Party Postponed

The Diwali party scheduled for this afternoon has been put off indefinitely. A frantic phone call late last night from Northern Indian Tadka put paid to our plans of reciprocating last month’s Eid lunch with an expansive buffet spread today. Apparently some local Shiv Sena goons had threatened to vandalise the restaurant if it were to be kept open.
Making this announcement, Hari Singh Shekhawat (right pic) said that a new date for the Diwali lunch will have to be fixed, but only after normalcy returns to Mumbai. The city is in grips of a fear psychosis (yesterday’s post) following conflicting rumours on the ailing Sena supremo Bal Thackeray. Although media reports describe his condition as ‘critical but stable’, in the absence of a customary medical bulletin from attending doctors (if there is any), the worst is being feared.
Given this uncertainty, we find ourselves in a piquant situation. We cannot afford to push our party too far into the future because from next week, the Club will witness a massive exodus of sorts. Santosh Tyagi, Renu and Kishor Babani, Nahid Khan, Harish Wadhwa, Mrs Harbans Singh etc. are all going out of town. Surely they cannot be excluded from the party. Even if a date, as early as November 19 (Monday) were to be fixed (as Shekhawat suggested) we would be excluding Razia Khan (right pic) as her tickets for Calcutta are booked for Sunday. And that would be a pity. For, she is the one to have initiated and organized the Eid party for us last month.
While various options were being debated, Shekhawat broke the news of Sunita Jajodia (left pic) buying a car, thereby triggering an extra laugh after the exercises. Blushing from ear to ear, she accepted our compliments with grace. Well, congratulations once again and Hip-Hip… Hurray!
Harish Wadhwa:
* Why is Razia-ji looking so tense in the pic? I saw her sitting on the bench with Nafisa-ji today, but not in her usual cheerful mood. Hum sabse bichhadne ka gam itna zyada kyon? Well, you are going to be out to Kolkata for just a few days. Party-sharty will happen with you around!
* Congrats for the new gaddi, Sunita-ji. When are we getting a joy ride?
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* "Sorry, but there's nothing I can do!"
* "Why do I have to be alone when there are so many people around?"
* "See I come to the Garden. Stop complaining."