In Light Vein…

J'ACCUSE! Bijoy Gupta (r) takes Shekhawat apart while Milwani watches  

For better or worse, Bijoy Gupta is known to be unsparing towards Shekhawat – and vice-versa. But of late, they have been slightly restrained towards each other. This morning though, they were back to being their former selves, trading charges like there’s no tomorrow.
What began with Gupta blaming Shekhawat squarely for Arun Patil’s exit from the Club (ref last two posts) turned into something so bizarre that most of us did not know whether to laugh or cry. For once Bihari Milwani was central to the plot – all because he has been helpful enough to give Shekhawat a lift home daily in his car.
This is beyond Gupta’s comprehension.

Shekhawat and Milwani (r) greet Siba
Prasad Maitra outside the gate 

He has even come to believe that Milwani is reluctant to take Shekhawat in his car these days. But Shekhawat is so desperate for a ride that even before Milwani reaches his car, Shekhawat would have got inside.
“I felt that the cause for Milwani’s reluctance

Arun Patil

was the unnecessary detour he has to take every time to drop Shekhawat,” Gupta went on. “But now I know the truth. No sooner than he plonks himself on the passenger seat, Shekhawat urinates right there and then!”
A loud gasp went up and some sympathetic ladies even apprised Shekhawat that there is no shame in incontinence and he better get used to wearing ‘adult diapers’. Others laughed and Shekhawat walked away in a huff.
Gupta had successfully done the damage.
The other big joke of the morning was narrated by Siba Prasad Maitra. He had come limping to the Garden, his foot under plaster (ref post of July 19), just to catch up first hand with the latest in the Club. He is after all, our president. And this, it seems, has rankled Arun Patil no end.
So at the Kailash Parbat Party last Tuesday (ref post of July 24), he buttonholed Maitra in the restaurant and asked why he had consented to be president. “Didn’t you know there is huge gud-bud in the post?” Arun said. “Look at the fate of all previous presidents. Had you refused becoming president you would not have broken your leg!”
Narrating the incident, Maitra broke into a chuckle. It takes all types to make Big Laaf.

Bihari Milwani:
It is difficult to imagine that Gupta-ji, at the age of 74, can still have the humorous nature of a teenager.

Lt Col Angad Singh (rtd):
Gupta is a big planner. He has many latent talents. He makes use of these talents to suit his convenience. He is capable of making big stories out of nothing. Watch him carefully.