Under Fire

Arun Patil (c) is cornered

Arun Patil today came under fire when a section of the Club questioned his authority to discipline recalcitrant members. “Where is it written that we must come to exercise on time?” challenged Dilip Babani, raising the banner of protest. "Call a meeting and give it to us in writing. You cannot decide on your own."
He was soon joined by other late-comers, each defying Arun’s instructions to be punctual (ref post of July 18). “I had said right in the beginning that it is not possible for me to report on time,” Naseem Khan asserted. “Shekhawat assured me that it does not matter so long as I pay my annual subscription.”
“Who is Shekhawat to decide?” retorted Arun, who holds the secretary's post. “All Shekhawat wants is that people pay and retain their membership.

Naseem Khan (in red) gets her birthday
calendar from Santosh Tyagi, belatedly

If you are not interested in exercising and insist on coming towards the end, why be a member at all? You are free to leave.”
“In that case she should get back her money,” Dilip intervened. “I suggest we all sit together and divide the Club’s funds so as to pay off every member who leaves. I do not know, but this is what somebody had advised me.”
Promptly Shekhawat, Arun and a few others leapt in, pointing out that no money with the Club was refundable, until of course, it went through a statutory process of dissolution. But Dilip remained agitated till the end, even threatening to quit.
This is rather unfortunate. But it all boiled down to three options before the Club management: one, abandon the idea of any discipline and let everyone a free run; two, draw up a list of dos and don’ts of daily conduct, based on common consensus; and three, identify those members who, for some reason are unable to come on time and allow them the 'privilege’ to be late at will.
This calls for a meeting. But then again, is this even worth it? If grown-ups in the autumn of their lives do not realize the value of good health and fitness, no amount of ‘disciplining’ them is ever going to change anything.

Lt Col Angad Singh (rtd):
Hey, the club members are senior citizens. There is no difference between them and kids. They have to be coaxed again and again to get them on the right path. Arun-ji, please take care of these 'kids' and get them back politely. You will be held responsible if they go astray. Do keep smiling.

Bihari Milwani:
I have a suggestion to make that would pacify all. We should start the day with a party first and then proceed with the exercises. Everyone will be in time for the party. And Arun will not get an excuse to enforce his Secretarial Power.

Siba Prasad Maitra:
I personally feel we need not call a meeting for this purpose. We all need to be disciplined and being seniors, we ourselves are responsible to become disciplined. But for that, no one needs to shout at any member. We need to understand the difficulty in other people to come on time. Further, we do not want to lose anyone on the ground of late-coming.