PARTLY FACETIOUS: The cook is one and the cauldrons are many

“So Shehbaz Sharif signed the Board of Peace Charter with President Trump looking on?”

“I don’t see why that would be an issue.”

“The Maulana reckons it is selling the Palestinians short.”

“OK just for the record when The Maulana was chair of the Kashmir Committee, a portfolio he ardently desired, then did he sell…”

“Oh shush. Between you and me that was the most unambitious of all desires – I mean all it entailed were foreign tours and…”

“Oh shush.”

“No seriously – you have a bunch of people who want many, many, portfolios and need I add…what is the opposite of too many cooks spoil the broth?”

“Why the opposite?”

“Well the cook is one and the cauldrons are many.”

“Right I never thought of that. You can come up with your own proverb.”

“How about too many cauldrons spoil the cook?”

“The cook is not food – I mean food gets spoiled.”

“Some cooks we have, are very, very, spoiled but…”

“Stop right there for your health and safety and…”

“OK so how about distract the cook?”

“Too many cauldrons distract the cook? Hmmmm; no I don’t think so, see the cooks are carefully selected, and they can multitask and no I reject that.”

“How about strengthen the cook?”

“Strengthen the cook’s powers or strengthen his multitasking capacity or….”

“I see where you are going with this. OK so how about too many cauldrons….to many cauldrons…”

“Take your time, come up with the right word.”

“Spoils the shabdegh?”

“Excellent idea – to take the cook out of the equation.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026