GOLD RUSH

[Guest guest]

GOLD RUSH

Mrs. Kamala Advani crossed both her arms in front and closing her eyes said,

" No! I am absolutely not attending the Kirpalani wedding. "

" But darling, " panted a harassed Mahesh Advani, " They are our old friends.

How can we not go? "

" I have nothing to wear! "

" You have just bought that 50 thousand Rupees ghaghra. "

" So what? Where is the jewelry to go with it? "

" But you have that new diamond encrusted neck piece. "

" Hah! " Kamala coughed out that word with scorn, " That I had worn for the

Bhatia's wedding. How can I wear it again here? "

" But baby, " when caught in a tough situation, Mahesh called her this

endearing term with poor results usually, but he kept trying, " Can I help it

if the jewelers are on strike? "

" Why can't they declare their business Essential services? I mean, isn't it

essential to look good? "

" Of course, baby. " Then suddenly Mahesh had a Eureka moment. He said, " Why

don't you exchange some jewelry with the Moolchandanis? Then both of you

will have new pieces! "

Kamala gave him a withering look and asked him if he was out of his mind.

Mahesh hastily shriveled back into his corner. This was not going to be

easy.

Suddenly his phone rang to life. It was his friend Vinay. Mahesh quickly

asked for his advice. Vinay said, " Yaar, who looks at the jewelry? At these

weddings, I just watch the good food. And if there are young females,

jewelry is the last thing that I look at, and probably not even that! "

At the brink of despair, Mahesh sat plucking the pitifully few strands from

his shining pate. Suddenly another phone call saved Mahesh from disaster. He

grinned and went jauntily to Kamala. " We shall definitely go to the

Kirpalani wedding. My friend, Ajay, will get your jewelry tomorrow when he

comes. "

" But how can he get it? There is a strike of Jewelers! "

" Yeah! In India. But he is coming from Dubai! " Mahesh smirked. If the US

could afford to put 10 million dollars around Hafeez Saeed's neck for the

safety of everybody, he might as well put a few lakhs around his wife's neck

for his own safety. He started thinking seriously of writing to Pranbda how

his adamant attitude was costing the common man dearly.

-Kishore Shah