Soap Opera

Prakash sets his conditions

Soap operas are usually about squabbling families, intrigue and mushy melodrama. But what we witness every morning in the Garden is pure, unadulterated entertainment – tax-free, unrehearsed and unscripted, replete with zany jokes, unrestrained leg-pulling, sharp punch lines, quick repartees and full-volume laughter, fit for Comedy Central.
Today’s episode (as usual) was triggered by Shekhawat needling his bête noire, Bijoy Gupta for being full of hot air, only to get it back for being rusty and a total good for nothing.

Bijoy Gupta is jubilant

Touching a raw nerve he also told Shekhawat that even the engine of his everyday train was outdated. “And why do you have to blow that gutter ka whistle?” Gupta questioned.
While Srichand Arora and others quickly distanced themselves fearing another flare-up (ref post of June 4), Kiran Prakash stuck his neck out by “advising” Shekhawat to go for a complete overhaul. “I don’t require your advice,” retorted Shekhawat. “Like you I don’t complain of pain in my legs, stomach, shoulders, chest… I do all the exercises to the end and don’t escape midway like you.”
“But you are never attentive during the exercises,” Prakash pointed out. “You talk all the time and your eyes are constantly on the gate, checking who’s coming in and who’s going out!”
As the argument got hotter and louder, passersby stopped to check if all was well. “One of these two will get badly beaten today,” Arora muttered under his breath.

Najma Sayyad's grandson, Ali celebrates
passing his Class 10 exams 

Najma Sayyad gives her grandson a bite
of the sweets on his success 

Before long, things reached a point where Shekhawat challenged Prakash to stick on through the entire exercises. Prakash counter-challenged Shekhawat on staying focused on the exercises. “You stand here next to me and don’t look at the Gate,” he directed Shekhawat. “The moment you look at the Gate, I will leave.”
A couple of times Prakash tried to run away and each time, Shekhwat had to chase and drag him back. Watching their crazy antics, nobody would say these gentlemen were in their 60s and 70s. Meanwhile Gupta, sensed an opportunity and swiftly scampered to the place Shekhawat had vacated (to keep Prakash on leash) and like a comic book villain punched the air in jubilation. It had always been his ambition to dislodge Shekhawat and today, Prakash enabled him to do so.
But not for long. Caught between Prakash and Gupta, Shekhawat looked ill at ease. He had to drop one, before things got out of hand. In the end pride prevailed over obduracy and Shekhawat let go Prakash. Gupta meekly retraced his steps and status quo was restored for the day.