| In my building, June has begun with a celebration of laziness.
None of us are on vacation, or slacking in our regular tasks, but somebody
skipping a chore has made all of us smile. So, who is the lazy one? The man who
comes weekly, to clean walkways and trim the tiny patch of grass, has fallen
behind on his schedule, and we're hoping he doesn't catch up for quite a while.
There is a cement walkway, about four feet wide along one side of our small
building. The side that is not a wall is bounded by a chicken wire fence through
which we can see and envy the neighbors who live next door. Why? There is a
small strip of garden which runs behind those apartments, each of which has a
back entrance. Those fortunate folks have geraniums and roses right outside
their kitchens.
Of course, we can see the blossoms as well, so that is not what we crave. No, it
is the aromatic greenery between those pretty flowers. Their landlord has
planted mint as a ground cover. Every Tuesday, when their gardener comes, we are
tantalized by the fragrance which drifts through our windows.
Usually, our maintenance man runs an edger along our side of the chicken wire,
so none of the neighboring vegetation gets through. However, perhaps because it
is June, he has been moving rather slowly, and neglected that part of his
duties. Guess what happened? The mint escaped trimming, and is now decorating
our side of the fence.
Oh, how our lives have been gladdened. Word of the treasure spread quickly, and
we're all enjoying a share. There are jugs of perfumed iced tea, bowls of tabbouleh,
platters of Thai steak salad, dessert dishes of cut fruit drizzled with honey
and topped with a pretty chiffonade of the bright green leaves, and impromptu
chat sessions whilst sipping juleps or minted fresh lemonade.
Traditionally, summer is a season which taxes our civility. Despite all the ads
and articles promising that sunshine will bring gladness, too much of it seems
to bring out the crank in most people. Women endure the annual ritual of
humiliation called trying to find a reasonably flattering and modest swim suit
for the sisterhood pool party. Men stand in the hot sun, in front of hotter
grills, swatting flies away from steaks which emerge from the process looking
much like the briquettes used to cook them. Children are sunburned, bored, ever
involved in the mischief and mess caused by too much time on their hands during
school break. Hot weather and hot tempers go together.
For my neighbors and me, all those problems are on hold just now. G-d's
generosity, in the form of this aromatic harvest, has brought out the best in
everyone. The bounty is free to all, and our spirits seem to reflect this divine
charity. I'm going to try to keep things going around here, perhaps by buying a
flat of strawberries to share. Maybe you can do the same thing with a crate of
peaches. Let the warmth of the weather glow in your heart. Happy Summer to you
all.
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