Celebration Continues

Aryan and Kanta Sharma (foreground) with the food boxes

Kanta Sharma started off from where she left yesterday. The Vyanjan food boxes due for her birthday celebration (see yesterday’s post) arrived this morning, albeit a little late. It took her son, Aryan to physically abduct the delivery man from some place and produce him in the Garden before everybody had dispersed for the day.
Today’s do was however, not about finishing an unfinished business. With time on hand, it was an opportunity to know Aryan better and he too could let his hair down with us.

Mother and son, done and dusted

Swati Punjabi went to the extent of charging at him (in her usual style) for being addressed as 'grandmom'. “What else am I to say?” the young man retorted gamely. “If you can call my mom ‘auntie’, why mustn’t I call you ‘nani’?”
There were many such chatty exchanges and quick repartees, though of little consequence. After all, it does not matter what the substance of conversation is or the extent of liberty one takes with the other on such occasions. What matters is the kind of interaction we get to share with the families of our members – something we sorely lack.

Geeta Lathe's (l) succulent petha treat

Sadly, club birthdays have come to be a ritual of mechanically doling out goodies with a family junior in polite attendance, hardly opening up with anyone. Today, Aryan Sharma showed us that this need not be so and that a birthday celebration can be much more than just eats and treats. That he ‘compensated’ some with additional food boxes was however, another matter.
Meanwhile, Geeta Latte had another big surprise in store. Her mother has just come back from Jaipur and she brought along for us a box of golden yellow pethas – the soft, crunchy candy the city is famous for. This was one syrupy temptation that even an amputated diabetic like Arun Patil could not resist. The rest could easily be forgiven for over-indulgence.
Bihari Milwani:
Ramzaan or no Ramzaan, parties must go on. That is the motto of Big Laaf!
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
It is only in the Big Laaf club that you can enjoy the celebration of one person's birthday on two consecutive days. Good indication and a new example that you can celebrate whenever you feel like. Happy Birthday, Mrs Sharma.