page 163

....from the scene of robbery  the bridge was some half a mile  away,  both of them  in a single line  started walking towards it with the stolen jersey cow,  so far so good  nobody  met them on the way,  this was a matter of satisfaction,  because it was  in their favor that nobody  saw them  with the cow or he could  testify  as a witness later  and then  afzal khan s  wrath would  destroy them , they were doing their best  to stay  unseen  and cross the bridge quickly with the  cow

Some hundred feet away from the bridge they both  were jolted to a halt, near the bridge  there stood a crowd,  both  robbers looked at each other   anxiously,  

Nawab Alam to shah ji it was  now a disconcerting  situation so many people  gathered  by the bridge 

Tahir was also worried,  the plan they made was foiled new problems  rose,  they couldn't get away  with the cow as the crowd stood there watching the bridge 

Tahir asked  the other to wait  in the thickets and he would  find out  what was going on,  the bride was broken  and the crowd was  waiting to repair it

page 162

....both of them were   hiding in different trees near the river,  there were  several  places though on the ground  from where they could  see bhashu tge zamindar  s man  but Tahir shah had  this suggestion  to  take safe position on a higher  tree to check not only on bhashu but anyone else following him , certain  that the  clever zamindar fazal khan would  never send his man alone  but  more men for his safety will follow him 

Tge river was  surrounded with trees   growing in the fields  spread out for miles  , no village  was around,  after a very long time  bhashu appeared   with his  cattle  on the scene,  both  hiding in their respective trees searchinly  scanned tge whole area , tgeir doubts were  apparently   wrong  , only some  workers were  doing their work in the fields in the distance  some of them were women 

Bhashu had reached the spot and was  crossing  from there with his cattle to reach the river  to  let his cattle   drink water m amidst the cattle were the usual  beasts cows goats and  two  jersey cows  the jerseys were they were after 

Bhashu  herded his cattle towards the same daily spot at the river where it was shallow,   Tahir shah and  nawab Alam  climbed down from their  hiding  , surveyed their surroundings and began moving towards the cattle drinking river water , they intended to reach bhashu without being seen,  o be on the safer side both of them had covered themselves  and also their faces with  bedsheets

page 28

....she had always believed  it there were  just two characters in every story,  one beauty and one  love, at the most a third character  sometimes that of a villain,  in her story there was no villain just sherazi ahjaz, she would often think  without him  her life wouldn't be the same,  she still would be  shuffling between the old campus and  the royal fort, , it was him  sherazi ahjaz who had   shown sympathy and given her suggestion   and made sure she did it After the papers were over  she like a mad woman  walked  from old campus to the fort and back,  round after round  when he bought her a ticket to Karachi,  

He wanted to stop her for any reason but  seeing her condition  ge was concerned about her well-being  , her roaming around alone aimlessly  was  distressing,  that town wasn't for her nor she was meant for that place,  she must go back to her own life  own family  own place where she belonged  , if she ever  needed him all she had to do was  just once  call him 

Tge grains she gave the pigeons wasn't  accepted,  the town of love had turned her down,  

page 26

....the tiny translucent  green leaves   covering the trees declared  it was  spring once again,  roses and jasmine  in lush thick abundance  filled the  floral beds, the air  was  excitingly intoxicating  , the soul  savored the nurturing  divine nature  around,  the red brick wall in the old campus  against which the girl  on whom  the  beauty  of the entire universe had descended  stood looking  at the people  crossing  before her , akhjaz sberazi emerged from the campus gate walking towards his car  pitifully looked at her,  all of them  were shocked to see the condition of her house,  unbelievable how she had   pretended to be poverty stricken,  , marble   stairs wise apart decorated with tidy rows of  flower  pots , walls arranged tastefully with  art work,  , carved furniture  arranged  casually,   the  porch full of  a wide range of vehicles  , every inch loudly  spoke of immense wealth,  the  decor and  presence  of  the house  was a severe testimony of a solid family background and   high quality life standards 

After she returned  Mehran and Zoya  remained cut off from her 

Accusing her of  not being truthful to her friends  had said danya

But she argued she never  had said she was poor,  but she was aware she had not been straightforward,  she didn't care what others thought of her,  she wasn't answerable to anyone 

page 161

....a chartered plane  on a new year holiday was carrying a doctor,  a lawyer  a priest  and a ten year old school boy aboard,  the turbulence  disrupted the flight and the pilot declared it was an emergency  the aircraft was  nosediving to  a crash ,  they must quickly put on their parachutes  and jump out to save themselves  but the problem was there were only four parachutes,   taking one the pilot jumped out leaving them to quickly decide  who can use the left over three pieces,  the doctor explained he was worth living  his life could save  several patients,  he took one parachute and jumped out,  the lawyer  explained he deserved to be alive and  live to  fight cases , he too jumped out with a parachute,  the priest looked at the ten year old and asked him to put on the parachute and save himself,  tge boy cheerfully said they had two parachutes left for both of them because the  man before them had grabbed the schoolbag  and jumped out 

page 159

....they were both  childhood friends,  lived in the same town,  during  their childhood  like any other normal  innocent children they also   played  silly pranks,  now grown-ups they were  professional  robbers,  their names were not so blackened  , perhaps it was because they weren't quite bold and daring,  they were spared because  to become a terror of a  dangerous  person  risks  must be taken,  one of them was Tahir shah the other nawab Alam, they were similar in many ways,  both had lost their fathers,  both had completed their schooling till matric,  both were unemployed,  both were unable to get any job,  both did not have any business experience,  , to get a job qualification is needed  or a political push,  and to start a business  money and hardwork  both of them lacked  these , both   were the eldest sons  who had to shoulder the family burden,  both were not married  , responsible for their mothers and younger siblings  to take care of 

But life was moving on,  they had to  feed themselves and their loved ones,  worried and left with  expenses  they both became robbers 

In a small town like theirs  far far  away from the city weren't many opportunities  of making wealth from robbing the poor  villagers,  maximum  they could  get to steal a goat from the adjoining  village,  letting it loose  to let it disappear  , other options were to carry cement bags from somewhere or other building materials,  once they even dared to  get away with a motorbike 

to remember

....even the mightiest have their limitations 

....every newborn  is a declaration of nature s will

...hate  sin  not the sinner

...life is an open book  nobody likes to read

...a father can raise seven boys but seven boys won't  take care of him 

...once  a moth sees the flame it never goes back to the life of darkness,  ants never leave  the  sweet  honey and  

.prefer to due in it, the good spiritual people in the same way once having tasted the taste of divine  never change 

..never  take instructions from  females  to stay happy

..God loves you with all your faults and still provides you  your daily bread 

...tge greedy hunt with the hounds and  run with the hare and  eat with the  hunters and  cry with the  mourners 

..time changes   , the life changes 

...man is stupid to make profit in the world and lose all of his afterworld

...if the soul could  make a noise The world would be the deafening world 

...there are some billionaires  who have  unlimited wealth but they have a beggar s mentality 

...we all are passing with time 

page 128

....Kashi saw  she was coming  right behind three four people  walking ahead of her, her  beautiful shining tresses   framing her glorious moon  face  , bright shiny eyes   alert and  watching her surroundings  , suddenly her gaze fell on him,  she  jolted to a halt , to maintain her balance she  bent a little forward,  metal chains swung sideways before  resting in their place  , said sanmbal  come here,  he is a very good  college friend Kashif,  Kashif became numb , shabana  moved forward  , aware  of his  glances,  these were the ones she recalled  were  following her everywhere in the marriage  function,  she had  naturally ignored them,  , she knew it very well  her  personality  attracted  many   glances,  , she came inside,  entering the courtyard  the  big hall that was  a television lounge    was full of  every family member  gathered there,  she stood  at the door,  open, come on,  why are you standing there,  shumaila  addressed her, , during the Henna  ritual both had become good friends,  she came inside 

You are looking so sweet,  her appearance  drew several  comments and compliments,   soon you shall find yourself inside some heart, the entire hall  laughed  at the idea of romance,  saima watched her carefully before  giving her a smile,  her gaze met saima  s and lowered as if she was caught  stealing 

Saima asked her what happened 

Nothing,  she  stammered nervously 

Was something  expected to happen  naughtily asked shumaila 

page 126

shabb   ....aaaa ....na

When a name like shabana is  cut into pieces  that  changes the entire  meaning  , did you ever  think about it,  change of word  changes the  gist, , did you ever  utter your own name  sweetly,, I am sure when you receive this letter  through  saima  it would  shock you  , your sheer surprise is justified,  , because  any  newly wedded bride two days old    getting such  messages is  strange and  horrifying,  anyhow it is true  you were the heartbeat of all men present in the four days long  function  including me, , you deserve to be  the  heart throb, if you  consider me your   soul mate  then  follow my   appeal  never  stand before the mirror,  there are two reasons for this,   first is this  the mirror is not alive  and  cannot  appreciate your beauty,  appearing before something that doesn't  admire you  is absolutely useless,  second is this  your  mesmerizing  attraction  can  shatter the  glass  and your  just one  image  that  I find impossible to hold on to would  reflect in those thousands of crunches will kill me  and  many more and  you shall be  accused of taking so many innocent lives,  so  believe me  don't you  ever  stand before the mirror 

page 25

...Gloria was lady in black  , looking tired  sipping  her hot coffee   disbelieving  it the love story that had begun three years ago in lower mall was  at it's dying end  , next morning   stepping  on the  lawn of the  magnificent  mansion   that wasn't going to  lead her to meet  qadil afridi   who was  shattered by her father's   demise,  last night  in black  dress  and red eyes from crying   sat in the  big spacious lounge,  , right after such a long time when again he looked at her  flames of old love  set ablaze,  but she wasn't the girl  hasn't Hasan had  loved,  this one was someone wealthy   and the girl he had loved  kept  account of  small money  of tens and hundred rupees  seriously sitting down  to calculate  as if her entire life depended just on that,  that girl  in the old campus  in these times also  used  a mobile device with old fashioned buttons,  , this could not be the same girl who was so frugal,  

After the funeral   danya ushered the mourners  to a peaceful quiet room , her room , and what a room it was  ,  the room belonged to someone with rich taste,   expensive paintings decorated the  walls , awesome carpets covered the floor,  amazing  pieces  surprised everyone,  , soft snow white sofas were inviting,  , like a  mud lamp unable to withstand the winds his heart  gave up, he  found it irresistible and  stepped inside the room,  the ceiling was  a specimen of  money spent on it

page 24

...are you stalking me 

Qadil afridi was shocked into silence on his  nodding head in affirmation,  was he crazy,  even if he was following her he could have denied it,  he was instead  nodding  in a peculiar manner,  that was  odd in a way to accept  in a mild  confession  sort of 

Seeing you  an idea of a tune  arose in my mind,  till I am done with it I must keep my eyes focused only on you for inspiration,  I can't  lose  my creativity  now,  

How informal  of him , simple approach  without formalities,  straightforward and straightaway  on  familiar   address of singular you, , on qadil afridi  new   worlds opened up, , in  a fraction of a second the stranger had become  her known,  not  aware what following.december would bring her,  , just for now all she wanted was to paint that pair of smiling eyes 

page 22

....love has power to make people go crazy for their beloveds,  bhulle shah danced  on the tunes, Farhad  was passionate about Shireen , ranjha for  heer,  each one could do things amazing  to get close to their beloved,  even mirza sahib  died for love,  how far can you go for your love 

When he kept waiting  for hours outside her hostel  till midnight  , Ehsan Allah stayed awake   waiting for him,  next morning he told the truth  that he was in love  , she was in Karachi  and he could stay in love with her for life 

Life can't go on  just on love,  practical side doesn't depend on love,  there are so many  goals before  you  in life  to reach,  so many  milestones to cross,  after that  you can  be free to  be in love for ever with her  , in fact  being in love now is also  a goal  you want to achieve  , it is not so simple  to attain  peace and love,  not everyone can  have it,  but  tell me  what all can you do for your love  , now  let's  simply put it  , can you go to Karachi for her,  

.Checkered  blue shirt,  black leathered  jacket  clad youth  was startled at the question,  what was  this,  what kind of connection 

..She is coming back within  a few days 

..how boring your love affair is,  had you been born in our times you couldn't have been ever in love,  he spoke angrily,  love in those golden times was not convenient  nor  did it depend on comfort zones,  your girl is definitely going to come back  the question is are you ready to go for her, love was a  full time  skilled art now shoved  away  in bookshelves 

tariqa

...judge,  you  are brought here on the charges of  keeping your wife under your control for twenty years  

Accused,  but but but

Judge,  no explanations,  just  tell How

..

Shakki biwi

Wife  was  a doubting Tom to remove her fears he grew a beard and religious  offering prayers in namaz five times a day  in a regimented manner 

He over heard his wife talking to her friend on the phone 

.the rascal is planning meticulously  to catch a  heavenly  enchantress 

page 97 jungbaaz

...he offered to carry the  sacks  from the truck,  quickly all of them were unloaded,  tge other two   exchanged   money and cash,  kattha  said his farewell and started his truck,  the  engine  coughed and  choked and growled to a noisy start in the  silence of the night,  reversing it drove off rattling back to where it had come from,  

Finally moda asked them who were they and what did they want to speak about,  he carefully looked at the two,  

Can we come inside and talk  he asked  politely 

Fine,  come inside the shop, he had just opened it,, both followed  mida into the shop,  he turned on the light bulb,   for  sitting  there was a long wooden bench besides two chairs,  he himself occupied the bench,  nadir and the author  took the chairs 

Mehmood bhai,  do you know bhola,  watching his face closely for every passing shade  of  expression,  he was  a plain thin man in his middle age,  wheat complexion,  dressed in usual  wear of salwar kameez with a shawl  draped over 

Hearing the name of bhola he was startled,  who are you two asking about bhola 

Because the matter was quite complicated  the author  had to very carefully  rephrase  his question to get to the truth 

from previous

....police checked the phone of dead narghis  he explained,  record of two messages and a phone call was  found,  the phone call was  the last one  just   around midnight  made  by professor  to his wife,  when the police investigated him and asked about it he explained he had made that last call on reaching Islamabad  to enquire about how narghis was  doing at home and let her know he was fine 

And what about those two  important messages  the novelist looked enquiring at gafur 

According to her device  the messages were received on fifteenth August at quarter  to ten at night,  that means  the  night professor left for Islamabad , the first message was sent by her to Qasim  that read something like the professor is leaving tonight for Islamabad,  the flight is at ten,  I am home alone,  you are most welcome,  next morning  the message was sent from him ok I will reach your place by eleven,  leave the main door open,  

The novelist in a voice full of pathos expressed his feelings it was  a story of an unfaithful wife  but how come you got to know all about this case  s details 

Sahib it's a small town,  he spoke straightforwardly simply,  police was working on the case questioning everyone around,  coincidence  gafur was also  asked  if he could tell something,  then the house help a domestic maid  was questioned and she  poured out so many  stories,  Sahib just remember all that one knew in town  was  known to all  town 

page 86

...gafur had a magic  bag full of entertaining stories,  besides he was  a storyteller and loved talking  , within two days he had poured out innumerable tales to his sahib who also  attentively  listened to him  because he was  looking for a new subject to write his novel  a topic  that was sensational and exciting  ,  he wanted  a story  that  was  based on crime  and punishment   , it should   shake off the world out of readers heads, for that reason the central theme  had to  be very  strong   and impact full

On the third day  he found  the  hidden treasure of the theme   and it was the story of professor nazmaldin 

Gafur opened the story with a sorrowful note , sahib ji,   poor professor  had so much to go through  life

Tell me all in detail showing interest of an attentive listener and picked up his  pen and paper pad to scribble down quickly  important points  if any  for future reference 

Oh, it happened some time ago,  his voice was quite serious,  his wife was brutally murdered by someone  and  stole all the  gold and cash  , certainly a satanic work  of a robber , but when he had stolen everything  from the house why did he shoot the woman,  narghis was a beautiful  and tall woman,  her death left the professor a broken man,  from home to college  and back  , his life shrunk to limited routine,  he  refused to meet people 

Sahib filled the silence  when Gaurav paused  perhaps she had seen and recognized the robber so he shot her dead, she was a threat to him,  in such cases women  outdo themselves by their outspokenness and  get killed 

Gafur simply explained he never thought of that  probably sahib was right 

Where was the professor at the time of this happening 

The professor had gone out of town for two days 

....he assured him he would  work honestly as a house help  and also take good care of the back  garden,  sahib need not worry about anything,  sahib nodded  his  consent,  besides he must  go shopping for groceries,  getting the laundry from the washer man and other miscellaneous tasks  would be included in his responsibilities 

Of course he understood all and  again assured the sahib  to be free of all  tensions 

Will you stay the nights  or go back home for the night 

Sir, he said he would like to spend the night at his own home,  his tone was hesitant  if the sahib allowed 

Sahib agreed with gafur  because he had no objections to his giving  his time to his family  , and he himself mostly worked during the nights  and then he wants to be alone all by himself 

He would before leaving at night would  leave a thermos of hit tea for sahib  he added simply  , he had somewhere that writes smoked and  drank  lots of tea

It wasn't absolutely  wrong  but  some writers  like  to have  something more besides,  but   he   got along  well with tea till dawn , sahib explained casually and asked a most important question  where did he work before  this 

from previous

....sometimes  coincidences  prove  pleasant  it is impossible to stop them from happening,  if one could  get premonition of them happening he would spend all his time to stop them from happening or in some cases arrange them to occur,  this one  also was one such  case,  hasn't was   on his bike and  he saw qadil afridi  bleeding chin  he thought if only once he could somehow go back in time and  change that point of hitting,  though  he couldn't  define that misfortune as misfortune 

She had asked him to drop her on his bike to her hostel,  she  was on the bike with him,  in that freezing  weather,  her touch on his jacketed shoulders  felt like burning coal,  that set his spirits on fire yet this wasn't any ordinary fire that consumed  all  and left ashes behind,  this was life giving    desirable  longing 

From lower mall to the hostel  on the  drive either giddy  from fear or weakness she  had put her head on his  back,   he was  that moment  feeling blessed by the goddess  of good fortune 

page 17

...are you hungry 

No

Shall we go  for  soup 

No, the soup she liked  in the restaurant   wasn't difficult to reach from the  old campus  but she had   gone  quite farther away in  the opposite direction also she was dead tired from her shopping adventure,  so she couldn't  respond as was expected from her 

He understood she was tired walking around and explained Riksha and other transport options were available   there,  he pointed towards the g t road,  qandil  was nodding absent-minded, they crossed the road from under the metro bridge  and she  plucked a leaf from the  chinar tree that stood in the front of a bungalow,  hasn't looked at her demanding an explanation of her this action,  confused the  poor girl   pushed the  leaf  deep inside her long coat pocket  saying had she been born in the ottoman  Era she definitely would have been  a miniature artist,  her actively imaginative mind even had begun to  draw the  outlines of the  chinar leaf

Then I too would have been born during that Era and  to be  with you  must have  tried innumerable tricks,  thankfully  we are  in this  modern world and phone is a convenient option,  by the way are you going to paint something on that tiny chinar leaf,  conversationally he quickly had  got  down   to the  point of her matter 

She laughed,    the  seemingly  impossible puzzle was  easily solved  , she promised to tell him about it the next day 

dus qadam

...although it is not exactly any formula  but usually it is seen  that intelligent people are  cool headed  and strong    minded,  professor  nazmaldin  was one of those,  in his mid fifties   , fit and good natured  and pleasant   taught economics in the local  college,  the author when for the first time met him found him  completely  alone  , both in his home life and in himself 

It is one of an incident   when the author  needed a lonely  quiet place to  compile the novel  he was  working on,  he  discovered a green  location some ten kilometers away from the  city , the town was  a beautiful blend  of a city and a remote village  , the flavourful  town  was gloriously wonderful spot decided the author to complete his  novel,  he was a total stranger there and knew nobody  and nobody knew him,  he reached a state agent  who was the only  property dealer  in town,  the author  shrewdly  saw it hardly anyone   bought or sold  property  there 

So you require a quiet  peaceful  place to stay  and that too just for six months,  exchanging  regular  customary  small talk the agent looked at the author questioningly 

page 73

....he  explained his point  in a most  simple manner that it was brownstone  s own choice  his free will and wish that he became his butler,  because of his intelligence and  refined ways that he was paid  more  than a professor  s salary,  he is more respected than a student and was treated like an equal  brownstone always had given his full support in bad times and never abandoned  him ,  but   he  included a deep sigh in the meaningful pause  but  he continued and completed his  statement this time brownstone was unable to help him out in this matter till now,  emphasizing on till now he  explained brownstone was trying his best  and was  still working on it but  not successded  and suddenly disappeared,  perhaps  it wasn't brownstone  s but his own  mistake  , he was worried about brownstone  s disappearance  he told Sherlock  , he feared  the butler might  become  a prey of the conspiring predators 

What is the name of your enemy  asked Sherlock Holmes in a rustling voice 

Aunty Abigail 

Lady Abigail Duncanville 

What exactly is your animosity about Sherlock Holmes  began digging 

Animosity is a term used for  clarity of his heart s feelings or aunty Abigail was  right now the head of his family and the veteran member of the clan 

rasm fatan

....he prided in being  doctor John Dotson  who had   worked  long years with  Sherlock Holmes,   it was the beginning point of his professional career,  both of them were good colleagues and close friends  and he had his pulse   , all those who have met Sherlock Holmes  know him to be a serious  and most intelligent man  and  not wrongly  if anything but  in his personal life he was   someone nobody knew,   doctor Dawson had found Holmes an  unkempt  untidy  weird crazy man  specifically in the matters of documents,  he never misplaced any of his handwritten  pieces of papers,  he kept them piled up , one day he filled up a carton  with his  handwritten notes,  in his house  different sizes of  cartons were   seen everywhere  stored in them all were his  discarded stuff that he would  go through in his spare time  to seriously  and carefully  read those notes  to get  ideas to solve his cases  he was working on,  what an awesome man he was,  he lived life king-size 

page 55

....Eliana wasn't wrong,  her grandmother Mavis  really was a warm hearted  capable and a generous woman,  , because of her support  scholarship was given him and he was given admission in st Thomas  College from where he had  graduated,  years ago madam  Mavis  had also written a cook book  consisting of her  recipes,  he had learnt a lot of culinary skills from there,  he was  a success  doing  cookery shows  and food programs  and  all the credit  was given to Mavis 

How could he ever forget her grandmother,  her incredible  favors were  made  to him  but why  suddenly  so much interest  was Elaine taking in Mavis 

Elaine  explained him in a steady tone  she  was  reviewing her family history and restoring  its lost glory including her grandma  s cookbook , it all was  part of her  hobby 

You are right he said  nodding his head in affirmation,  the recipe book is certainly a  fantastic   cook book  never before written,  so beneficial and wholesome   for the 12 islanders,  Mavis  had become a star overnight  very busy and   sought-after personality 

Doing justice to her food  she had maintained  conversation  rolling over the dining table with him 

Both were together since high-school days,  they were good friends for over ten years now,  he would visit her  native place the 12 islands on business trips  five  six times a year,  they would be together  and spend  time together happily,  besides they met each other in Miami and  New York too

udaan

....he sat waiting for  Elaine in the restaurant,  to kill  the  time  he ordered a rum and a snack to go with it, , this drink is strong  made from sugar  goes well with salty spicy foods,  and that he was waiting for someone special  was  several times more intoxicating than the rum, she was provoking  and imposing and  demanding 

Elaine never reached anywhere on time,  she ignored  rules defiantly,  Elaine was just like that stubborn  

But  she was his  adorable loving  friend and girl friend,  tolerating her  he did no favor to her,  one must learn to respect and accept friends and lovers  as they are with all their faults and virtues  or personal views for them  won't work 

She arrived twenty minutes late  but her  manner  and  enthusiastic energetic style of meeting him  wiped out all his bitterness,  her saying sorry  completely knocked him out 

Sorry  Naomi again I m late,  her husky dreamy voice  didn't seem sorry at all, she explained she was coming straight from the beach,  she placed an arm round his shoulder,  she was kept busy for her shooting there,  she clicked a few selfies  before sighing deep  so naturally she was late 

from previous

....moving his hands fast his eye was on the  clock,  that big dining table  was no longer  used for  eating  instead it was now turned to a storehouse,  the toaster also was kept on it , by the time he got the tea made  in the kitchen  the toasts were ready,  steaming  hot  flavored tea and golden crisp  toasts  heavenly,  he arranged them all before himself and called out ahsanallah hidden behind the newspaper he was reading..here is your breakfast and the medicine box  pushed under the table,  if I don't pick up your phone  don't you worry,  

He  stood  before the mirror quickly brushing his hair speaking to  ahsanallah,  medicines were not necessary but seeing the box unused he had put it there,  ahsanallah  not finding what he wanted would  ring him up  , he  would be either attending classes or traveling  or busy  and unable to attend the call  ahsanallah would  rebuke him forgetting he was a guest 

What about you,  where is your breakfast 

I ll manage,  some important  matter has  come up,  his tone was fake  casual  , he looked over excited  himself  

Really,  what color is finished this time 

Ahsanallah also tried to  match the  fake casual  tone,  certain there was  another angle to  his hurriedness 

page 12

.... whole city was  covered in a thick blanket of smog and  fog,  headlights of   vehicles were turned on since morning  , the old  campus building   wrapped up in  the mist appeared merely an apparition,  the clock tower   showed   the time dreamily  and uncertain,  there was a narrow lane some distance away  by the royal castle leading to a  white doored  house where  ahsanallah  sat reading his newspaper sitting in the veranda  most interested in beauty pageants  humming a soft romantic tune to himself smilingly,  his appearance style and personality  emitted energy and intoxicating exoticness 

Ahsanallah had been in love once,  his first love experience was his last  and he had yielded to it completely,  after all he belonged to that Era when   love affairs were seldom  known to happen,  sanaf was  a delicate delightful  shy conservative  person respectful to her elders,  she  maintained relationships  dutifully,  once getting involved with her  he madly  followed her everywhere though  it was impossible to see her  personally and  there was  no place to meet and talk,  but  love letters were  regularly exchanged  soaked in the  fragrance of love,  artistic  decorative  floral  margins on the sides displayed  the condition of their hearts 

hayatnau

...no, that can't be a dream,  

Her eyes flew open and she declared loudly  telling herself and began screaming 

I shall never  go with you across this world,  all you want is to destroy me,  I will not go with you,  clutching her hair She held her head tight,  the maid  surreptitiously opened the door and walked inside,  she poured out a glass of water and handed it to her 

I don't want it,  take that away,  with a jerk she  pushed the maid  away,  now she was  shivering,    her  red eyes were  covered with her dark eye lashes  , her unkempt hair  gave her a horrific look,  her features were  beautifully chiseled,  she must have been a most stunning beauty  some time 

Dear,  did you take your pills 

The maid gently touched her

You all have learnt to repeat just one word,  I slept well last night on my pills,  how many times have I told you all the pills are not my solution to my problems,  nor do I need them  at all, she  glared at the maid   savagely 

Allright dear, speak  not so loudly,  children are sleeping,  they might wake up frightened,  look,  I am  praying for you,  trust me all will be fine 

page 43

....that man came in without invitation,  he was  there his matters all resolved,  he showed his  gratitude,  he looked at the suitcase  kept on the floor  then his gaze  stopped on the cage  on the table,  he looked again  more closely at the cage,  definitely the empty space inside the cage  didn't escape from his sharp eyes,  he looked at the younger  girl  who didn't say a word  and fixed her  gaze on his cap

It was a long  silence,  he took off his cap,  , his  hair in the front were absolutely snow white  and the  rear head was groomed 

Once again forgive me 

, medmesel  I really need to train you  properly because I am moving into the  apartment opposite you,  he spoke in a strange odd way, 

The younger medmesel asked if he was  till his death  live there 

He smiled sorrowfully, perhaps,  because he explained he had traveled a lot  so now it would be nice to stay  somewhere  for long time, could it be possible for the grandmother of the medmesel  to guide him through his shopping  , asked Henry  respin

She isn't my grandmother  and I can help you  around,  she  explained she was quite independent and  knew her way to the local bakers,  vegetables  and the meat shops

gair mehfooz

....the day he came  as usual she was with saimun  at home,  papa was  at work place,  making was  at the cinema,  the opposite apartment was  vacant,  saimun  would  always  in surprise comment on the apartment being kept vacant opposite  because  in Paris  it was impossible to find a place to stay,   it wasn't occupied  , families had to turn down the offer,  when the two of them got busy with after lunch cleaning up the mess  a loud explosion was heard in the hall  followed by a second  as if someone was hitting the wall   with a heavy hammer,  saimun  reached the main entrance door and  checked all the three  locks  and opened the door,  a man stood right outside the vacant apartment who was  almost same age group as hers, he was dressed in a brown suit,  a cap on his head,  he clutched something like a bird cage in his one hand,  it was  covered with a piece of cloth,  in the other hand he held a leather suitcase,  with his legs he stood  hitting the door  

He stopped when he saw the two women,  turning towards them who were still inside their own apartment  with their heads  craned outside  he said excuse me please messages, 

page 37

...old hajub khan  sat at the feet of khan zadi  holding his head  crying  throwing dust on himself ,  khan zadi was  in her bedroom  cot defeated  ruined,  her face  a perfect picture of deep sorrow  regret and  loss darkening her face, 

Her eyes  wide  staring at nothing vacant  as if still watching the hedious  repelling  unsightly ghastly scenes of the night before, that had  shaken up her spirits out of her 

I always  advised you to avoid  that  way , stone is heavy to lift in its own place,  once it starts rolling  then it loses its balance,  old habits spoke  crying  , khan zadi was  absolutely silent,  in a state of shock,  devoid  of all emotions,  numb and  unresponsive,  seeing but unseeing,  speechless  just blanked  off mind 

Allright then this calls for  a complaint of amir taimur  s son , suddenly declared  daud in dignified manner,  let us see what  fair judgment is done,  on one side  his elder son's widow  and on the other side is also his son  between them  how fair can his judgment be 

page 31

........a great man can  change  the fundamental   attributes     of lesser value to increased value 

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A great person  is grateful to almighty  thankful for the success he enjoys and in bad times  he is tolerant 

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Life is a diamond that must be  polished by man  himself 

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Dignity is defined as purified  clean  honorable Life 

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Foes oppose  their equals

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Nations are not built on ammunition but on values of life 

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.God alone has the power to give all , He is the emperor of all emperors,  master of all masters and  generous to the generous 

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Bad habits are destructive 

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 Liars can't give up  lying  gamblers can give up gambling,  robbers can be reformed 

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.stay away from sinning,  from your own sins and from the sins  done by others 

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page 11 , Haan mujhe Der hui

....love 

Love at first sight 

Never should you be

Destined to get a place 

In anyone's heart 

May you  wander around 

Endlessly 

Never may you  find 

Your abode 

The salty  sea water saturated   wet winds  cursing love  swept the  crying girl's hair  , damp sands  traced her footsteps   going far , the setting sun in turbulent sea   was  mixing it's melting  hues