Ever since Parsi Times announced its 11^th Anniversary issue, there was hustle and bustle, joy and excitement in Meherbai’s Mandli, who celebrated any and every event with khani-peeni-masti and majhaa!

The red letter day arrived and every Mandli member woke-up early to do chok-chaadan, toran and sev-rawa na sagan. Then they jointly called up the editor of PT. to wish her ‘Weekly‘ a Sal Mubarak. At noon, they headed to Maherbai’s house for a Sagan nu lunch of Dhun-daar-prawns no-patiyo, tarela-pomfrets, sali-margi and home-made strawberry ice-cream. As usual, Keki-khadhro had brought an empty tiffin-box to carry home the left-overs. Lunch was demolished in no time and Mandli sat down for some cool conversations over hot coffees.

Rarto Rohan: After a hectic week of work, PT comes like a breath of fresh air to entertain us on a Saturday morning.

His wife, Hasti Hilla: My jibharu reads PT – cover to cover and it takes him all day long!

Abbhan Aban: Maybe he is a slow reader.

Minoo Makori: Maybe his Angreji is weak, so he takes time to understand!

Vikaji Vandro: Maybe he’s writing a thesis on it or maybe it’s an excuse not to do any housework on Saturdays. That seems most likely!

Dolly Ding-dong: I wish I was PT – then I would be in Dolla’s hands for hours every Saturday.

Dolla: Whenever my Dolly darling gets angry with me, she hides the PT and my BP goes up!!

Dolly-Ding-Dong: That’s why as a loving and caring wife, I give him his BP tablet as soon as I hide his PT!

Jabri Jaloo: Arrey wah!! Rab ne banai jodi ! My husband and I never play such hide and seek!!

Mani Mindhi: That’s bad news! You must keep the romantic-spark in your marriage alive even after 40, 50 or 60 years. My husband and I play Pakardao-Bharavdao even today in our tiny one room flat. We also play card games like Naak-tipki, Ekka-par-chaar. On week-ends, we play Kakarya-kumar and Taj-Khallu-Pijan-Saavak!!

Aspi-Aspro: Since you guys are our next-door neighbours, Manimai, next time call us over and all four of us will play together! This way, the spark of marriage will become huge flames of fire!

Abbhan Aban: In that case, keep a fire-extinguisher ready!

Coomi Kanjoos: God Bless my next door neighbour, Pilamai. I’ve never had to buy PT since she always passes it on to us, but on Sundays.

Themul Tarzan: My wife is so loving that she always lets me read PT first and only after I have read it, does she touch it! In return, I am extra romantic with her on Saturdays and instead of calling her cheap names like sugar and honey, I call her expensive names like petrol, diesel and limboo!!

Rustom Rock-star: How romantic! I’ll try the same!! What’s the most romantic thing Meherwanji has done recently for you?

Meherbai: My Mehella told me yesterday what he has been saying for the last 56 years, ‘I love you’. I asked him really? Go tell the whole world! So Mehella whispered in my ears, ‘I love you’, When I asked him why, he replied, ‘Because you are my whole world!’.

Abbhan Aban: Somebody please find me a highly romantic husband. But he’ll have to shout in my ear as I am a bit deaf.

Kersi Kaju-Katli: And a bit dumb too!

Meherbai: Guys! Guys! Let’s discuss something else!

Putli, the Politician: Let’s discuss the BPP elections.

Banoo Batak: What’s there to discuss? Who is really interested? It’s a week-end and a great many of us will be out of town.

Meherbai: No Banubai. That’s completely wrong. It’s our bounden duty to vote. We must select a candidate or candidates who have the right ideas and can do something positive for our community. So please go over the manifesto of each candidate and cast your vote according to your conscience.

Lovejibhai Lamba: Correct. Meherbai, I not only second you but also third you and fourth you!! Every person MUST vote because every vote counts. But be careful, ask yourself, ‘Am I voting for the right person?’ If you are right, you won’t go wrong!

Abbhan Aban: And if you are right, you won’t go left!

The conversation then turned to war in Ukraine.

Meherwanji: The tragedy of so many human beings dying daily is so unfortunate. We spend millions of dollars to find life on other planets and billions of dollars to destroy life on our own planet? What sort of thinking is this? I hope Manashni prevails and the war ends soon!!

Meherbai: Until there is peace in the heart of every individual, there will be war, which is so futile, with innocent people suffering!

Keki Khadhro: Meherbai, do you have some cake or biscuits or cookies to go along with the coffee you served?

Meherbai:  Arrey, good you reminded me. I have made a fresh-mango cake with eleven candles on it and my Mehella wrote HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARSI TIMES on it with freshly whipped cream.

Keki Khadhro: So, what are you waiting for? Apart from a tiffin, I’ve also brought a big box so you can pack some leftover cake for me to take home. And guys, be co-operative, the less cake you all eat, the more I can take home!!

Unfortunately, the huge two kilo cake was completely demolished – all that was left were the 11 candles. Keki took home 5 candles and Coomi Kanjoos took 6. On that note, the Mandli parted with the usual Kissi-Koti-Tata-and -Bye-Bye.