Last Supper

Many happy returns of the day, Mr Maitra

Had it been an evening or night time celebration, today’s big bash could well have been our Last Supper for 2016. But it was Siba Prasad Maitra’s birthday mainly. And what a lavish treat that was – unlimited slices of cake, dhokla, phapda-jalebi, spring rolls, methi wadi… and of course, unending rounds of hot tea to wash it all down.
There could not have been a bigger or better way to celebrate New Year Eve. Moreover, this was the fifth and last of the series of Saturday bashes scheduled for December. Most importantly, Mrs Maitra was there with us to grace the occasion. She daintily picked a slice of fruit cake and offered the first bite to her husband,

'Birthday bite' from Mrs Maitra (r)

only to be rewarded with a ferocious, blood curdling snarl (see pic alongside) before losing the piece into that cavernous mouth. Nobody dared to check what happened to the rest of the cake.
But it was all in jest – very much in keeping with Maitra’s wicked sense of humor we are getting used to. He had turned up nattily dressed in a striped red-and- blue polo shirt and dark trousers, looking strikingly ebullient and spirited for his age.

The last big bash of the year, courtesy Siba Prasad Maitra

“The important thing is to remain young at heart, no matter how many birthdays you celebrate,” he said, warding off the envious looks around and meaningless queries about his age.
Swati Panjabi popped up from nowhere with a shiny birthday gift. Others gave Maitra lots of love and fresh air, gamboling and fooling about as always. We sang the birthday song and raised the fourth laughter for him after the exercises. Being the perfect gentleman, he acknowledged every greeting personally while also taking care of every guest present in the party.
When it was over and the place cleared of all litter, Pushpa Gupta sprung a surprise. She was so taken in by the enormity of the celebration that apparently, she had forgotten how to address her husband.
“Dhakkan!”, she yelled, as Bijoy Gupta struggled with a huge garbage bag filled with the remains of the party. Pushpa was actually looking for the lid of a sweet box, in case it was to be found in the garbage bag. But the way Bijoy Gupta stopped obediently, acknowledging her call, made for a hilarious if slightly embarrassing situation for the couple. “Chalega!” Gupta mumbled, trying to cover up for his wife's faux pas. But that shall remain for many of us, an unforgettable moment in today’s celebration.

GOODBYE 2016

Siba Prasad Maitra:
My thanks to all the members of Big Laaf for making my day special. Special thanks to Dilip-bhai, Kajal, Pushpa-ji and Bhaswati-ji for their support in making the programme successful. Mallika-ji's tea was really good.
My "birthday bite" picture was taken suddenly. I was just cutting a joke by opening my mouth to give a bite to the cake. No one should get afraid of it. Ha ha ha!!!
Geeta Latte:
Happy Birthday, dear Uncle!
Bihari Milwani (from San Francisco):
SP Sahib, wish you a very very sweet sixteenth birthday with 50 golden years of experience!