Dangling the Carrot

Idli-wada treat from Shekhawat (second from rt) at Anna's cycle stall

People exercise for a very selfish reason – to stay fit. You don’t have to bribe them to do so. Or else, the very purpose of exercising is defeated.
But Shekhawat does not think so. He believes that you need to incentivise members to leave the comfort of their homes and land in the Garden to work up a sweat. So now, he is dangling a carrot for all those who report for the exercises on time: idli-vada at Anna’s popular bicycle stall across the road!
“Why don’t you sleep early?” he chided the late-comers today. “Only when you sleep early will you wake up early and reach the Garden in time. Be present for the full exercises and you shall be rewarded with idli-vada.”
The provocation for this announcement was again the desultory showing at the start of the exercises today. Not just that, there was no ‘teacher’ to conduct the exercises. Arun Patil was filling in for Nahid Khan, but he too has disappeared (ref yesterday’s post).

A health worker (rt) dropped by to sell us a medical scheme

According to Shekhawat, the situation is unlikely to improve till the Rajasthan group (ref post of February 4) returns from their tour.
“What to do!” he exclaimed out of sheer helplessness when he discovered that he was one of two to be flagging the exercises this morning. “Everybody knows we are short of numbers because of the Rajasthan trip. And they still do not show up. When I phone them, they do not even take my call.”
Shekhawat tried persuading a young lady (watching from a distance) to join us, but she excused herself saying she has to rush home to pack tiffin for her husband. He tried with two others and similarly drew a blank. Finally, he managed to rope in a short plump woman, but she escaped when he was not looking!
What Shekhawat does not realize is that it has become incredibly cold in the mornings for this time of the year. That itself is a major deterrent for many to be turning up. The papers are reporting the “coldest February” in years with the minimum temperature dipping to record levels. Still, that is no reason for luring members with the promise of idli-vada. Nowhere on earth does this happen – except in Big Laaf.
Bihari Milwani:
Shekhawat-ji, this is corruption. With elections round the corner, you may be pulled up for violating the Election Code of Conduct, particularly because BJP candidates were there yesterday and they had garlanded you with their band.