Juvenile Drama

Representational picture

What would you do when someone you invite turns up at your door? Common sense dictates that you receive the person with utmost courtesy and warmth – more so, when your guest happens to be a lady. You do not ignore her.
Now, what does Shekhawat do, at age 79?
Last evening, he met up with an old acquaintance and invited her to join us for the exercises today.

All eyes on Shekhawat: What is he up to?

We knew nothing about this till the lady showed up in the Garden and began to hover around us. Shekhawat looked through her.
The lady sat on a bench a short distance away and watched us exercise. After some time she stood up, walked past us and Shekhawat still pretended not to recognise her. She took a round of the Garden, walked past us again, casting sidelong glances to ensure Shekhawat

Rakhee Bansi (r) treats us to assorted sweets

noticed her. Thereafter, she was out of the gate.
Nahid Khan commented that maybe she wanted to join our exercises but did not feel welcome. It was then that Bijoy Gupta revealed he had seen Shekhawat in deep conversation with her in the Garden for more than half an hour last evening. So it was not as if she was a stranger to him.
Shekhawat was cornered and had to admit that he had asked her to come to the Garden this morning. Right then, the lady appeared at the gate again and after a round of the Garden, took her seat on the earlier bench. Like a red-faced adolescent caught in an awkward situation, Shekhawat straightaway refused to go up to her and invite her to our exercises.
Kiran Prakash offered to invite her on his behalf and even advised him to present her a white flower to make peace. Ultimately, it was at his bidding that Shekhawat went up to the lady after the exercises and gave her the white flower. Kiran Prakash had whispered some magic words in Shekhawat’s ears (which we shall never know) that did the trick!
Shekhawat returned home a happy man. Obviously, the lady had forgiven him.