Short and Sharp

Harish Wadhwa with ARUN PATIL

It was a perfect celebration without fuss or ceremony. Special samosas, fresh from the frying pan and hot tea transported from Goregaon. Just what everyone wanted on a dark, cloudy morning soon after the exercises.
And so we danced and clapped for Arun Patil hitting three score and two years today. He forgot the three score part and behaved more like a two-year-old, till he had to be reminded that he was the host of the morning and he better do some work. So from the 'birthday boy', Arun became a 'tea boy' for some time and went about pouring Goregaon tea from a big white thermos flask.

How could Arun become so small today?

Notably, this was the first birthday celebration in the Club when members were consulted beforehand on what they would like. The overwhelming opinion was to avoid sweets entirely as not only had everybody developed a distaste towards luddoos and pedas, the sugary stuff was harmful as well. Cold sandwiches and cookies were also given the go-by on hygienic grounds during the monsoon. So 'samosa-tea' it was – just that Monthi Serrao had to remind Arun not to forget a packet of paper tissues as well!
Even as attendance was low during the exercises (we were just 18), Arun’s friends from the yoga group and elsewhere descended on the China Hut to make merry and wipe the plastic bags clean. It was a wonderful way of ushering in a birthday. Even the heavens smiled. It did not rain this morning.
Jagmohan Papneja:
Arun-ji, I wish you good health and many more years of celebration. Happy Birthday!
Srichand Arora:
Dear Arun, wish you a very happy birthday. Many, many happy returns of the day. God bless you dear!