All Boys’ Club

BOYS WILL BE BOYS: Done for the day...

Big Laaf is beginning to resemble an all-boys’ club. The total absence of female members from the exercises today was not a one-time aberration. For nearly a fortnight now, this has been the norm – the occasional appearance of Bhaswati Bose being an exception.
“Why aren’t the women coming?” Arun Patil flared up this morning. “I know for a fact that none of the women – be it Nahid Khan or Banoo Apa, Naheed Siddiqui or Khatoon Baig – is keeping roza. Then what is their excuse for not coming to the Garden? We must find out!”
While Shekhawat said that it is too late to raise such questions (“now that Ramzaan is getting over”) Siba Prasad Maitra consoled Arun that women, even

Happy Birthday, Khatoon Baig

if they are not observing roza, are burdened by household chores they need to take care of personally during the holy month.
Time was when we used to take pride at being a club in which women were in a majority and at one point, not so long ago, we even had an all-women managing committee. At present also, the females outnumber the males on paper.
The reversal of this situation on the ground is however, not being entirely resented. For instance, Shekhawat and Bijoy Gupta are having a field day cracking bawdy jokes and using colorful language at each other during the exercises. With women around, they would necessarily be severely restrained.
In fact, there is never a dull moment these days in the Garden, despite the abysmally low turnout. The presence of women clearly exerts a moral pressure from which many feel liberated now.
Incidentally, it was Khatoon Baig’s birthday today. But since she is away on Ramzaan, we could celebrate only by raising a fourth laugh for her and leave it at that. The blog wishes her the very best – a long, healthy and happy life ahead.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
When the cats are out, mice make a lot of noise. Same is the case with the 'All Boys Club'. Ramzaan will be over soon and you will be counting the heads then. Wait a little. But do continue to laugh.