Missing Out

Chilling out after the exercises...

Yesterday’s high jinks over the ‘apparition’ sighted on a Garden bench (see post) spilled into today’s proceedings. Word had got around about the incident and many who missed out on the drama showed up this morning in the hope of catching the 'mysterious bhootni' in an action-replay. Sadly, she was nowhere to be seen.
But we were not entirely disappointed. An over-eager Nafisa Sayyad performed a mono-act of the entire sequence with added flourish and mirch-masala for Shekhawat’s benefit. And when a dark, old wizened woman parked herself on the same bench soon after, Yusuf Rassiwala couldn't help remarking that she was the same girl in a different guise. Funny thing, Shekhawat actually believed Yusuf and time and again turned back suspiciously to size up the woman.
Apart from Shekhawat, there were many like Dilip Babani, Sunita Jajodia and Kiran Makhria who had missed the action yesterday. Even regulars like Khatoon Baig, Ram Shankar Shukla and Ved Prakash Grover were absent yesterday.

Tara Chand Seth

Teja Singh Bhambra

Coincidentally, they were all present today. This only lends credence to a peculiar theory doing the rounds: when Shekhawat does not turn up, attendance drops. And the days Shekhawat is present, attendance shoots up.
However, there are two people who seem to be missing us most (and vice-versa), but they cannot really help it. Teja Singh Bhambra calls up from Faridabad to update himself on the madness we unleash in the Garden each morning. Likewise Tara Chand Seth, who has just returned from an invigorating tour of Malaysia, is a regular caller from Delhi. Both are doing fine and should be back by this month-end.
Arun Patil also says he is missing "all the fun in the Garden”, even as he is in the midst of a busy schedule filming for Muzaffar Ali’s Raqs in Lucknow. He informs the shoot is half-way through and he should return to Mumbai by the first week of May.
Jagmohan Papneja:
The wonderful narration of yesterday's incident on the blog has left an indelible mark on us. As a result the incident was discussed again today. My best compliments to the blog writer for his marvelous writing.