Surprise Visit

Hari Naraiyani exercises seated on a chair

Hari Naraiyani gave us a pleasant surprise this morning. Showing up after more than a year, he marched into the Garden to announce, “You people might have forgotten me, but I'll keep returning. I shall hover around like your shadow!”
The exercises hadn’t started yet. Seeing him, people like Shekhawat, Santosh Tyagi and Sunita Jajodia converged around him to inquire about his health and welfare. “I am 83 now,” he informed. “I celebrated my 83rd birthday the day before. I get bouts of weakness; but for that I am perfectly fit and fine.

Kiran Makharia

Why, I'll be travelling to Amritsar next month!”
While Shekhawat got calculating how many years he was younger to Hari-bhai, others marveled at the way this octogenarian had maintained himself. The last we had seen of him was more than a year back when he had lost his wife. He was depressed then (naturally), unkempt and unshaven. Today he looked fresh like a lily, standing ramrod erect and walked confidently with a spring in his step.

Jagmohan Papneja wants to call a meeting on Saturday

What’s more, he insisted on taking part in all the exercises – just that he be allowed to be seated on a chair while flexing himself with us.
Another surprise ‘visitor’ was Kiran Makharia, who drew the attention of the ladies the moment she walked into the Garden. Monthi Serrao was almost sanguine that Kiran had come to announce her birthday treat for Saturday. (Hers is the last birthday of the month.) But to the infinite astonishment of all within hearing distance, Kiran refused pointblank: “You people broke my hand last year, remember? Why should I celebrate?”
True, Kiran had brought loads of luddoos last year on her birthday (ref: post of August 16, 2013) and the happy celebration was marred by a nasty fall that resulted in a fracture of her right wrist. It put her out of circulation for many months and she has not forgiven the Club since – even as Harish Wadhwa, Bhaswati Bose and Harbans Kaur had escorted her home that fateful morning. Clearly, she does not want to be reminded of it.
Jagmohan Papneja:
We, at Big Laaf, are never out of range of surprises. The visit of Hari-bhai and the reactions of Kiran are no surprise to us. This has become a common phenomenon for us.