Banned!

Razia Khan

Falling down in the course of exercising has been banned, effective today. “Because Yusuf (Rassiwala) Bhai fell down, we are having to do an extra exercise every day,” reasoned Razia Khan this morning.
The new rule pertains to the tongue wagging ‘Laughter No 5’ introduced last year after Yusuf R blanked out momentarily during the exercises and keeled over in the Garden. The tongue exercise, named after him, is supposed to strengthen and stimulate our brain cells.
Razia obviously does not approve of this. Being a woman in a perpetual hurry (what with having to also attend yoga classes), she

Long-overdue breakfast at Tiwari's, Juhu 

finds no merit in the tongue exercise but for it proving to be a colossal waste of time.
However, the provocation for her announcing the ban on falling down lay elsewhere. Nahid Siddiqui had started questioning the merit behind performing certain laughter exercises. “Why are we doing the Slow and Fast exercise?” she asked. “What are we trying to achieve?”
Her query was genuine and nobody could provide her with a convincing answer. Banoo Apa tried to counter her by asking what she had gained from rubbing her finger tips together for the Medium Laughter or Silent Laughter exercise.
“Those exercises are supposed to arrest hair loss,” Nahid Siddiqui replied confidently, only to trigger a volley of protests from the ladies, each claiming to be turning bald faster than the other. “Forget growing new hair, it is difficult to retain whatever little we have,” Banoo Apa retorted.
One thing led to another with every exercise analysed for its merit and demerit. That was when Razia Khan, seized by a malicious brainwave, announced her new ban, much to the amusement of all present.