Mopping Up

Kiran Prakash (l) announces details of the New Year's programme

With one day left for the New Year, mopping-up operations for 2016 are almost over. All filing and documentation, the membership register and books of accounts of the Club have been updated. Old scores have been settled. A couple of issues remain though, and these too shall be wrapped up soon – the idea being that we begin 2017 on a clean slate.
Meanwhile, Kiran Prakash outlined the salient features of the New Year programme scheduled on Monday, January 2, 2017. He announced the names of those who would perform little gigs, which will be followed by refreshments from the Club. A major highlight of the event would be the 'songs on request’

Arun Patil... moping

by Bunty, a professional singer and friend of Big Laaf.
Separately, Shekhawat went about collecting Rs100 from every member interested in watching Dangal next week. The day fixed for this movie outing is Wednesday, January 4, 2017. The intention is to book our seats well in advance so that we are not left high and dry at the eleventh hour, as it happened yesterday (ref post).
In an unrelated development, Arun Patil threatened to put in his resignation today, thereby stirring a hornets’ nest of sorts.

Advance booking for Dangal

He felt that a section of the Club is hostile towards him because of his “authoritarian nature” and efforts to “enforce discipline” during the exercises. He took the day off yesterday to think things over and has come to the firm conclusion that it would be in the larger interests of the Club that he “quits gracefully”, the earlier the better.
Arun may not be far from the truth in his belief that some people (he even named names) do resent his domineering attitude, especially on the question of wearing the Club cap or talking incessantly while the exercises are on. Indeed, many are disturbed when they see others not too serious about exercising. At the same time, to imagine that any one of us would mould our ways to suit Arun’s dictates is a little far-fetched. It is bound to create resentment.
With a little pep talk, Arun was made to realize that it is too late in life for a senior citizen to change into his way of thinking, however well-intended it might be. Rather than be dogmatic or sentimental about this, he would have to tread the thin line between enforcing discipline and not offending anybody's self-respect. It’s a tough call, but he can do it!
Bihari Milwani from San Francisco:
Try Carnival Cinema in Harmony Mall, Oshiwara. It is very close to our Garden and still cheaper than Cinepolis.