Satiricus was in a quandary. Yesterday had been Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, and he and the fellas hadn’t done anything to mark the occasion. He’d been reminded when he went to the office and his editor sent him to cover the ceremony honouring the father of the Indian nation at the Promenade Gardens. He was impressed to be reminded about the Mahatma and wondered what the fellas waiting for him at the Back Street Bar thought.
“Me na gat none problem wid Gandhi,” said Bungi when Satiricus posed the question. “’E do plenty t’ing fuh India.”
“Yes, da true but Gandhi na wou’da like how abee a drink beer ev’ry day!” pointed out Cappo, as he chugged his beer slowly.
“I’m not sure about that,” said Hari. “He was against people getting drunk and behaving bad!”
“But you fellas only talking about the man’s serious side,” protested Satiricus.
“Yuh mean ‘e bin gat wan nex’ side?” laughed Bungi.
“He was a very funny chap,” said Satiricus. “Want me to tell you an incident I heard yesterday about the funny Gandhi?”
“Guh ahead,” said Cappo. “Me gat fuh hear dis!”
“Here goes,” said Satiricus. “When Gandhi was studying law in London, a white professor named Peters, really disliked him.
One day, Peters was having lunch at the dining room when Gandhi came along with his tray and sat next to the professor.
The professor said, “Mr Gandhi, you do not understand, a pig and a bird do not sit together to eat.”
Gandhi looked at him and calmly replied, “You do not worry professor. I’ll fly away,” and he went and sat at another table.
The angry Professor decided to take revenge and the next day, wrote on Gandhi’s exam paper the word “IDIOT” and returned it to Gandhi.
Gandhi took the exam paper and sat down at his desk. A few minutes later, he got up, went to the professor and told him in a dignified polite tone,
“Mr Peters, *you signed the sheet*, but you did not give me the grade!”
“Let’s drink to the funny Gandhi!” said Bungi, as they all laughed.
