Desultory Day

This has to be rather short today. Within minutes of starting the exercises this morning, Srichand Arora ticked off Razia Khan and Nafisa Syed for talking to one another. Moments later, he pulled up Nafisa Syed and Nahid Khan for the same ‘offence’. On both occasions, it was a polite reprimand, Arora-style, with folded hands: "We come here to exercise and improve our health, not to talk. You are disturbing everybody here!"
After that, the exercises were conducted workmanlike and but for Kishor Babani’s music playing in the background, there was total pin-drop silence.
The absence of Hari Singh Shekhawat (left) only added to the overall glumness. This is one man who cannot be contained by anybody’s say-so and his free-spirited antics and prankish behavior, punctuated by bouts of loud laughter can be extremely contagious. When in the mood, he alone can keep the entire group in splits.
So, when he turned up after the exercises and prayers were done, everybody looked at him anxiously. Arora too was taken aback and took a dig at him: “Why have you come so early and woken everybody up?”
“Arrey, kya karoon, so gaya tha!” he said, eyes twinkling in amusement. “Pehli baar aise hua... aankh nahin khuli.”
This was the only bright spark in an otherwise uneventful morning.
Bhaswati Bose says:
1. A few more sessions like today's and our Laughing Club will turn into Mourning Club. We attend the exercises every morning not just to stay fit physically, but also to unwind mentally. For that we need to exercise in a relaxed, happy and cheerful manner. Little distractions should always be welcome. They only make the sessions more enjoyable. And rushing through the exercises isn't going to benefit anyone.
2. Fortunately, the music played on Kishor-bhai's mobile or Arora-ji's system is not yet considered a distraction and stopped. Or else, the Club would resemble an army camp and we would all be behaving like jawans (and jawanis)!
--Bhaswati
Renu Babani says:
Rest assured, our Laughing Club shall remain the same. We come to exercise, and it is necessary to stick to the routine. I would personally like to thank Mr Arora for ensuring that the routine was followed today and the exercise was completed on time. We do talk in the midst of the exercises but at least it shouldn't get out of hand to the extent of forgetting what exercise comes next, and just wasting time as well. The mood changes instantly when everyone decides to talk at the same time and then there is no fun. Let's keep the chatter for after the routine is over, so that everyone is free to do whatever they want after that. Let us enjoy the exercise and each other's company too, but also make sure that what we exercise does really work for us in the long run.
--Renu
Bhaswati Bose adds:
The wisecracks and one-liners exchanged spontaneously DURING the exercises is what makes the sessions so enjoyable and encourages everybody to laugh. Isn't that what the Laughing Club is all about?
--Bhaswati
Renu Babani adds:
I agree, a little fun is good -- but within limits. Everyone ends up having too much fun, don't you think?
--Renu
Bhaswati Bose counters:
So what? What's wrong in having "too much" fun? It's good for health!
--Bhaswati
Dinesh Sharma says:
A loosely formed voluntary group such as this should try to accommodate occasional and spontaneous distractions. There is no reason for anyone to feel suffocated or regimented. It will not promote participation. At the same time, order is necessary in any form of public event.
--Dan Sharma