Getting Even

Shekhawat takes Gupta's case

Gupta's turn to get even

For days on end, Shekhawat has been at the receiving end over Bijoy Gupta’s hugely entertaining stories of imaginary dalliances with the opposite sex. Today, he managed to get even with his tormentor-cum-bum chum. But it was in a manner that would make any teenager cringe with embarrassment.
Early morning Shekhawat spotted Gupta making the rounds in the Garden with a tall woman. Gupta had to literally look skywards while talking to her. But so engrossed were they in conversation that in spite of Shekhawat repeatedly craning his neck out to catch their attention while they bypassed him on the walking track, Gupta pointedly ignored him.
Taking the insult to heart, Shekhawat decided to get back at Gupta with a vengeance. Soon after the exercises, he gathered everyone around and like an excited child, described in lurid detail how he caught his friend 'red-handed with a lady' this morning. Saying that Gupta had finally found his match in a female several inches taller than him, he added they made a good pair and wished them well in the future.
Gupta was nonplussed. True to his nature, he neither protested nor cared to explain. Clearly, he was biding his time. And in a few minutes, while in the China Hut, he got his revenge. He declared that Shekhawat, in a rare show of generosity, wanted to give a lassi treat to some people today, but members of the Club were excluded. He did not know why!
Immediately tongues started wagging. Why are we being excluded? Who were the privileged few to profit from Shekhawat’s benevolence? Were they male or female? Shekhawat turned red in the face realising he had been trapped. He simply giggled. Gupta too giggled. He did not bother to elaborate. The damage was done. And we all giggled together with them.