Mourning in Morning

Morning tea party in the Garden

The laughter exercises were scrapped today as a mark of respect to an elderly lady who passed away yesterday. She was the wife of a movie producer and former member of the Club.
Most of us could not recollect seeing either of them (in the past 10 years) and in fact, both Shekhawat and Srichand Arora were of the view that no harm would be caused were we to continue with our regular morning routine.

Braving the sudden downpour

But another section of the members led by Mohar Singh argued that our ‘Ho-Ho Ha-Ha’ would amount to gross insult to the departed soul(s). And so, in deference to their sentiments, we desisted from doing the laughter exercises this morning.
Strangely, the heavens also mourned the death of the lady who succumbed to brain hemorrhage, following an accidental fall in the bathroom. The skies wept copiously and interrupted our free-hand exercises, even as Arora tried to race us through. Many rushed for shelter in the China Hut while the remaining few completing the exercises, umbrellas in hand. This was a hilarious sight which more than made up for skipping the laughter rounds. Even Ved Prakash Grover, Razia Khan and Nasir Patuni Shah stayed put in the open, defying the rains and eventually, completing the exercises.
Mallika Kagzi rewarded the ‘bravehearts’ with special home-made tea, which, on a rain-soaked morning can only be godsent. It was a matter of time for the others who had abandoned the exercises, to scamper back for their share of the tea. Others on the walking track also joined in. And so, with beautiful white garden chairs laid out under a majestic tree, we had an impromptu tea party with another round of merry-making – thanks entirely to Mallika Kagzi.
Lt Col Angad Singh (retd) from Mohali:
It is befitting to pay homage to a departed soul. It is immaterial whether the member has been attending the Club or not. Our members did the right thing in abstaining from the routine laughter exercise.