Another thing that I love, that cost me nothing, is my lychee tree. I got it during an "Adopt a Tree " event sponsored by DERM for Miami-Dade County residents. All you need to do is have proof you are a homeowner in Miami, and go and pick up the tree at the designated location. I also got an avocado tree this way, but I love lychees, maybe most of all because they remind me of a book I read in 7th Grade- Split Bamboo. In this book (a thriller because our English teacher Sister Joseph loved thrillers) the main character (a retired spy) is captured and requests lychees to eat from his captor, a wealthy man with extravagant tastes. The kidnapper obliges and the spy character splits open the lychees and uses the inside of the seeds to dye his face brown. He also fits himself with brown contacts, to change the color of his eyes. This is all done in order to fit in with the Asian population when he escapes. Anyway, just like I had to taste scones when I read about them in Agatha Christie mysteries, I wanted to taste lychees after this book. I did (I'm sure they were canned) and have loved them ever since. I got my lychee tree about two years ago and it has taken this long for it to finally produce fruit. That's the other thing about happiness- sometimes it takes time. Raising children, finishing a screenplay, getting a degree, aren't things done overnight, but they certainly can bring happiness, as well as a sense of accomplishment. As for me, I can't wait to taste the first lychee from my tree while re-reading Split Bamboo by Leon Phillips.
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