Location Change

Exercises conducted outside China Hut

Today’s morning shower was heavier than yesterday’s, thus prompting a location change for our exercises. The skies had cleared by the time we arrived, but still, nobody was taking chances. We chose to stay close to the China Hut so that in the event of a sudden downpour, we could conveniently rush in for shelter. This has always been a transitional stage for us in our monsoon preparedness. The final stage, at the peak of monsoon, is of course, the closed confines of the China Hut.
Much as the sun played peek-a-boo while we exercised, a heavy cloud of gloom hung over us all morning. A close friend of the Club, Dharam Pal Mehra has passed away. He had been running the Senior Citizens’ Brotherhood in the neighboring Garden No 2 and used to visit us quite often. Jagmohan Papneja, also an office bearer of the Brotherhood, abandoned the exercises and rushed out to pay his respects.

Angad Singh offers pedas

In fact, a number of our members belong to this lively collective of seniors in the locality.
It was Nahid Khan who broke the news of Mehra’s demise. She had learnt that he breathed his last in hospital, apparently due to some misjudgment by the doctors on switching his oxygen tubes. As it was, Mehra had been suffering from a chronic lung problem and needed to be attached to a respirator 24x7 in the normal course. According to Hem Chand Jain, another colleague, Mehra had a premonition of his end and had donated his vital organs, including cornea and kidneys, a few days back. He was only 76.
Against this distressful scenario, Angad Singh made an attempt to lift our spirits by distributing pedas soon after the exercises. His son has just purchased a car and this was his way to make the announcement. Otherwise a quiet and withdrawn person, Angad has been a regular to our exercises for the time he is in town. He actually belongs to Mohali (near Chandigarh) and like Sardar Teja Singh, visits his son in Mumbai once or twice a year. And so, life goes on…
Harish Wadhwa:
* Looks like it is a 'car kharido mausam'. Congrats Angad Singh-sa'ab for the new car. Hope it takes you miles safely and brings happiness to all in the family.
* Very sorry to learn about the demise of Dharam Pal Mehra, of the Senior Citizens’ Brotherhood. May God bless the departed soul.
Bhaswati Bose:
* Today is Friday the 13th AND a full-moon night. This is a rare phenomenon. The combination will take place again only in August 13, 2049. It is a doubly 'bad' day for the superstitious but a wonderful day for flyers as flights are easily available and fares are the cheapest today!
Jagmohan Papneja:
A condolence meeting for Dharam Pal Mehra will be held on June 14 (Saturday) at 5 pm in Pushpanjali Hall, Garden No 2.