All in Jest

Bijoy Gupta had not forgiven Shekhawat for getting away without treating us on his birthday (see post of April 27). Over the last 48 hours he kept ribbing the latter for being a show-off when he was actually

Dr Farooq (r) wishes Shekhawat

stone broke, a pauper, a confirmed miser, etc. etc.
“You couldn’t afford even a toffee for us?” Gupta grilled his good friend. “If I had only known you were in such a miserable state, I would have a hosted a lavish party on your behalf. I would have invited the whole Club to my house and celebrated your birthday in grand style.”
Shekhawat obviously had other plans but he wasn’t talking about it.

The big birthday bash

He allowed Gupta the pleasure of poking fun at him and providing entertainment during the exercises. At one point, Gupta lamented out of sheer exasperation: “Why did you take birth at all?”
Meanwhile, Dilip Babani was given a carte blanche to organize a mega birthday bash, belated as it might be, on Saturday, i.e. today.

Doling out the goodies

The talk by Karun Sharma, scheduled for the morning, was pushed to next Saturday. “People tend to be relaxed during the week-end,” Shekhawat reasoned. “I don’t want anybody to be in a hurry to go home because of paucity of time.”
Shekhawat had also made phone calls, inviting his “personal friends” including erstwhile saalis. Dr Muhammed Farooq Khan was specially invited to be the guest of honour and sure enough, he presented himself on time with characteristic grace and dignity. He even returned Shekhawat’s ‘ceremonial salute’ soon after the birthday song, and wished the 79-year-old a happy and healthy life ahead. By then the Garden had taken a festive atmosphere with everybody sporting colorful conical caps, merrily dancing and fooling around.
The celebration spilled out of the Garden to our regular party haunt where a massive spread (too varied to elaborate) was laid out. There was tea also, courtesy Banoo Apa (as always) to wash down the sumptuous fare. But in all this, there was no sign of one man. Bijoy Gupta. Nobody noticed he had disappeared.
Banoo Apa (on WhatsApp):
I want to thank Shekhawat-ji for the grand party. May ALLAH give him a long life with good health.
Kiran Prakash (on WhatsApp):
Yes, we had a grand party today.
Yusuf Rassiwala (on WhatsApp):
I would also like to thank Shekhawat-ji for his dildar birthday party and the goodwill gesture of remembering my wife, Niloo on each and every occasion. Niloo and I wish him a very happy birthday and pray to the Almighty to bless him with good health and happiness.
Geeta Latte:
Happy Birthday, dear Shikhawat uncle. And thank you so-ooooo much for today's​ party. It was very nice of you.
Bihari Milwani:
Jungle jungle pata chala hai, Chaddi pahenkar Shekhawat birthday party ko nikla hai... Shekhawat-ji looks so handsome and smart in half pant. Happy Birthday