apne apne kaamon se
waqt jo bhi bachta tha

sath hum batate the
jo samay guzarte the

un ki jag kahani bhi
ek dusre ko hum

shauq se sunate the
laut kar main office se

jis ghadi thaka-haara
apne ghar mein aata tha

sab takan din-bhar ki
apne dar ki chaukhat se

dur chhod aata tha
yaad hai mujhe ab tak

din wo talkh mazi ka
boss apne ghar se jab

pit-pita ke aae the
taza taza chehre par

har taraf kharonche thin
kat-khani si billi ne

shayad apne panjon se
donon gal noche the

naukri to karna thi
chaakari bhi karna thi

so janab-e-wala ne
roz ki tarah pahle

haal boss ka apne
phone par hi puchha tha

aur phir receiwer se
phone ke cradle ko

bebasi se pita tha
aan-janab ne us din

jis qadar bhi ghussa tha
mujh pe hi utara tha

mera jaisa bad-qismat
jab bhi samne aaya

dant kar bhagaya tha
main bhi kam na tha un se

apni desk par ja kar
filon ko de patkha

aur apne jaison par
be-qusur hi barsa

ye katha meri biwi
sun ke khilkhila uthi

aur apni din biti
khud hi phir shurua kar di

aaj meri masi ne
phir gilas shishe ka

chakna-chur kar dala
sirf ye nahin balki

kapde dhone wali ne
silk ka wo dupatta

kal hi jo kharida tha
bor bor kar dala

main ne bhi lagi-lipti
kuchh bacha nahin rakkhi

jis qadar thin salwaten
be-nuqat suna dalin

apni apni din-biti
donon jab bhi kah chukte

qahqahe lagate the
yun hum apni ghurbat ki

khud hansi udate the
wo sukun jo ghurbat ke

un dinon mein hasil tha
wo sukun nahin milta

wo jo ghar kabhi jis mein
dil hamara lagta tha

us mein dil nahin lagta
roz-o-shab ki gardish ne

sab hi kuchh badal dala
aur jo nahin badla

pichhle bis barson mein
ek wahi mera office

log ab bhi taqriban
sath mein wahi sab hain

farq hai to bas itna
boss ki main kursi par

boss ban ke baitha hun
mere apne chehre par

har taraf kharonche hain
saf aisa lagta hai

kat-khani si billi ne
jaise gal noche hain