New Members

Rafaqat Ayub

Now that the Eid ul-Adha, Onam and Ganapati festivities are getting over, we are picking up the pieces for restoring normalcy in the Club. Attendance has already caught up. The exercises are once again being held from start-to-finish (with no short-cuts in between). The post-exercise jokes’ sessions have also been revived…
Some disruptions in our regular schedule were unavoidable. For instance, the tai-chi round had to be temporarily disbanded in order to make time for the rehearsals in the run-up to the Annual Day function last week-end (ref post of September 10).
But there has also been a positive fallout. Many outsiders /non-members associated with fine-tuning the preparations had expressed the desire to join Big Laaf as regular members.

Jokes session in China Hut

“I simply love the company of you people,” Nadira Sayyed, a professional film choreographer (who had trained our dancers) said while articulating the sentiments of our new guests.
Today Rafaqat Ayub, another choreographer who had helped us then, turned up for the exercises. She too wants to be a member, even as it would mean having to drive a good five kilometres from SV Road every morning. A visibly energetic lady, she insists that “it is no problem” so long as she gets to spend time with us.
Vishnu Kukreja is another (ref yesterday’s post). Refusing to take no for an answer, he even paid the ‘membership fee’ till March-end today and has promised to join the exercises without fail from tomorrow. “I can see the Garden from my house,” he said. “The moment you start exercising in the morning, I shall set out from home. You can count on my membership for life.”
There are a few others like Arati Bhatt and Chanda Khadaria who are already ‘deemed members’, going by their loyalty and involvement in all activities of the Club. We need to take a call on formalizing the membership of all these freshers at the earliest.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
The desire of people to join the club suggests two things. Firstly, the importance they place on health and exercising. Secondly, the energy generated by the members in organising events is contagious.