The Honeymoon is Over

As the rain pours down, we are forced to stay indoors and watch the outside world through the aquarium-like windows and doors of Second Chance House. Or maybe it is a ship amidst all the water?

Breakfast under the Faraway Tree has been shifted indoors. We admire, from inside, the beautiful Passion Fruit trellis laden with fruit. It is as if every raindrop is converted into a fruit that soon starts resembling a small water balloon. Sudden movement is sensed and we are distracted by a couple of squirrels chasing around in playful happiness. Their bushy tails twitching as they run up and down the nearby pine tree and seem to be without purpose. Until I realise there is method to their madness.

I spot one of them neatly pluck a passion fruit, hold it above its head with its tiny paws and run up the pine tree. I feel like I am a giant in the Land of Lilliputians. When there is so much abundance, sharing is a pleasure.

Chuckling to ourselves, we get back to work. Day turns into dusk, but there is too much to do and we realise we will have to work much longer than we thought.

The lights came on and with the lights came some buzzing bees. I didn’t even know that bees are awake at night. Maybe we disturbed them and so they came to check what was happening. Before I knew it, a bee rushed in behind my spectacles. Taken unawares, I was startled and tried to harshly brush it away. In self defence, it stung me hard under my eye. I was left howling in pain! It hurts incredibly!

Apsara and Jyoti kindly came and pulled out the large needle like stinger. My eye had already started swelling. Wise as they are, they brought in a leaf and applied the juice from its stem. It helped ease the pain and swelling. No more work could be done and I quietly went to sleep. I had just had my first spat with my new friends.

The new morning always brings a new viewpoint and new realisation. I spied some debris lying on the lawn under the pine tree. On closer inspection I saw the shells of at least fifteen emptied-out passion fruits. It must have been quite a party!

Once again, I felt like a parent whose children had planned a secret midnight jamboree. They did not want me to chaperone or pry into their affairs. It made me wonder if the honeybee was sent to keep me away.

As in a family, the trick is to forgive and forget and collect stories for the dinner table. Today I deserved some Dorje Moonlight White Tea as my honeymoon with the honeybees was officially over. I can know proudly proclaim that I have tasted the pleasure and the pain!

Write to me at Editor@Dorjeteas.com