assignment: “Create an essay of images and words that expresses your site's particular character, the processes that shape it, and the systems that sustain it as revealed this semester through your site visits, photographs, and writing. The narrative may be linear or nonlinear, simple or complex. The essay must include words, though it is up to you how much text to include and how.”
location: Neighborhood of Ponta Verde, Maceió, Brazil
5 A.M.
a block inland from the ocean in Maceió, a lone yellow bench sits
and a blue cart awaits
near the towers of the Ponta Verde neighborhood
a thousand pairs of wheels start turning
vendor’s carts, where hard labor meets leisure and affluence
pushed and pulled
driven and towed
pedaled and parked
they roll to where the city meets the Atlantic Ocean
6 A.M.
behind the blue fence
a choreographed spinning
without words spoken
the blue cart joins the yellow bench out on the street
Tônio stoops
and slides support poles out from the depths of the cart
a smooth sequence of well-practiced tasks
Tônio lifts and secures flaps
sealing out the sun and rain
Tônio transforms his tight blue cart into an expansive blue room
the yellow bench embraced and shaded
the cart unfolds
yesterday’s last muffin
is joined by today’s fresh arrivals
the cart’s bright colors call out
its interior a vibrant composition, rife with options
“Tônio de Caldo de Cana,” that’s how he introduces himself
his namesake offering, caldo de cana, a drink he pulps from sugar cane
retrieving, splitting, and crushing new cane stalks
our conversation deepens, Tônio has something to show me
his book, where he scribbles records of business with his regular customers
with a system of mutual trust, they only need to fuss with cash or cards once a month
the cart’s color scheme is inspired by the Brazilian flag
but Tônio has bigger plans, too
the yellow bench has siblings
deep gouges from decades of knife cuts mark the working end of the bench
the other end is pure hospitality
a place for a guest to enjoy their caldo de cana
5 P.M.
end of a long day, the blue cart reshuttered
resting, along with its yellow siblings
as twilight falls over Ponta Verde, a lone yellow bench sits