Picnic in Limbo

“What is a three-and-half hour drive to Lonavala?”

The picnic scheduled for this month-end (see post of July 9) is still under a cloud. Hari Singh Shekhawat was supposed to see his doctors yesterday, but could not make it because of the rains. He now plans to go on Monday. Until he is declared medically fit, there can be no picnic.
However, Shekhawat feels confident to undertake any travel and has already set his sights on Lonavala. He has even fixed the date – tentatively around the Independence Day-weekend. “Should the hostel rooms be available on August 17 (a Saturday), I will book them right away,” he said. “By then our Muslim friends would be back from their Ramzan festival.”

Get well soon, Vijay Bhai

On the question of whether his doctors would permit him to venture out on a long road journey, Shekhawat was instantly dismissive. “What is a three-and-half hour drive to Lonavala?” he parried. “As it is, I have to travel two-and-half hours each way every time I visit my doctors (in Bandra). That makes it five hours both ways in a day. When I have been doing this so long, why can’t I travel to Lonavala now?”
Shekhawat was however more concerned about the numbers to fill a bus and on being told that August could be “too late” as this is the perfect season to visit Lonavala, he said he was open to a day picnic any time, provided the response is “good enough”. He urged Arora to make enquiries and “if there are sufficient people interested” we may go in July itself. Clearly, he was excited by the idea of the picnic and could not really be bothered about the implications, medical or otherwise.
Meanwhile, news comes in of our cricketing expert, Vijay Bhai being down with fever and bedridden. For the past two weeks he was not to be seen in the Garden. Over time, he has become such an integral part of the club that many have been missing him, especially during the just-concluded tri-series at the Port of Spain (which India won). Turns out that apart from his varicose vein problem he has developed several new ailments, which are presently under diagnosis. We wish him a speedy recovery and robust health for all time.
Bhaswati Bose:
Vijay-bhai, get well before the next match. We are waiting to see you in the Garden.