Sweltering!

Exercising in the blazing sun

The weather these days is killing. Even before the exercises begin at 7:00 a.m., we would be tired out, thirsty and soaked in sweat. An occasional gust of wind is our only reprieve from the blazing sun. And by the time we are through, none of us would be in a fit state to drag our legs back home. We would perforce be seated on benches, trying to catch our breath.
This has been our routine over one week or so. And it is still April -- not even proper summer. By mid-May, we should well be prepared to be properly tanned, if not baked and roasted beyond recognition.
Already, the wiser ones have stopped coming to the Garden, preferring to stay indoors in air-conditioned comfort. This includes Shekhawat, who is said to have got over his urinary tract infection (ref post of April 11). But he is not stepping out, lest his problems recur due to dehydration.
Likewise, Arun Patil remains homebound with a skin abrasion in his leg that refuses to go away. He is diabetic and had to get a leg amputated.

Fahmida celebrates her grandson's success
in exams with special pedas from Nagpur

Even a minor injury takes time to heal. In this intense heat, the friction

Arun Patil

caused by perspiration on his amputated leg and the prosthetic he wears has resulted in an ugly sore. Coming to the Garden in this condition would only turn things from bad to worse.
Then there is Bijoy Gupta. In the middle of the exercise yesterday, he began to feel light in the head and had to be escorted to a bench before he fell unconscious. He recovered after being given water to drink. Today, exactly the same situation arose with Gupta developing giddiness again and being escorted to the same bench. The heat and humidity is getting too much for him to bear.
But then, there’s also some relief. Yesterday, Gupta treated us to chilled lassi after the exercises and today, Banoo Apa came up with gallons of refreshing Rooh Afza. Interestingly, the latter was Karuna Waghmare’s idea and she had even paid Banoo Apa for this yesterday. But much to our surprise, she did not show up this morning, nor did she take our calls. What can you say of such a person?
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Bangalore):
Summer has advanced everywhere. One has to be very careful these days. Please keep on drinking water even when no thirsty. You may like to advance timings of the session or reduce some of the activities. The show must continue.