Jolly Good Fellas

EXERCISE FORMATION: One sitting, one standing...

With all our failings, weaknesses and limitations, what keeps us going every morning is the spirit of bonhomie fostered by a group of ‘jolly good fellows’ – otherwise taken to be mischief makers. They constitute the core group of the Club. With Shekhawat as kingpin and people like Bijoy Gupta, Dilip Babani and Srichand Arora (when in the mood)

Nasir is given 'magic pill'

as accomplices, this small but irrepressible group is known for its boundless energy, zest for life and a natural appetite for tomfoolery, thus making for all the real (and not forced) laughter during the one hour we spend together in the morning.

(l to r) Sitaram, Maitra and Shekhawat 

The rest of us are just mute spectators.
The latest to join this core group is Siba Prasad Maitra. He came in rather late this morning and was promptly ticked off by Arora. He heard him in silence, but took it out, word for word on Sitaram Hivarkar, another latecomer: “Why can’t you come on time? You stay so close-by… Aisa nahin chalega!”

Santosh Tyagi gets us Agra ka petha from Delhi

The fun part was not the language or tone, but the fact Arora and Sitaram are both hard of hearing and while everyone within earshot burst out laughing at Maitra’s cheeky leg-pulling, the two gaped at him completely blank. Sitaram even did namaste to Maitra!
Yet these are the same people who would be the first to rush to the aid of anyone in distress – be it Arun Patil when he was down with gangrene in the foot, or Ram Shankar Shukla momentarily losing consciousness while exercising, or Teja Singh Bhambra feeling disoriented in the intense summer heat. Today, Nasir Patuni Shah complained of dizziness and excused himself from the exercises. But when resting in the shade and drinking chilled water did not help, Shekhawat produced the panacea for all ailments – a magic ‘goli’. Nasir Patuni Shah was instantly back on his feet and continued with the exercises in the blazing sun!
Somebody must be crazy up there to get such like-minded madcaps to meet religiously every day, only to play the fool.
Bihari Milwani:
* The secret is out. Now we know how Shekhawat is getting saalis. He is giving them 'magic goli'!!!
* Col Angad Singh, when are you coming back? Your 64th Wedding Anniversary greeting card is ready with me. Please let me know where should I send it.
Siba Prasad Maitra:
Good observation. But I have experienced many people who are short of hearing being able to hear what they are not supposed to and being unable to hear what they are supposed to listen. What would you call it? Selective listening? With all respects to Arora-ji and Sitaram-ji, I expressed my experience and there's nothing personal about it.
Harish Wadhwa:
Maitra-ji, you must be referring to wives as well, right? Selective listening is their characteristic attribute.