Friday, May 09, 2014

Clarion Call

Ved Prakash Grover
Ved Prakash Grover was conspicuous by his absence. Many others were also absent – Nahid Khan, Yusuf Rassiwala, Khatoon Baig, Sunita Jajodia, Razia Khan, Bhaswati Bose… but it was only Grover’s name that cropped up time and again this morning. And this was not so much for his reputation as a stickler for discipline and punctuality. It was for his voice.
“I did not realize the exercises had started,” said Jagmohan Papneja, running in late from another corner of the Garden. “As usual, I was doing my pranayam and waiting to join you. To me Grover’s laugh is the signal for me to get up and move for the exercises. He has the loudest laugh – louder than all of you put together. Where is he today?”
Minutes later Geeta Sardhana came in, also late. “I did not hear Grover today,” she explained. “The sound of his laughter reaches my house and that is my clarion call to leave home. Somehow, the sounds of other people’s laughter do not reach me. Only Grover’s voice travels that far. Where is he?”
Before long Sitaram Hivarkar traveled in and the first question he asked was, “Where’s Grover?”
How to fill potholes with gall stones?
While he rued over the possibility of the summer heat affecting him, Srichand Arora decided to put all speculation to rest for everyone’s benefit. “Grover is down with high fever, body ache and loose motion,” he announced later, putting down his phone.
Indeed, that was the end of the story with no further questions asked. But another story developed around Santosh Tyagi and her gall bladder operation. Everyone wanted to know why she was being sought by all and sundry and what advice had she been giving (yesterday’s pic). She revealed that word had got around in the Garden that more than 15 gall stones ("uncountable, actually") were extracted from her stomach and all the information she could proffer was that she was unconscious when the doctors operated upon her and that she had no clue what happened.
Arora however, renewed his threat of sending a truck of cement to Santosh’s house for filling up the potholes around with stones extracted from her stomach!
Harish Wadhwa:
Well that's Arora-ji's style of humour. Thank God he did not suggest constructing a building! LOL
Jagmohan Papneja:
One of the best feelings in the Club is knowing that Grover-ji's presence and absence both make a lot of difference. Everyone here misses your laughing style. So please hurry and get well fast. We want to see you back in action.

2 comments:

Harish Wadhwa said...

Well that's humour what Arora-ji said. Thank God he did not suggest making a flat or a building !!!LOL

Jagmohan said...

One of the best feeling in the club is knowing that Grover Ji's presence
and absence both makes lot of difference to us.Everyone here misses your laughing style,so please hurry and get well fast. We see you back in action.
Jagmohan Papneja.