Diminishing Returns

Ramila Mistry's prasad treat

School kids are done with their board exams and the Garden has started looking bright and colorful. There are more kids than elders these days – playing, jumping about, running in and out of our circle while we exercise… Their cheerful screams and shouts have transformed the morose morning atmosphere into that of a fairyland. If spring has set in, these kids are the real harbingers.
Unfortunately, this sense of exuberance has yet to percolate into our group. For no sooner did the ‘Gang of 21’ leave on the Himachal Tour a week back than attendance for the exercises dropped. One by one, the regulars stopped coming.

Srichand Arora

The biggies out of the way and with no one senior enough to supervise, the Law of Diminishing Returns kicked in. With each passing day, the numbers fell – despite allurements like Monthi Serrao’s Easter bourbons and Ramila Mistry’s prasad treat today.
But then, it is now a matter of two days only when the Himachal gang should be returning and we would be back to our former strength. Word has come in of their reaching Shimla safe and sound last evening – though there was a food poisoning scare enroute from Katra. Srichand Arora has thoughtfully sent us a text message this morning to allay all fears: “Shimla is too cold. No one is prepared to leave the bed. Since yesterday 50% of us are suffering from food poisoning. But things are UNDER CONTROL now. Mrs and Mr Jagmohan had to leave for Delhi yesterday.”
So this should put to rest the exaggerated rumours swirling around on the condition of some members of the group. Everything is under control at present and there is no need for their families back home to panic. Food poisoning is a common occurrence on any excursion. This too shall pass.