A mountain of mangoes

whatever fruit screams summer to you, I hope you’re enjoying it as much as I am these

On Sunday, I opened an email with this post by Bhoomika; I don’t know her personally but she writes beautiful things that give me a new perspective on Nepal¹.

On Monday, I saw a carefully stacked pile of the same Malda mangoes she wrote about, outside the doorway of a shop as I walked in.

Mangoes are fabulous, but I am generally clueless about different types, their names and traits. I just choose whichever looks good at the time, usually the red-yellow ones, because they’re pretty. Sometimes I pick winners, other times less so. These mangoes were mostly green, not the kind I usually buy, but “She thought they were good enough to write about…” was going through my head.

I kept glancing over at the mangoes as I paid for my purchase, watching a woman filling a bag, choosing each carefully and with clear joy. The cashier saw me watching her.

“Local… only 99 rupees!”

A kilo? Yes indeed². I had fruit at home, did not need more, but I chose three lovely specimens anyway and headed back to the counter to pay for them. Worth it? Oh yes. They would have been at three times the price. And absolutely delicious³.

It’s easy to think it’s some sort of magical serendipity when I read or hear about something and then poof! There it is, right in front of me. But actually, it would have been there anyway, but I probably wouldn’t have paid attention. Which is why I’m glad when people share the things they love; it makes me notice what I otherwise wouldn’t. So thanks, Bhoomika!

And yes, I’m off to eat another one now⁴.

1. She also takes great photos—click on that link if you want to see some truly attractive mangoes.

2. They’re down to 79 rupees a kilo today, cheaper still if you buy a box of five or ten kilos…

3. Mangoes are messy to eat, particularly if they’re good; as someone who spills things on themself even if it’s not juicy and sticky; sometimes it has felt like too much trouble. Lately I eat them standing up, leaning in a kind of hunch, way over a bowl set on the counter to catch the juices; it’s changed my (mango-eating) life. You probably all knew this and frankly, I’m a little embarrassed at how long it took me to figure it out.

4. I think I’ve mentioned elsewhere that if I finish a post early (ie before midnight) I try to let it sit a bit before coming back and proofreading it (for the third or fourth, hopefully final time). Dear reader, I walked away and ate not one, but two drippy, messy, sweet mangoes.