Summertime in Spring in Cork

Sello Moeketsi channels the spirits of Hugh Masakela (“my main man”) and Abdullah Ibrahim (“my spiritual guide”), circles his breath, and blows into the gleaming Hawkes. A toddler looks up at Sello and places 50 cents on his leg…

summertime, and the livin' is easy

A black man from Johannesburg to the corner of Winthrop and Oliver Plunkett is about as unlikely as sunshine in spring in Cork. A close-mouthed white guy sidles up and mutters through his barely open lips:

“How much is dat?”

“About a thousand.”

“You bot it?”

I expect Sello to retort with, “No, I stole it!” But he calmly, sweetly says:

“Yah man, it’s my tool. I can make that much money in three gigs.”

A red-head tosses a few coins in the open case…

the fish are jumpin', and the cotton is high