The sea and the sky
On the blue shores of Punta
Eternal beauty.
Punta continues to move ahead through the Corona time almost as though the virus never arrived here. The beauty of the calm waters surrounding her helps her remain solely preoccupied with her beauty and the Spring that is in the air. Many places have opened, if only part time. I can meet with friends to watch the glorious sunset. Word has it that hordes of Argentinians are coming here. We wish to keep it as lonely as it is now, with few people in the streets. It feels as if we are in paradise. Writing about Punta fills me up, her serenity nourishes me, perhaps it is the poet in me.
I got the message that my Corona friend returned to Punta and we decided to meet in person for the first time for coffee and to watch the sunset together. We agreed to meet at 5 o’clock by my building as we were not sure we would recognize each other. We have never met in person before. From terrace to terrace, we confirmed our meeting.
I thought for a moment she’d cut her long beautiful hair but, no, she’d just tied it in the back. We met and hugged for awhile. I felt a deep connection, hugs tell a lot. Hugs tell a story. Of course, she is as lovely as I had imagined her. What I did not know was that she, too, counted on our connection and friendship. It was not only a phenomenon of my imagination. She took solace in knowing we were the privileged members of this lonely 29th street community. I sent her my first 2 Corona Friend essays and she shared them with her friends and her family. Her father asked to send his regards and told her, “Look at what you evoke in people. You are like your mother.”
By the harbor, we shared parts of our lives and our love for Punta. Like my mother, she has a passion for teaching and her students. Some of her students passed by us as we had our coffee and waved to her. Moving connection. She told me she is thinking of possibly moving to Punta. Unlike me, a city girl, she prefers life in a small town out of the hustle and bustle of Montevideo. I still love New York, and fear for the changes it has endured in the corona time but hope it will come back to the city that never sleeps. We spent close to three hours together; the sunset did not live up to its usual profound promise, but our friendship did.
We spent close to three hours together; the sunset did not live up to its usual profound promise, but our friendship did.