Caught Unawares

It is one thing to be not in sync with the others while exercising. And it is quite another to be so absent-minded as to be caught on the wrong foot – as Nahid Khan was to realize this morning with a rude jolt.
As it is, the lady has wires dangling out of her ears at all times. If the music from the cell-phone was not distracting enough, she had to engage everybody around her in conversation, little realizing that Srichand Arora (yes, he was back today!) was repeatedly shouting her name to pay attention. When realization dawned, she promptly threw up her hands and let out an awkward “Ha-Ha Ha-Ha” only to discover that everybody was busy doing the silent laughter at that time.
This is a common faux pas that is more startling to the person who laughs out of turn than to anybody else. From Shekhawat and Sitaram to Sunita Jajodia and Khatoon Baig, everybody has embarrassed himself/ herself this way at some time. It happens out of inattentiveness, being preoccupied with thoughts or from plain day-dreaming.
For instance, Nafisa Syed (right) tends to be absorbed in the music playing, the crows cawing above, or perhaps, commenting on somebody’s antics… anything and everything, but rarely with the exercises. The best part is that she just could not be bothered with what others have to say. Far from making amends, she would continue with what she was doing or simply walk away to rest on a bench.
And what would you say of Bose Babu today, who had decided to shut himself from the world? While others were rotating their wrists, he was merrily driving away mosquitoes. When everybody was doing nachh-baliye, he was trying to fly… He was on his own trip till a host of ladies, including Ramila Mistry, Santosh Tyagi and Gopvinita began pointing fingers at him. Their combined laughter woke him from his reverie.
And then we had Kiran Sajjan (left), who took the cake and walked away with it too. As usual she came in late, inspected the new location (see yesterday’s post) where we had shifted and then started exercising at her own pace. Suddenly she stopped. With her back to us, she stared in the direction of the nullah as though waiting for something to appear. She stood in that position, frozen, waiting and waiting for a good five minutes. By then the exercises were over.