There is something wonderful about a blooming garden and fruiting plants. Blooms in every conceivable colour dance around in a whiff of silent breeze rustling up faint perfumes to invade the senses. Small saplings gingerly sprout from the earth where earlier I had planted market bought flowers (their seeds took root). Some are still struggling to grow and some are ready to bloom. Tiny green mangoes hang delicately in bunches from humungous trees where no man can reach only a stone thrown by him can. Vegetables mainly eggplants shine in their purple glory on the tawny branches of the bushy plants. Small tough as stone guavas hide behind the lack lustre leaves of the guava tree. Tomatoes mostly green shine as if massaged with a delicate muslin cloth waiting for the sun to ripen them.
And then it happens! An army of unruly, rowdy and fearless langurs invade my vegetable garden. They wreak havoc on the fledgling garden. Pluck eggplants and munch on them. Mercilessly dismember my tomato plants and taste, yes just taste the little green tomatoes throwing away the rest. They pull out small saplings of the summer garden which has yet to see the light of day. I try shooing them away but they just sneer at me baring their teeth as if mocking my inefficacy at fighting them. I watch helplessly as they maraud my garden and their kids jump around roughing up the carefully made beds. Then the master steps out and just raises his hand to throw a stone at them and lo and behold, all of them scoot for dear life. Guess I was too much of a lady to appear threatening to them.
We assess the damage done and then finally conclude that God's other creatures also need to feed. Its alright if they chose our small patch to feast on. The vegetable truck will come in the morning to replenish our stock. I forgave the squirrels and the parrots too who nibble on the raw mangoes  and throw down uneaten fruit to cover our backyard with the waste. My heart is furious but I take the moral high ground and let the microcosm of my garden live in its natural habitat. But if I had my way I would buy them their food from the vegetable truck and keep the freshness of the garden for me!