As soon as the G-20 meeting was organised in New Delhi, Meherbai’s Mandli received a special invite, in keeping with the national love and admiration for the Parsi Community, for a special session on our community’s problems.

Aimai Eienstein: Just as well! The topic is about Parsis.

Vicaji Vandro: What a pity! My clever Aban could have spoken on climate change, security, nuclear weapons and terrorism around the world.

The Entire Mandli:  Aban, we are taking you on condition that you zip your mouth!

Abhan Aban: Why? Why? India is a free country and I have freedom of speech.

Meherwanji: Arrey Dikra, if you as much as open your mouth, our community’s image as sikheli-bhaneli will take a hit. People will think all Bawajis are stupid like you!

Vikaji: How dare you, Meherwanji! My Aban will speak.

Entire Mandli: On what?

Abhan Aban: On security! I know all the security guards in Cusrow Baug by their first names and even make them run errands for me. In fact, only yesterday, one guard delivered chappatis which I had made to a friend’s house. I can also speak on nuclear weapons.

The entire Mandli got scared and decided to leave Aban behind after taking a spot poll.

Abhan Aban: You are all going to leave me behind? I feel like Cinderella!

Keki Khadhro: What will be the food menu like at G-20?

Meherbai: Chefs from all over the world will be preparing exotic, exclusive dishes from their respective countries.

Keki: In that case, let’s take along Tanaz Godiwala to prepare Parsi Lagan nu Bhonu for the G-20 invitees

Keki’s Wife: Keks! Keks! Take two big empty tiffins to carry back all the left-over food.

Coomi Kajwali: It will be at your risk! Clean the tiffins properly otherwise they’ll smell of food; the security dogs will come and sniff the tiffins.

Baji Bunpao: Yes, and the security staff will think Keki is a terrorist and there’s some device in the tiffin and arrest him.

Coomi Kajwali: Poor Keki is already terrorised by his dominating wife since the day he married her.

Tehmi Trim-Tarak: I have nothing to wear!

Tehmi’s husband: Four Godrej steel cupboards are over-spilling with your clothes and you have nothing to wear?

Tehmi: I never like to repeat my outfits, specially for special occasions, so really, I have nothing to wear.

Alamai Anaconda: Tehmina, if you have nothing to wear, don’t come. Even Lady Godiva had nothing to wear and went out in her birthday suit making a spectacle of herself.

Manchi Madari: One of the G-20 discussions falls on Sunday, so will there be mutton-dhansak with kheema na kawaab and Rajvanshi-Kachuber?

Meherwanji: Yes. And we could also request cancellation of all meetings after lunch since Parsis like to sleep immediately after a dhansak lunch on a Sunday afternoon!!

Polly Pipyu: Will they serve us beer along with dhansak?

Meherbai: Polly-bawa, my Mehella was being sarcastic! Jaraa toh bheju vaapro!!  How can there be dhansak at G-20? So, where’s the question of having chilled beer with it? And Tehmi, don’t worry if you have nothing special to wear. I’ll lend you my red saganvanto Naju Daver’s Gara to wear.

Teemi:  I am not wearing a Gara. I’ll wear my LBD.

Mandli members: What’s THAT?

Tehmi: My little black dress!

Banoo Batak: You are not going to a Halloween party or a funeral!

Coomi: Other G-20 participants will think you are in mourning. Aag laagey tahra LBD ney!!

Minoo Makori: But how do we all travel to Delhi?

Tinaz Tichku: By air, of course!!

Bitchy Behroze: But darling, everyone doesn’t have a broom to fly like you!

Vicaji Vandro: Behroze is calling Tinaz a witch!

Aimai Eienstein: And Vikaji, you are adding fuel to fire.

Vikaji: I love to see these two women fight. Both get a verbal-diarrhoea and I get to know English words which I had never heard before!

Meherwanji: We are all travelling by Vande Bharat Train!

Rusi Rocket: I hate train journeys!

Coomi Kaajwali: Then go in a rocket like your pet-name suggests. Your bawaji was a railway-guard all his life and you hate train-journeys – what snobbery!!

Baji Behro: Robbery? Rusi did robbery? Did he steal a train?

Coomi: I said snobbery!

Baji Behro: Strawberry? Are we all going to Mahableshwar?

Coomi: Forget it!

Abhan Aban: Why don’t you all go by Ro-Ro boat?

Bomi Bevdo: Arrey Oh, akkal ni dushman, we all want to go to Delhi, not Alibaug!!

Banu Batak: I’ll garland the Prime Minister.

The Mandli: Then you will require a stool!

Lovjibhai Lambo (Banu’s Husband): Then I’ll garland the PM!

The Mandli: Then the PM will need a stool!!

On this note, the Mandli decided to meet at the railway station at the appointed time. The Mandli parted with their usual Kisi-Koti and Ta-Ta Bye-Bye, with Keki wondering which two tiffins to carry and Tehmi wondering what to wear!