Anticlimax

Bijoy Gupta (in green t-shirt) pulls a fast one on Santosh Tyagi (second from left)

It was typically a case of mounting suspense, ending in an anticlimax. Till that bathos occurred, we were all on the edge, wondering if things were fine with Santosh Tyagi. But Bijoy Gupta kept reassuring us that there was nothing to worry about. “On the contrary, you'd be overjoyed when you hear the news,” he spluttered. “Wait, I'll tell you after the exercises.”
Gupta even made us raise a fourth laugh in anticipation of the “good news”. Ordinarily we do not take the man seriously. But today, his wife Pushpa was present. And Santosh was behaving rather strangely, an inscrutable smile on her lips adding to the mystery. She neither dissuaded nor encouraged Gupta from keeping the suspense alive.
Finally the moment came. As we eagerly gathered around to catch the ‘breaking news’, Gupta revealed (with much drama) that he had met a young, handsome man near the Garden this morning. “He wanted to know about a certain tall, fair and beautiful lady who exercised with us daily,” Gupta informed. “He wanted her telephone number.”
By then many had guessed that Gupta was pulling a fast one. “He even compared her looks with Madhubala,” Gupta persisted. “And here, I kept wondering who he was talking about. Then it struck me in a flash. There is only one person among us who fits the description perfectly!”
Santosh blushed as everybody broke into applause. Gupta’s narration skills had won us all. No offence was taken -- just that Santosh turned her back to Gupta with a dismissive wave, “You are just…” She did not complete her sentence.

Lt Col Angad Singh (rtd):
Mr Gupta is a past master at playing pranks and creating suspense. It is not easy to beat him. He proved his skills today also and everyone enjoyed. Well done. Be always humorous.

Anonymous:
I have read that love knows no law. Today I discovered that love has no age bar also.