Small Pleasures

Bijoy Gupta leads today's rail-gaadi as engine driver

Nahid Siddiqui conducts the tai-chi round of exercises today

There are days in the Club when someone's absence becomes larger than his presence. Today was one such day. Not one, but two key members were conspicuous by their absence – Yusuf Rassiwala and Hari Singh Shekhawat.
Yusuf R had sent word on WhatsApp that he would be taking the day off. And Shekhawat called the Garden early morning to inform that his wife was indisposed and his inability to attend the exercises should be taken as “leave of absence”.
“I am not the type to do phunti,” he insisted on phone.
Bijoy Gupta was thrilled to bits. It was beyond his imagination that a day would come when Shekhawat would not be by his side and breathe down his neck, distracting him constantly, compelling him to assume awkward postures and chiding him continuously through the exercises.
Later, when he learned that Shekhawat’s wife had developed a muscular cramp in her leg and had been advised five day’s bed rest, he straightaway concluded that his friend’s goose was cooked. “Shekhawat is badly stuck,” he guffawed loudly while the exercises were on. “He is on duty pressing his wife’s feet till she recovers. Suits him right!”
While some ladies suggested Shekhawat should delegate the job to a saali, if not a masseuse, Gupta was on to bigger things. He was determined to appropriate Shekhawat’s role as the Club’s ‘big daddy’ (even if it were for a day) and much to our surprise, even took charge as ‘engine driver’, leading the train at the end of the free-hand exercises.
It was a limping success, prompting many to describe it a ‘rusty old goods train’. But that made no difference to Gupta. In his display of one-upmanship, he had the personal satisfaction of proving that whatever Shekhawat can do, he could do just as well – if not better.
It is from such small pleasures of life that we derive our everyday happiness.
Bihari Milwani:
Chalti ka naam gaadi, Rukti ka naam khatara... Even as Shekhawat-ji was absent today, our train kept moving. Big thanks to 'Big' Bijoy Gupta.