Kishore Singh: Psst... got a summer home?

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This year, under normal circumstances, we would have gone to Shillong on what is becoming a biannual vacation, but my aunt is having her house extended, and what with the construction work on and the labour in, it was our feeling that we would not be very welcome.

The other choice, of course, is Bikaner, but in the middle of a heat wave, it isn't the most attractive destination, especially since earlier arrivals of siblings have captured all the rooms with the air-conditioners, which would leave us sweating it out worse than in a Delhi power cut. So I've made my excuses to my parents and we're staying put in the capital "" for now.

A friend has a place in Goa where we could shack up for a few days, and Goa, even when it's hot, or wet, is still sublime, but they haven't offered it to us this season "" though they're suggesting we join them in the fall, so I guess that's out. We could hardly abuse their hospitality twice in the same year!

Besides, with the board examination results out and hunting for college seats and so on, it isn't as if there's the time for a holiday to begin with. One college form wanted my son to list his strengths and weaknesses. In the slot for strengths, he's filled in "very friendly". Weaknesses? "None," he's put down saucily. That's one institution that's unlikely to have him on their rolls.

Still, wanting to go out somewhere "" anywhere, even for a few hours "" we decided to camp for the day at our club. But by the time we'd organised ourselves (a hair blow-and-set job for my wife, a new swimsuit for my daughter, arrangements to keep the dog fed and watered), it was already late evening by the time we got there, and we needed to be back by night to go out for dinner.

But what the heck, it was still an outing, though we'd be lucky if we could spend even a couple of hours by the poolside. Barely had we settled down when my wife's mobile rang "" her friend Sarla and family were coming with some member friends to spend the evening at the club. "Really? How exciting!" cooed my wife into the phone. But moments later, having concluded the conversation, she turned to me and said, "That blows our evening."

"I think it might be nice to have company, however briefly," I said. "Company is all very fine," retorted my wife, "but what you don't realise is that they're on their way even as we speak..." "So?" I asked lamely. "So," said my wife, "they'll probably reach here just as our snacks are being served..." "And they'll eat them all up," bawled my daughter. "It's not that I mind them joining us for a bite," continued my wife, "but we're in a hurry, and if they eat up our food, the children will be left hungry; but if we wait to order some more, we'll be late going out for dinner."

"It's all right," I said after a pause, "we could always order a little extra for them, and then we could eat together and still leave without getting too late." "I suppose so," said my wife, "but didn't I mention that there are nine of them..." Which put an altogether different complexion on things.

Eventually, when our friends arrived, they found us seated around a plate of french fries and cheese toast which, predictably, they devoured in moments. And soon after, it was time for us to leave "" a journey that the kids, at least, enjoyed thoroughly, having bagged our order of tikkas and kebabs to eat in the car on the way back home.