------------------------------------------------------------------------ * * * * * * * * * ANNUAL GOANETTERS MEET * * * * * * * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Goanetters in Goa and visiting meet Jan 6, 2009 at 3.30 pm at Hotel Mandovi (prior to the Goa Sudharop event, which you're also welcome to). Join in for a Dutch dinner -- if we can agree on a venue after the meet. RSVP (confirmations only) 9822122436 or 2409490 or [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cheers Dears By Augusto Pinto The New New Year Dears, Everyone was in a tizzy after the Government had announced the ban on beach parties. A council of war involving all concerned in the tourist trade had been called at Happy Man's Shack to discuss the crisis. Iddhar the cartoonist proprietor of Uddhar Cafe set the tone of the discussion, "First they said celebrate but no parties. Then they said parties are OK, but no celebrations. Now they say no parties and celebrations on the beach. What the hell are they saying?" Fat Mamma who owns a fleet of motorcycles and tourist taxis had found out that the takers for her vehicles had dropped sharply this season, and was having trouble paying off the bank loans added,"The Government has gone mad. They've put up bunkers on the beach and have military people with machine guns there. But will that scare away terrorists? I'm sure if the terrorists come from the sea behind them, they would be sitting ducks. But they've certainly scared the tourists away. They think this is Kashmir." Old Muhammad who runs the Kashmir Emporium said dryly,"Most of it is Kashmiri, Madam." The tales of woe continued. Paklo said that the series of beach parties that he had planned, to launch his new beat group The Pikleleo Popeyes had to be postponed. "It was bad enough that this year was a leap year and most of the superstitious folk don't want to jump into marriage so there are hardly any engagements for my choir. Now with this ban on parties we musicians suffer more. This is too much! They just want to finish us!" Roklo who erects pandals, and hires out sound systems and lighting equipment found wholesale cancellations for the bookings that had been done and was also furious. "Forget the Government, these Church people are no better. What do they mean by telling people not to have celebrations after the Mumbai terror attacks? Is this cowardly behaviour any way to fight the terrorists or show sympathy to the victims? Its all very well for these bhatkar type people to kick us in the belly in the name of fighting terrorism! They don't have anything to lose!". He threatened, "I am going to demand that all those who booked my stuff should pay up otherwise..." Jagadamba the Tourist Guide Association President said, "Arre Roklo, otherwise what?" Roklo said he would take them to Court and everyone started to laugh. Shiri the owner of Happy Man Shack said,"Friends, we must be serious. I'm sure this is a conspiracy of the 5 Star hotel owners who want to cut us out of the trade as the Government have cleverly said that they can continue with the shows in their resorts and hotels." Bhiku of the Wholesale Liquor Guild said, "Maybe. But saying this will not help us. What should we do now?" At that moment, in walked Lt. Col. D'Souza the ex-army bhatkar, who in his old age, to supplement his pension, had leased out Happy Man's Shack to Shiri. He said,"Oh hello all of you. I must say our Government has at last woken up. We must thank them for taking steps to deal with the terrorist threat." Those assembled there, reeled in shock, and if looks could kill, Lt. Col. D'Souza would have dropped dead on the floor there and then. Shiri however chose to be diplomatic, as his lease would be coming to an end in May, and he could not afford to antagonise his landlord. "What you say is as usual true, Colonel Saab, but you know because of the measures they're taking, we won't be able to celebrate the festive season properly. They've banned beach parties till January 5th, and the tourists have stopped coming and so there is no business for us. So paying the rent is going to be a problem." This set the Colonel's army brain ticking. "You know friends, every problem has a solution. These terrorists plan their operations meticulously months in advance. So you have to outwit them by throwing a spanner in their works. Now if say New Year's parties are threatened, then the solution is that you simply stop celebrating it on January 1st, the usual New Year's Day. You must change New Year's Day to January 6th. That way you'll fool the terrorists and you'll beat the Government ban too." One does not know how this proposal was greeted by the tourist trade. Till next time then... Cheers (ENDS) ============================================================================== The above article appeared in the December 31, 2008 edition of the Herald, Goa
