Many Smiles

Hari Naraiyani has disappeared again. So has Yusuf Rassiwala. Srichand Arora came yesterday, is gone today. Tara Chand Seth was absent yesterday, present today. Nafisa Sayed was keeping low, but appeared today. Kishor and Renu Babani were coming regularly till yesterday. Today, both became scarce. Club grapevine has it that Kishor-bhai is busy sourcing kauwe-size chuddis from someplace (see blogposts of April 14 and 15)…
Monthi Serrao came in with her sister, Priscila (above, extreme right) to create an optical illusion for (of all the people) Sunita Jajodia (below). For only she can come up with something as, “Hai, doh-doh Monthi kaise aa gaye!” True, there is some resemblance between the two, as sisters normally share; but to imagine one individual splitting into two personas early in the morning while exercising is nothing short of a stroke of genius.
But then, we’ve got to grant it to Sunita-ji: When she gets going, there’s no stopping her. For quite some time she has been not keeping well and even as she’d make an occasional appearance in the Garden, she would not always take part in the exercises. Today, she was back in form, dominating the proceedings with her wisecracks and robust humour. So when it came to the Kissa Kursi Ka round, Shekhawat-ji, balancing himself on bended knees, called out as usual: “Rane, jahaan pe bhi ho, baith jaao!”
Promptly, Sunita-ji retorted: “Rane, toh abhi aam ke ped pe chadaa hua hai.”
Being the end of the week, everybody was in a relaxed mood and out to pull one another’s leg. Some members, who have been turning up on Sundays, declared that they would take an off tomorrow, because of the unusually warm weather. Khatoon Baig (right) showed up towards the end of the exercises, giving us a major scare. Looking rough and tough with a firm jaw and dark glasses, she was completely unrecognizable as she strode in with determined steps.
Turns out she has just had a cataract operation.
Srichand Arora says:
I missed the session as I was actually under the impression that almost all the members have gone for the picnic. Today, being Sunday, I missed again. But while returning from my regular morning walk, I found some people gathered for the exercises. I was already late from my morning walk (7.20 a.m.) and so decided to go home straight. Hope to see you all on Monday morning.
GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU.
--Arora