Interim Picnic

Monthi Serrao excuses herself due to prior commitments  

Shekhawat has finally succumbed to mounting pressure in the Club on taking a picnic out locally. The last outing was seven months back (Kerala) and the next one is scheduled seven months hence (to Darjeeling). Besides, it has been ages since he had taken us out somewhere in the city. So upon the insistence of some seniors this morning, he agreed to an outing at Juhu Beach on September 20, i.e. Saturday.
“We shall set out at 7:00 a.m. in whatever transport available and do laughing on Juhu Beach,” he announced. “Four or five cars should take care of all of us to and fro. If not, some of us will have to take autorickshaws. For a change we’d do our exercises by the sea and after that, we will have breakfast nearby if possible. Or else, we’d come straight back.”
The impromptu programme took many by surprise, but nobody resisted. Monthi Serrao however, had some reservations as she is already committed elsewhere on Saturday.

Yusuf Rassiwala takes guard for today's exercises

Moreover, she would much rather connect with her friends at the Juhu Laughter Club in advance so that they could host us for the morning. Three years back we had played hosts when they visited us in the Garden.
But then, as many were to say, that can always be kept for the future should we be invited and it is better we do not impose ourselves on them. For the present, we are merely seeking a change of venue for our routine exercises and in that sense this will not be a picnic proper. “The more we keep planning and mobilizing people, the bigger the chances of things fizzling out,” Shekhawat noted.
Monthi agreed with this logic and gracefully urged that on her account the picnic should not be postponed or cancelled. Sunita Jajodia however, got into a minor altercation with Shekhawat when she too wanted to excuse herself because of some shraadh in her house this Saturday. Shekhawat just refuses to believe that anybody can ever have shraadh when he organizes a picnic!
Jagmohan Papneja:
So far our exercises were limited to the Garden where 80% of the area is covered by grass. But during the monsoon, we moved to a hard place near the temporary shed to protect ourselves from rain. It has been a different kind of experience. Now a new idea has emerged from Shekhawat-ji to hold a laughter session at Juhu Beach. The beach is a great place for exercising. Enjoy the fresh air, the sounds of the ocean, the sand under your feet... It is an altogether new experience. Thanks to Shekhawat-ji for initiating this idea. Change is always for the better.