Ladies’ Boycott

Shekhawat(l) tries to broker peace

Club biggies ponder over the issue

A mountain was made of a molehill when the ladies en masse boycotted the tai-chi round this morning. They remained seated defiantly on the benches while the men went through the drill and in effect, wrapped up the day’s exercises.
This unprecedented move stems from Arun Patil’s latest diktat cutting out all those who refuse to stand up while the tai-chi exercises are on (ref post of January 6). His idea was presumably to discourage people from relaxing on the benches and indulging in idle talk even before the exercises were over.
Razia Khan registered her protest yesterday by breaking out of the exercise circle and taking a round of the walking track. Today, she had to be dissuaded and summoned back. But Zarina Khan, Qadeer Bano and other ladies present made no secret of their displeasure and among themselves, decided to boycott the exercises. They resolutely sat on the benches and watched the fun.
Significantly Shekhawat, Angad Singh, Nasir Shah and other men who habitually take a breather on the benches are now standing up during the tai-chi round. According to Arun, if they can do so, there is no reason why the women should not. In his opinion, this flagrant defiance of authority amounts to an act of indiscipline.
Yusuf Rassiwala tried to intervene by impressing upon us that we ignore such transgressions in the interests of maintaining harmony and sooner than later, the women would come around. “After all, this is no big deal. They are the losers. They are depriving themselves of the benefits of exercising,” he reasoned.
But the ladies were already up in arms. And predictably, they found a willing spokesman in Shekhawat to champion their cause. In his effort to broker peace, he brought up the issue of physical debilities including tired limbs and weak knees, etc. and the need to be considerate towards the elderly. “Everybody cannot stand for very long,” he argued.
Standing or sitting, everybody knows that the real issue lies elsewhere: it is all about self-assertion – how you eventually have your way!

Bihari Milwani:
Tomorrow Arun should announce that those who do the tai-chi exercises standing will be given chocolates. That will bring peace in the Club.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
Ours is a group of people who meet in the morning to relax and enjoy. The little pin-pricks during exercises give us good reasons to laugh. This is the vitamin that sustains us through the day. So let us not be too rigid with rules. Yes, the suggestion given by Bihari Milwani is good. Hope Arun also appreciates it and follows it for the sake of amity.