On a sunny July morning I had a moment with a mango
As I pierced the skin an intoxicating perfume erupted into the air like steam billowing out of a hot tub on a cold night
An aroma so sweet assaulted my brain
Lighting it up like a slot machine
The indention my finger left indicated a ripeness that had to be addressed
So, I grabbed a small knife
Feeling every crack of the dry wooden handle against my grip, I rested my finger on the back of the rusty blade
With a slippery mango in one hand I slashed into its leathery skin with the other
My finger guided every movement sliding the blade underneath the skin, pulling it toward me, down the entire length of the giant, glistening orb
I unwrapped the syrupy gift, set the knife down and thrashed my teeth into soft golden pulp
Juice came gushing out like a cracked open fire hydrant
Sticky nectar dripped down my chin
I leaned swiftly over the kitchen sink to catch the threatening drops of euphoria before they hit my crisp white t-shirt
Rotating the mango with every bite, I tore through fibers with my two front teeth
The soft, chilled fruit brushed against my cheeks like a cold silk pillow
I took a moment in blissful silence
The world around me on pause
All the way down to the pit