Bench Strength

Vasudev Batheja (in striped tee) gets a round of applause

Till a couple of years back, nobody stayed behind after the exercises in the Garden. No sooner were the prayers over than everybody dispersed hastily for the day. If some people would still hang around, it meant something significant was on – an unfinished business, a major fight or altercation... or more likely, a birthday treat.
Today, the opposite holds true. Nobody needs a reason to stick around after exercising. Something or the other would automatically grab the attention – an announcement, jokes narrated from SMS forwards, photo sessions, pranks played by regular pranksters…

Khatoon Baig

In fact, it is for the post-exercise session that nowadays many are marking their attendance. And for their convenience, half-a dozen benches have come up recently so that they can all sit comfortably and enjoy the fun.
Significantly, the bench strength is increasing with every passing day as even outsiders (read non-members) are now joining in. Today, for instance, Vasudev Batheja plonked himself uninvited in our midst and belted out a couple of Mukesh songs much to our delight and requests for encore.

All ears on Kajal Babani's Internet jokes

This was over and above the many rib-ticklers narrated by some of the most unlikeliest people, Kajal Babani and Banu Apa included.
One small incident was however, to take the cake – and the bakery too! Khatoon Baig had known that Shekhawat was to leave today for Jaipur (ref post of April 16) and could not believe her eyes when she saw him merrily jumping around. She did not know that his flight was in the afternoon. In her understanding, Shekhawat had already left for Jaipur and it was impossible that he could still be in the Garden.
Clearly perturbed and agitated, Khatoon made repeated inquiries with the ladies around her but received no satisfactory reply. Now blame it on her hyperactive imagination or failing eyesight, she arrived at one conclusion: The person she was observing all the while had to be Shekhawat’s GHOST! And the best part was she blurted it out in so many words. When everybody exploded in laughter, she quickly retracted: “Either you people are mad or you'd drive me mad!”
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
It is encouraging that non-members are also finding it interesting and jovial to join the gathering after the exercises. More the merrier.