Double Do

Kajal Babani (c) prepares the plates

After celebrating her birthday on December 17, Kajal Babani had a second do today – this time much more elaborate, with platefuls of Chinese spring roll, phapda, methi vadi, kanda bhajiya, khari biscuits… and of course, hot tea.
Many saw this as an extended celebration (from Saturday), while others took it to be a double birthday treat.

Karun Sharma and Bijoy Gupta

Either way, Kajal became the enviable recipient of two beautiful floral bouquets – one, presented by Siba Prasad Maitra and the other, by Kiran Prakash. Nobody in the Club has ever been doubly felicitated in like manner.
But then,

Tuberose from Siba Prasad Maitra

it also speaks of the popularity Kajal enjoys as one of the younger members of Big Laaf. While most of us are in our sixties and seventies, this young lady has just about stepped into her fifties and will remain as much a “baby” to us as she was ten years back. On this happy occasion, we can only wish her the best -- that she retains her childishness, not to mention good health and abundant happiness in years to come.
Along the sidelines, we had Bijoy Gupta ‘educating’ himself in all seriousness on what it takes to be a life coach. (The trouble about Gupta

Rose from Kiran Prakash

is nobody takes him seriously and when he is serious, he becomes all the more funny.)

Party time, once again!

So when he learned that Karun Sharma, a regular for our exercises, is a professional life coach, he simply could not believe his ears.
“So you save people from drowning?” Gupta asked, obviously equating him to a lifeguard at Dadar Chowpatty. “Is that what you do?”
“Yes, I help people to stay afloat, swim happily through life,” Karun replied. “Kya baat hai!” Gupta was impressed but not completely convinced. “Did you study extra, undergo special training?”
Karun elaborated that his job is essentially to help people in distress – those bogged down by adversity or maybe, drowning in sorrow – and instill in them the confidence to navigate through life with joy. “It has much to do with the mind,” Karun explained. “But unless you are 100 per cent with me, there is little I can do to even keep you afloat.”
Whatever Gupta understood by that, he kept complimenting Karun: “Kya baat hai! Kya baat hai!!”
Bihari Milwani (from San Francisco):
17th December celebrations were as per English Calendar. And today's celebration was as per Indian Calendar.
Correction: 17th December celebrations were as per Solar Calendar. And today's celebration was as per Lunatic Calendar. --Blog Monster