Complication Compounded

The three wise men.. and Monthi Serrao

We haven’t had enough of the Kerala group yet. For, as February 10 draws closer, confusion is mounting all around. And for the three wise men of the group – Hari Singh Shekhawat, Srichand Arora and Arun Patil -- every day is a new day.
The latest spanner to fall in the works is Santosh Tyagi’s withdrawal from the tour. A medical procedure has come up for her son on February 14 and she must necessarily be by his side. This leaves Monthi Serrao on a loose end because she had been paired with Santosh as room partners in hotel(s). More than her, the three wise men are in a quandary as to who can possibly share Monthi’s room on the tour. To complicate matters, Shekhawat has already instructed the tour operator to book one room less!
In effect, there will have to be one room with three occupants and Monthi refuses to be in that room. So, the wise men got into a huddle, tried different permutations and combinations and finally found Monthi a room partner after dislodging another lady.

In election mode, Santosh invites all on Saturday

Now where does this elderly lady go? Suddenly Arun had a brain wave. “I will vacate my room and adjust some place else,” he volunteered.
“But where will you go?” Arora asked, genuinely concerned.
Arun reeled out some names who would happily host him by turns for all the nights. Arora’s eyes popped out: “But they are all ladies?”
“It hardly matters to them,” Arun said confidently.
“And what happens to your room partner, Qutub Minar? He toh will run for his life with lota-kambal the moment the elderly lady walks into his room at night.”
Arun hadn’t thought of that. So they are now back to the drawing board, making permutations and combinations of room partners.
Meanwhile, Santosh announced that in deference to the Kerala group leaving on Monday, she would like to celebrate her birthday two days in advance, i.e. on February 8. With folded hands, she asked everyone to be present in the Garden on Saturday morning.
Jagmohan Papneja:
In a group of 40, complications are bound to arise. It will be better to settle such issues before leaving. The best way is to call a meeting of the group, talk to the members, brainstorm and listen to them. You will find everybody with a little piece of idea. And together you can find a solution.