithakar
sharaab nahin pee sakoge!
mainne kaha : kyon nahin? sharaabakhaane mein akele
sharaab peene par manaahee hogee?
usane kaha : meree nadee ke kinaare tum ko
akele baithane kaun dega, yah bhee socha hai?
tab mainne kaha : nadee ke kinaare tum mujhe akela
nahin hone dogee, to sharaab peena hee koee
kyon chaahega, yah bhee kabhee socha hai?
is par ham donon hans pade. vah
upanyaas vaalee nadee aur kaheen ho na ho,
isee hansee mein sada bahatee hai,
aur vahaan sharaabakhaane kee koee zaroorat nahin hai