Sometime in 06/2023.

It’s warm out but there’s cold beer in a big bottle, poured into two small plastic cups. The beer and some caponata sit on top of a plastic tablecloth held down to the table with masking tape. A cigarette and the beer help to put things at ease despite the chaos of the neighbouring streets. Stallholders yap at passers-by behind in the market and loud cracks and splutters come from the engines of motorbikes and scooters. Sometimes a driver stops outside the trattoria and exchanges packets of bottled water or coca cola for some cash. Driving or walking, stopping or passing, everyone is greeting everyone. Aubergine is done two ways with bread to wipe the plate and a portion of pasta which is given with a little pot of powdery cheese. There’s some residue of anchovies in the pasta that aren’t supposed to be there but the food is good and honest and the host is the same in a brazen way. The table and chairs are made of plastic and even the little cup that is full of cheese is also made of plastic, like the cups for the beer and the tablecloth that they’re resting on. A few days ago, an orange moon was lying low over the sea, where what is now plastic furniture and tableware was tiled, wooden or made from fabric or clay. Cold beer was shared then too and packets of cigarettes circled around freely without any ownership. It’s warm out, but there’s cold beer in a big bottle, poured into two small plastic cups.