Blog 7: Making Visible (Story, Part 2)

Years ago, before efficiency, deadlines, and economic booms and busts were discussed as frequently as the weather, the afternoon heat shut construction down for a few hours. Just enough time to have lunch and rest—the only physical activity viable in these humid and scorching hours.

But it is different now. My supervisor says that this pier must be completed before next year’s tourist season starts. Yachts and over-priced sandwich shops will soon replace the rocky beaches and local cantina. Will I still be allowed to sit at the counter and order a drink in my work clothes and boots?

I turn and stare at a gringa sitting in public ferry terminal putting her digital camera back into a large black bag. What is she doing here, and why does she want a picture of me? Shouldn’t she be back in her luxury hotel, ordering coconuts and lying on the beach? This is my territory. Even if it doesn’t last for much longer, she doesn’t belong here yet.

Yet.

See Blog 7: Making Visible (Background, Part 1)