Total Tomfoolery

Kiran Makhria

Kiran Makhria is much puzzled and confused these days. For the past one week or so, Srichand Arora and Monthi Serrao have been reminding her to pay her contribution of Rs600 like all other members of the Club. She does not understand why. A lady of few words, she has since been asking around what this money is all about.
Obviously words like “yearly subscription” or “annual renewal of membership” do not make sense to her. When told that all along she had been paying up religiously and that till March 31, 2014 nothing is pending against her, she became all the more confused. Some of her close friends explained that there is no need to pay the full annual subscription of Rs600 at once, but she could as well pay for six months or even three months, calculated at the rate of Rs50 a month.

Khatoon Baig signs the 'get well card' for Santosh Tyagi

“Oh 50 rupees a month,” her face brightened. “Like what other gardens charge for entry? But they charge only two rupees at the gate.”
“Not two rupees a day, but 50 rupees a month!” she was corrected.
That stumped her all the more. She was back to square one: “But why 50 rupees?”
“Well, 10 rupees for doing the laughter round; another ten rupees for listening to the music; ten rupees for being allowed to exercise with Nahid Bhai; ten rupees more for looking at all the other members. Ho gayaa 50 rupees!” Bhaswati Bose explained in all seriousness.
That made sense. “Ab samjhi,” she said.
Later on, when asked whether she was convinced by the explanation, Kiran realized something was amiss. Quickly she regained her composure and smiled: “I was just joking.”
Amid all this tomfoolery, the members got together and put their signatures on a Get Well Soon Card for Santosh Tyagi (see yesterday’s post). She is likely to be discharged today from hospital and it was felt that rather than crowd her home, someone would discreetly leave the card at her place and in effect, convey the sentiments of the Club. Harish Wadhwa offered to play delivery boy.
Harish Wadhwa:
The card was delivered to Santosh-ji's home in the morning and the lady who took it was very thankful to one and all for the gesture. I was told that Santosh-ji will be home tonight.