Story-70 கிழக்காகும் மேற்கு

fpof;fhFk;; Nkw;F

   Fbikg;nghUs; toq;FJiw mYtyfj;jpd; vjpNu ,Uf;Fk; NjdPh; filia xl;b> Xq;fp> mlh;e;J> tsh;e;J epw;Fk; kuj;jbjhd; jpUQhdj;jpd; mYtyfk;.  ,uz;Lf;F %d;wbapy; xU Nkir. ,io mWe;J njhq;Fk; xU ehw;fhyp.  RUf;fkha;  nrhy;tnjd;why;> mJ xU egh; jdpahh; mYtyfk;. 

     “mg;gh. . . . . ”  

     Nkirapd;  tpspk;gpy; new;wpia xw;wpagb ftpo;e;jpUe;j jpUQhdk; Fuy; Nfl;L epkph;e;jhh;.

     “ml. . . Nrfh;. . . thg;gh! vg;gb ,Uf;f?  tPl;y vy;yhk; vg;gb ,Uf;fhq;f?  xd;d cl;fhUd;D nrhy;wJf;F$l $Ljyh xU ehw;fhyp ,y;y. . . tOf;ifj;jiyapy; xd;wpz;L kpr;rkpUe;j eiuKbia jltpf;nfhz;Nl nrhd;dhh;.

     “guthapy;yg;gh.  ehq;f vy;yhk; ey;yh ,Uf;Nfhk;. ePq;f . . . ,j tplw khjphp ,y;y?  Nrfh; mOj;jkha; Nfl;lhd;.

     Nrfh; - jpUQhdj;jpd; kfd;>  Re;jhpd; caph;j;Njhod;.  Kg;gjhz;L fhy el;gpy;> ez;gdpd; je;ijAk;> ‘mg;gh’ vd;W mioj;Nj gof;fg;gl;ltd;.

     “NrfU. . . ,e;j kuj;jbapy cl;fhh;e;Jfpl;L> vjpu cs;s mYtyfj;Jf;F th;wtq;fs;y vOj gbf;fj;njhpahk th;w vj;jidNah NgUf;F ehd; tpz;zg;gk; G+h;j;jp nra;J nfhLf;Fw ,e;j Ntiyapy> vdf;F xU rpukKk; ,y;y.

     gzp Xa;Tf;F mg;Gwk;> fhyj;j ghof;fhk> ,J Nghy xU Ntiyia nra;aZk;d;D ehNdjhd;  Njh;e;njLj;Njd; .  mJ ey;y KbTjhd;D ,g;gTk; epidf;fpNwd;.  Vd;dh. . . vd; $l gzp Xa;Tngw;w nuz;L %ZNgU> ve;j Nty ntl;bf;Fk; Nghfhk> fz;l fz;l gof;fq;fSf;F mbikahfp> khdkpoe;J cly;eykpoe;J jphpawhq;f.||

     “mJapy;yg;gh. . . taR . . . VOgJ MTJ.  ,e;j taRy . . . vJf;Fg;gh ePq;f f\;lg;glZk;?”   cz;ikahd tUj;jj;NjhNl Nrfh; Nfl;lhd;. 

     “xd;D njhpQ;rpf;Nfh Nrfh;.  vd;dg; nghWj;jtiuf;Fk;> ,sikq;fpwJ> xUj;jNuhl ,aq;Fjypy;jhd; ,Uf;F.  taRy ,y;y.  vd;dg;nghWj;jtiuf;Fk;…Nrhk;Ngwpj;jdg;gLk; rpd;d taRg;grq;f - fpotDq;f. RWRWg;gh ,aq;Fk; jiyeiur;rtq;f$l ,isQh;fs;jhd;.  ehd; rhfwtiuf;Fk; ,aq;fpf;fpl;Nl ,Uf;FZk;d;D Mirg;glNwd;..Nrfh;.”

     “mz;Nz. . . vg;gbd;Nd ,Uf;fwPq;f? vk;  Ngj;jp Ngu> FLk;g ml;ilapy Nrh;f;fZk;.  tpz;zg;gk; thq;fpahe;Jl;Nld;. . .” jpUQhdj;jpd;  taJ xj;j xUth; mUfpy; te;J epd;W> mth;fspd; Ngr;ir jpirjpUg;gpdhh;. 

     ~~NrfU. . . xU epkp\k; . . . ,tu mDg;gpr;rpl;L Ngryhkh?||

     “,y;yg;gh.  ePq;f . . . Ntiya  ghUq;f.  ehd; nfsk;GNwd;.  ehisf;F ,e;j gf;fk; tuNtz;ba Nty ,Uf;F.  mg;Ngh th;Nwd;.”

     “rhpg;gh… Nrfh;.  ghh;j;Jg;Ngh”

     Nrfh;> mq;fpUe;J efh;e;jJk;> ,d;Dk; ,uz;L %d;W Ngh; jpUQhdj;ij #o;e;Jnfhz;ldh;. mtd; mq;fpUe;J efh;e;jhNd jtpu> vz;z Xl;lq;fs; jpUQhdj;ijNa Rw;wp Rw;wp te;jd.

 ‘gzp Xa;Tf;F gpwF> Rk;kh ,Uf;ff; $lhJq;fpwJf;fhf ,e;j NjdPh; filapy; te;J mkh;e;Jnfhz;L> tpz;zg;gk; G+h;j;jp nra;a ahuhtJ cjtp Nfl;lh nra;aj;njhlq;fp…> mJNt xU Ntiyahfp. . . Nkr ehw;fhypNghl;L mYtyf ehl;fs;y cl;fhh;e;JluhU.  mtuhy tpz;zg;gk; G+h;j;jp nra;Jf;fpwtq;f> Rk;kh B nrytTf;Fd;D> IQ;Nrh gj;Njh FLj;Jl;L Nghwhq;f .  mjnay;yhk; Nrh;j;Jtr;R>  jkpo; Gj;jhz;L jpdj;Jy> mtq;f gFjp Vio grq;fSf;F> Nehl;L> Gj;jfg;ig> Mild;D thq;fp nfhLj;JluhU.  cz;ikapy mtu nedr;R> ehk ngUikg;glZk;| Nrfh; ngUkpjj;NjhLte;J> mtd; epWj;jpitj;jpUe;j ~igf;|if vLj;jhd;.

     mjw;F mUfpy; epd;Wnfhz;L Ngrpf;nfhz;bUe;jth;fspd; Ngr;R mtid <h;jjJ.

     “,y;yg;gh . . . ,e;j taRy ,e;j kDrd; vg;gb nghOj cgNahfkh fopf;fpwhh; ghNud. . . . ! murhq;f mYtyfj;Jy> tpz;zg;gk; Gh;j;jp nra;a ahUfpl;ilahtJ cjtp Nfl;f KbAkh?  ts;. . . ts;dD. . . tpOthDq;f.  ,tu ghU. . . ek;k khjphp MSq;fSf;fhfNt cl;fhh;e;jpUf;fhU”.

     “ey;y kDrd;g;gh.  ,tu ghh;f;Fk;NghJ> vdf;Fk; Mir tUJ.  Ciof;fpwJf;Fk;> cjTwJf;Fk; taR xU nghUl;Nl ,y;yd;D NjhDJ.  ehDk;> vOtjhdhYk;> vz;gjhdhYk; RWRWg;gh ,Uf;fDk;> ek;khy ahUf;fhtJ vjhtJ gad; ,Uf;fpwkhjphp ele;JfpDk;d;D neidf;fpNwd;.”

     NrfUf;F rpyph;j;jJ.  ,e;j taRy xU kDrd; ,j;jdNgUf;F cjtp nra;awJkpy;yhk> xU Kd; cjhuhzkh ,Uf;fhh;dh. . . cz;ikapNy ngUikf;Fhpa nghpa tprpak;. 

     Nrfh; jpUk;gp>  jpUQhdk; mkh;e;jpUf;Fk; ,lj;ij ghh;j;jhd;.  mth; Ntiyapy; %o;fpapUe;jhh;.  cjL Ftpj;J xU Kj;jk; nfhLj;J mtiu Nehf;fp efUk; fhw;wpy; mkh;j;jp mDg;gptpl;L> Mde;j czh;NthL mq;fpUe;J efh;e;jhd;.