Out of Steam

Sayeeda Sayed (foreground) saves the day 

All the ministrations and not-so-subtle cajoling yesterday amounted to pouring water on a duck’s back. For all the effect it had on the attendance this morning, we were treated to an action replay, but for Sayeeda Sayed eventually saving the day. Were it not for her showing up just in time, we would probably have called off the exercises today.
Why must this happen now is quite a mystery. Till last week-end, we were going through one of the busiest phases of the year and attendance was at its peak.

Razia Khan (file photo)

All of a sudden, members seem to have run out of steam with many like Rukhsana Khan, Nahid Khan and Zarina Khan becoming scarce for no apparent reason. We don’t even have the basic minimum to kick start our exercises.
Urmila Sinha has of course, left for her hometown, Dhanbad (ref post of January 25) to attend her brother’s last rites. Karun Sharma has informed that he is out on work at Tarapur and will be back, not before January 29. Yusuf Rassiwala too has been

Shekhawat roughs up Gupta for turning up late 

updating us, following the hospitalisation of his tiny one-year-old grandson due to a bout of viral infection.
Today we were told that Razia Khan is also going through a rough patch. She has been admitted to SRV Hospital, Goregaon where she is undergoing treatment for severe kidney infection. “Please pray for her good health,” her daughter-in-law, Tahera appealed over WhatsApp.
Shekhawat is however, impervious to all reasons for skipping the exercises. He obviously believes that when, in spite of being the eldest in the group, he is fit enough to attend the exercises every day, nobody can have any excuse not to. So when Bijoy Gupta showed up late and gleefully complained of having over-slept, Shekhawat was unsparing.
He insisted Gupta do a murga to atone for the lapse before being allowed to exercise. He even turned physical when Gupta refused to oblige and instead, coolly sat on a bench, enjoying the fun. As a last-minute allowance, Shekhawat suggested Gupta stand on the bench, holding both ears. Needless to mention, it was all in vain.