Mango Season: May 13th Our last day in India for about two months. Today we go back the US for the annual visit, to renew acquaintances and friends, to get our physicals and checkups, and to get more pages in my passport. We are leaving behind a treasure; the mango tree is pregnant and ready for picking in a week. Mangoes are a biannual crop and are only abundant every other year. This is the off year. They have become very rare and very expensive. The best variety, Alphonse mangoes from Goa, is now upwards of 60 rupees per mango. Lower cost mangoes are about 35 rupees, which is still relatively expensive. Leela auntie, our next-door neighbor keeps saying, "everyone loves mangoes". I think the hint has been given more than a few times. Leela auntie is right though. The neighbors, the street children, and the monkeys are all eyeing our tree with expectation. As a consequence, our security guard has now taken to guarding the tree, instead of the house. In preparation, a list has been drawn of whom to distribute the mangoes. There is already some disagreement as to who should, and should not, get the mangoes. I’m looking forward to coming back — summer should be over, and the monsoons will be starting. Satish wants to take us to a temple in Kerala where the people scream "filth" at the temple gods. I asked what "filth" meant, and he replied "erotica". I can hardly wait.