Ritual Huddles

In spite of all the disputes, discussions, debate and dissension, we are ONE FAMILY in the Club. Nothing exemplifies this better than the number of ‘huddles’ we have every day before and after the exercises – clearly establishing our eagerness to be together for better and for worse.
The first of this daily ritual is held as a prelude to the exercises – a clear half-hour pit stop on three specific benches close to the garden gate. This is where even those who might not exercise (like Sunita Jajodia) would congregate, if only to catch up with the rest and shoot the breeze. No one else dare occupy these benches.
Then after the exercises, the one-and-half minute walk to the gate is extended to a 15- minute journey with at least three stops in between. The first is soon after Shekhawat’s ‘announcement of the day’ when everyone is all ears and in their best behaviour. This false decorum is dropped at the very second stop close to the Gate (top pic) when everyone would want to talk and be heard at the same time. One step outside the Gate -- the third stop – they’d all go berserk like a pack of scatterbrains on the loose. And by the time, the Badmaash group gravitates towards the chai shop, away from polite company, they’d be in their true colours, letting it all hang out!
This is the life we have invited upon ourselves every morning – through hell, high water and sunshine. We fight, make up, laugh and celebrate... just as we did today on Prakash Motwani’s 66th birthday (bottom pic). Lovely luddoos he had brought, which were much appreciated. As always, we wish him all happiness and the very best in life.
P.S.: Please don't ask what is discussed in the huddles... because nobody really knows!
Jagmohan Papneja:
* Look for the best and leave behind the rest. Happy Birthday Motwani-ji.
* Of course, I am not going to ask what is discussed in the huddles. But this has become our area of strength.
Harish Wadhwa:
* Many happy returns of the day, Motwani-ji. As usual, I missed the luddoo, but Kajal-ji gave me a small portion of her share.
* On second thoughts, thank you Kajal-ji for sharing the luddoo. You are holding one in the first pic and the camera caught you red-handed in the second pic too (on a lighter note please)! But I was fortunate to get at least a bite and then it did not matter if it was second, third, fourth or...