The forbidden fruit

Another day, another mango.

Ayiie. The mango me eat at lunch today, it sweet, it sweet like sin!

Sin yeah.

You never know? Mango is the forbidden fruit!

Me mother discover that on the night before she wedding, on the cook night before she wedding day.

Nearly the whole village turn out to help on this cook night. All over the yard kerosene and gas lamps bright up the place, and groups o’ people bustling. Ladies cooking roti on the fireside...the mud-stove; ladies grinding spices for the curry, cutting up onion, garlic, grinding them to a paste. Men cutting up meat; men peeling pataytah...that is...potatoes.

The group o’ men peeling pataytah had a competition ‘mongst theyself. Meat-cutting men spurring on pataytah-peeling men.

The two most rambunctious...vociferous o’ the pataytah-peeling men was Nana Baksh, that is, me mother grandfather, and Paglah, one other man from the village.

First, they had singing contest. They singggg. They sing like they was braying. They sing like cow bawling. They was enthusiastic, determined, raucous, strident. They was loud and proud.

When the singing contest done they had dance contest. African Dance Contest they decide to have, them East Indian men.

Paglah put on a piece o’ dancing, turn he ankle just so, twist up he hips just so. But me mother say Nana Baksh outdo Paglah. Nana Baksh bend he back loooow, raise he hands hiiigh up over he back, and stick he batty...he bum...out at a forty-five degree angle. And he shake up he waist, and he wind up he back, and he mooooove.

Then they settle down li’l bit to work, peel one pataytah, two pataytah, three pataytah, four...five pataytah, six pataytah, seven pataytah more. And as they hands working, is so they mouth working too, arguments, discussions and debates.

Everybody start to give they opinion ‘bout the forbidden fruit. What is the forbidden fruit? One say passion fruit. One man say, pomegranate.

Paglah say, “Well, lemme tell you. The forbidden fruit is Mango. When Adam disobey God, God point and say, ‘Man! Go!’ ’’

So now you know the truth ‘bout mango.

And so me say the mango sweet like sin. Just like me day today. I survive the drive on the roads today; I get me new Flixotide inhalers for asthma; I come home safe and sound; and me belly full.

After Kamla the cleaning lady tell me a li’l more ’bout she life at lunch today, I ain’t complaining ’bout nothing. I eat me mango in peace, and I count me blessings in this li’l bit o’ paradise today, yeah.