Oaxaca, 1998Maggie O’Neill’s life in Houston has become a story of loss. Maggie, always in a contentious relationship with her mother, becomes caretaker when the difficult woman is dying of cancer. Maggie’s marriage of almost twenty-five years ends in divorce, and her only child has left Houston to find his independence. Maggie is left with little more than her camera, to which she, a novice, warily entrusts her future. Desperate to begin a new life, she drives to Laredo and fights off her doubts as she crosses the border into Mexico. Slowly, the Mexican landscape and people open her eyes to a fresh way of seeing through the lens of her camera. During a stopover in San Miguel de Allende she receives unsolicited advice to go to Casa Azul, Frida Kahlo’s house in Coyoacan. In Oaxaca, on impulse, Maggie enrolls in a watercolor class taught by Connor, a visiting Texas artist, and from there the story unfolds through both Maggie’s and Connor’s eyes. The author’s own experiences of living in Oaxaca and his close observation of detail inform the story in a rich, evocative way. |
Contents
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Alexander Braun balcony band Benito Juárez Blazer camera chair church Claudia Connor asked Connor felt Connor knew Connor moved Connor nodded Connor thought Connor took Connor watched couldn’t couple courtyard Coyotepec damned dark didn’t door eased Esteban eyes fanny pack Frida Frida Kahlo front gallery gave gestured Ginger glanced glass grin gringa guess hand held Houston hung hurried Jardín Joaquin leaned Leonardo looked Maggie felt Maggie O’Neill Maggie thought Maggie’s Matehuala Mexican Mexico mezcal Michelle minutes Mixtec morning mother night Oaxaca okay painting Pemex pesos photographs plaza pulled quickly Rafael Robert Livingston San Miguel seemed Señora Velez shirt shook his head shoulder shrugged side sipped slides smile stared stepped stood stopped street sure things told turned Ulysses village Virgin of Guadalupe waited wall wandered wanted watercolor weeks whispered woman women you’re young Zapotec zócalo