Dating : Thulasi — Fragrant Holy Plant

We rarely answer our doorbell. Well, what it boils down to is, we rarely actually open the door.

We have a front door with glass panes, and peer out through these, usually suspiciously, and often with hostility, at the person ringing or knocking.

You may wonder why this is: We simply dislike being interrupted by sales people, politicians, or fundraising people.

So several weeks ago, after dinner when the doorbell rang, I followed the normal procedure of glaring though the small panes of glass at the ringer.

It was a young woman, wearing what appeared to be a hospital gown, smiling broadly and carrying a clipboard. Unusually, I opened the door, and stepped outside, closing it behind me.

She was fund-raising for Alzheimers research being done at one of our local hospitals, and was wearing hospital greens.

I listened to her speil, fixing her with the death-glare that is especially reserved for sales people, politicians, or fundraising people.

Suddenly in the midst of her very enthusiastic pitch she fixed on a nearby section of the front garden and said “Oh, this is so beautiful…I love this”. She pointed at a specific plant grouping and asked what they were, and how we managed to have such a colourful garden.

I was still suspicious, thinking that this was a clever ploy on her part to get me on side to donate to her cause. However I responded that the garden came about as a result of my being a professional gardener and garden designer.