Extreme Measures

Discussions over how to beat the heat

The Club today took the unprecedented step of relaxing the rules of attendance for the exercises, beginning tomorrow. Till such time the weather remains oppressively hot and humid, members shall be free to decide whether to report to the Garden or take a ‘summer break’.
Secondly, the exercises would be curtailed considerably in order to minimize stress and fatigue.

Khatoon Baig this morning

And thirdly, members are free to decide for themselves on whether or not to come wearing their caps to the Garden.
The move follows a joint decision taken this morning by all present in view of the extraordinary heat wave sweeping across the city. As news reports indicate, the weather would turn only worse in the coming future. Clearly, extreme situations call for extreme measures.
The trigger for this came from an unlikely quarter. Khatoon Baig, one of the most disciplined and regular of our members, began to show signs of drowsiness during the exercises today. Eyes shut, she was inventing her own moves, oblivious of what others were doing.
At one point, she sat on a bench and mechanically kept tapping her head and tummy by turn. When asked if she was feeling unwell, she stood up abruptly and said she was absolutely fine. Seeing that she was dangerously wobbly on her feet, Arun Patil told her to remain seated.
But she insisted on standing, only to make a startling statement: “Why, I am perfectly okay, but actually I have not been okay!” Saying that, she went back to being seated on the bench. It was apparent she was fast getting disoriented.
Later, Khatoon was to suggest we shift to the China Hut where we could have the benefit of shade and exercising under the fan. The problem there is limitations of space. With a heaving mass of sweaty and stinky bodies around, the place would turn into a furnace within seconds and the overhead fans would be of no help.
Nevertheless, we have kept that option open.