Carlotta Does Not Live Here Anymore
I drove past the house you finally lost during the Recession. The garden is now covered in the sepia tones of our past. How I hated our fights! You were such a bitch to me sometimes. Well, I hated the moments when we could not communicate with each other.
Remember Giulio and our flat in North Miami together? He was clearly beneath your breeding, but I can surmise what "thing" made it compelling to be with him. One time he was helping me move my sofa and you yelled at him: "Be careful with that sofa, it's worth more than you!" You're a fierce feminist, with cruel epithets and masterful techniques as part of your arsenal.
Asher became your fourth husband, but he also loved your "cruel pretty girl" demeanour. As you explained to your girl friend at the time: "who cares what his family thinks? Who's got the pussy?" You are a true philosophical juggernaut. I won't forget your last words of feminine wisdom: "When it comes to boyfriends and gifts, the more they give, the more I can receive." Genius.
This city feels so enormous, and I lower my head to look at the small space I own in it. I always admired the way in which you picked yourself up and dusted the dirt off you to start again, anywhere. Call me when you get to San Diego, I miss you.
© Text: Orlando Barahona
© Image: Sally Mann
© Image: Sally Mann
This work by Orlando Barahona is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Join my page on Facebook:
