Hammer and Tongs

Arora and Shekhawat try to pacify Monthi Serrao

Mute witnesses to the morning commotion

Monthi Serrao was furious this morning. It seems someone had told her that with Santosh Tyagi backing out from the Kerala tour (yesterday’s post) she would have to “adjust” in a room of three. So, without much ado, the otherwise mild-mannered lady went hammer and tongs at Shekhawat, demanding why she was being singled out for such unfair treatment. “I am withdrawing from the tour,” she threatened.
Shekhawat was instantly on the backfoot and Arora rushed to his rescue. Both tried to assure her that there were no such plans and that she was free to decide who her room partner would be. Monthi insisted that whoever it may be, she had to be a Club member. Under no circumstances would she share her space with a stranger.
Nobody had ever seen Monthi so livid and now that she was fuming with rage, everybody was terrified. A small crowd had gathered on seeing the commotion. Arun Patil quietly slunk away and watched from a distance. Arora even volunteered to send his wife, Kiran to Monthi’s room if that would help – just as long as she’d cool down.
But Monthi was unrelenting. Her anger obviously stemmed from a sense of deep hurt at being discriminated against – more so, when non-members would be enjoying facilities she was now being denied. She was not asking for any extra privilege, but did not expect to be punished either. Clearly, at the root of all this was the idea of taking along a big group of 40 when a smaller, more manageable group, restricted to club members would have been ideal.
On this Arora was one with Monthi. But Shekhawat, being a “large-hearted man” (as someone joked) said that he can never say ‘no’ to anybody -- member or non-member -- wanting to join a club excursion. But yes, he had learnt his lesson as today’s flare-up was as much of an eye-opener as a trailer of bigger things to come.
More significantly, the extra chill in the morning air was offset by this unusual outburst of fire and brimstone.