A Special Moment

Angad Singh (c) receives his calendar from Yusuf R and Shekhawat

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd) had made a special request some time back. He wanted his ‘birthday calendar’ in advance as he plans to leave for Mohali, his home-town this month-end and isn’t quite sure if he would be able to take time out for another visit to Mumbai around April 10.
“If possible, could you please arrange a special

Naseem Khan (l) gets us revdis today

calendar for me before I leave?” he said.
That someone should attach so much importance to what is no more than a token gift to all members of the Club was good enough reason to advance the presentation of Angad Singh’s calendar. And in deference to his seniority, we

Happy Birthday, Dilip Babani

had both our chairmen, Yusuf Rassiwala and Hari Singh Shekhawat jointly doing the honors this morning. It had to be special moment not only for us, but also for the recipient, who would be turning 84 this April.
Significantly, a calendar was also due for Dilip Babani, whose birthday it was today. But since he had more pressing domestic engagements, he gave the Garden a miss. He had told us earlier that he needed to drop his daughter at the airport and would rather celebrate his birthday a day later. Nevertheless, we raised a fourth laugh for him (as per our custom) this morning and wished him many happy returns of the day. The birthday calendar will have to wait for tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Naseem Khan made an appearance this morning with a box of revdis – a seasonal tidbit meant to counter the winter chill. It was good to see her adjusting well to the pacemaker implanted recently for her heart. In fact, she has never looked so charged and youthful earlier.

Bihari Milwani:
Despite being a special request from Angad Singh, we tried to remain faithful to the date. We gave him his calendar on the 10th day of the month -- just that, instead of April it had to be January.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
Thanks a lot for the kind gesture. The birthday card shall remind me of the time I spend in the company of members of the Club.

Ladies’ Boycott

Shekhawat(l) tries to broker peace

Club biggies ponder over the issue

A mountain was made of a molehill when the ladies en masse boycotted the tai-chi round this morning. They remained seated defiantly on the benches while the men went through the drill and in effect, wrapped up the day’s exercises.
This unprecedented move stems from Arun Patil’s latest diktat cutting out all those who refuse to stand up while the tai-chi exercises are on (ref post of January 6). His idea was presumably to discourage people from relaxing on the benches and indulging in idle talk even before the exercises were over.
Razia Khan registered her protest yesterday by breaking out of the exercise circle and taking a round of the walking track. Today, she had to be dissuaded and summoned back. But Zarina Khan, Qadeer Bano and other ladies present made no secret of their displeasure and among themselves, decided to boycott the exercises. They resolutely sat on the benches and watched the fun.
Significantly Shekhawat, Angad Singh, Nasir Shah and other men who habitually take a breather on the benches are now standing up during the tai-chi round. According to Arun, if they can do so, there is no reason why the women should not. In his opinion, this flagrant defiance of authority amounts to an act of indiscipline.
Yusuf Rassiwala tried to intervene by impressing upon us that we ignore such transgressions in the interests of maintaining harmony and sooner than later, the women would come around. “After all, this is no big deal. They are the losers. They are depriving themselves of the benefits of exercising,” he reasoned.
But the ladies were already up in arms. And predictably, they found a willing spokesman in Shekhawat to champion their cause. In his effort to broker peace, he brought up the issue of physical debilities including tired limbs and weak knees, etc. and the need to be considerate towards the elderly. “Everybody cannot stand for very long,” he argued.
Standing or sitting, everybody knows that the real issue lies elsewhere: it is all about self-assertion – how you eventually have your way!

Bihari Milwani:
Tomorrow Arun should announce that those who do the tai-chi exercises standing will be given chocolates. That will bring peace in the Club.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
Ours is a group of people who meet in the morning to relax and enjoy. The little pin-pricks during exercises give us good reasons to laugh. This is the vitamin that sustains us through the day. So let us not be too rigid with rules. Yes, the suggestion given by Bihari Milwani is good. Hope Arun also appreciates it and follows it for the sake of amity.

Tying-up Ends

Cash collection for biryani boxes

As the mercury dips and we continue to be in the grip of a sub-normal winter chill, the only thing that keeps us going is the Annual Function barely 12 days away. If not for the warmth and geniality generated during the rehearsals, hardly anybody would be turning up at the Garden these days.
Today, Shekhawat initiated the collections for member’s guests who would be coming for the function on January 20. Methodical as he is, he has marked out the vegetarians for whom separate biryani boxes will have to be packed.

Fun and games continue in the chilly weather

This applies to members as well. An estimated 50 boxes would have to be ordered.
Meanwhile, Kiran Prakash informs us that the ‘decorator’ engaged for putting up the stage has thrown up his hands. Apparently, he is pre-booked elsewhere and now we will have to hunt for another ‘decorator’. This is the first casualty from the repeated changes in date of the function (ref post of January 5). Razia Khan came up with the contact details of a ‘decorator’ who will now have to be tapped.
The costume to be hired for the play is also causing a bit of a bother. Preliminary inquiries with ‘dresswallas’ have revealed that hiring charges are working out to be higher than getting the dresses stitched anew. Arun Patil has offered to use his “filmy influence” and intervene in the matter. Some other options are also being explored so long as we are able to cut costs. Watch this space.

DAY 2434

Pic of the Week

LASTING MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS

Hammer & Tongs

Shekhawat is overjoyed as Razia Khan and Arun Patil fight tooth and nail

Arun Patil landed in the Garden today with a new prosthetic leg and even before he could settle down, the bugle of revolt was sounded. Razia Khan went hammer and tongs at him, questioning his authority to curtail her freedom. “Who are you to tell me what I should do or not do!” she demanded repeatedly, with tacit support from Shekhawat.
Not one to be cowed down, Arun tore into the duo accusing them of disrupting the exercises and fouling the atmosphere in the Club. “There is something called discipline, do you agree or not?” he shouted, much to the amusement of Bihari Milwani, Angad Singh and others present.
Arun was away for one week or so and in his absence, everybody seemed to be having a gala time. It was typically a case of the cat being away and the mice going berserk. Shekhawat, in particular, appeared most jubilant as there was nobody to ‘tokam toki’ (needle) him.

Qadeer Bano

Razia Khan

All that has suddenly come to a halt as people are now expected to behave themselves.
But then, it was not Razia who was the first to protest. Shekhawat had been grumbling for long, though grudgingly and it was only when an otherwise quiet Qadeer Bano raised her voice that things tumbled out in the open. She had objected to a minor slight during the exercises and Arun, instead of addressing her concern, issued a blanket order directing that everybody seated on the benches would be excluded from the exercises from Monday!
Arun did not stop there. He raked up other irregularities like late coming, ambling on the walking track, talking and disturbing the exercises, etc. “What rubbish!” Razia bellowed. “I will do what I please, let’s see you stop me. Why should I obey you? Who are you???”
Shekhawat jumped about with glee. Others chuckled. Before long Razia and Arun dissolved into laughter and everyone dispersed with a smile on their lips.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
Arun Patil's 'tokum toki' is his takia kalam. It should be taken with a pinch of salt -- forgiven and forgotten. Do not take these pranks seriously.