Thus Goes on Life
“Good to see you back to normal after a fractured leg,” I said to Shobha Sunder yesterday. “Thanks uncle. Long time no mail from you in Yahoogroups?” she quipped. I could have brushed it off as a return gesture just to keep the conversation going till the lift touched ground. But that would be unkind to her. She is one of the few who is not particularly averse to my rambling in this space. So, here I attempt.
The untiring Managing Committee had arranged for an inter-active session for Srishti-ites with Kone, the lift people. It was well attended: 50% from Kone, 45% Srishti children and 5% adults. And, with the Gym room fitted with wall-to-wall mirror the audience looked just double.
Aptly, Kone’s power-point presentation too targeted children. Before getting into the “Dos and Don’ts” of lift and how many people in the world use lift every day, they posed some warm-up questions: “Guess how many people in the world ride a scooter daily? How many travel in bus in a day, etc. The correct or near correct answers got gifts ranging from ball pens, chocolate bars, candies. One child who guessed the figure at 2 million to a question walked away with the prize. That was the nearest to the answer - 8 million. This emboldened many children to join the fray, and soon it became a free for all, not to mention that some mothers too got so involved that they goaded their toddlers to announce the figures they tutored. In all, it looked this year Srishti celebrated Children’s Day as well, though on a different date.
The MC led a delegation of Srishti-ites to meet the Corporator and had him agree to shift the garbage centre from the back-gate. For a couple of days thereafter ladies in scores, and a few of us seniors, did day-patrolling near the back gate to see that passersby didn’t dump again and speed-past in two-wheelers. Yes, it was a success. Now the venue has been shifted. It is now in the entrance road to Srishti – or, back to its original place. Thank you Corporator for giving us a choice - the devil or the deep sea.
But, there is a silver lining. In sharp contrast, see the inside of Srishti. These days you find the very complexion of the compound changed - an array of beautiful flower plants decorating the path, the rocky region undergoing a metamorphosis, and the flora and fauna of the entire compound getting a facelift. Kudos Sudha and Sridevi – and the MC for giving them financial and moral support.
Srishti is also gearing up for Sports Day, slated for 21 December. A lot of activities have been planned, if the corridor news is anything to go by. While that is still a month away, a cricket match is round the corner. 32 Srishti-ites, divided into four teams of 8, will play this Sunday at the basketball court. The ground being small and also to disallow aggressive batsmen from venturing sixers, it will be an under-arm bowling event. So, be at the venue and support the team of your choice. No refreshments.
Last but not the least, the intrusion of a snake (cobra if you insist) generated a lot of letters back and forth. The last was from Srikant (B-508) suggesting that we call Arnab Goswami. An imaginary panel discussion is well within the realm of possibility. But that would be making much ado about nothing, given my style. I would therefore think someone else should come forward so that it is substantive.
V.V. Sundaram. B-703
24 Nov 2014
24 Nov 2014
