South Beach Encounters

We discussed much about the reality versus spectacle of Miami and South Beach as the epitome of the city's impression. Viewing Michael Carlebach's photos on Miami, I found "Woman with camera standing on South Beach pier" interesting and relevant to this theme. While this started as an analysis, I decided to make it a short narrative.

South Beach Encounters

The gentle, sea breeze calmed my cheeks and shoulders, agitated by the sun’s early-afternoon rays. The wind brought smells of saltwater and sand. They rubbed against my skin, a natural substitute to the sunscreen I had forgotten. I could see why beachgoers praise South Beach and its magic. A small wall stands as the only obstacle between ultimate paradise and the real world. I admit that I didn’t believe others when they related the beach’s bliss. I immortalized the moment with a photo. Was there a better way to preserve such an image than with a camera, an extension of my limited eyes?

As I pulled the trigger, a noise startled me. I turned around to find a man with sun-proof skin and a loose-fitting silk garment with matching turban. This would not be my first choice for summer attire. He turned his head and looked at the background and then me in a rhythmic fashion. His meditation then led him to look at the sky and raise his arms. It appeared as though he was reaching for the sun. I felt the sun accepted him; it did not confuse him as another Icarian hopeful. Though I left it to ritual, I wonder why no one mentioned that another culture resided here beside the tourist. Are there more men who reach for the sun? What is he trying to reach?

Before he left, he stared at me. Our eyes met for a brief second or two. I thought the wall began to crumble. I felt I was slipping from its small fortitude. He made himself and his world known in the glance we exchanged. After he departed, the horizon changed. The beach lost its luster, and gusts of wind, which I called a breeze, could not console me. When my friend arrived to take me home, I dropped the camera into the sand. The photos were not that great, a collection of glamour shots. I wished I had photographed the man. He knew about the beach’s magic.

http://merrick.library.miami.edu/u?/asm0530,971

This photo is copyright of Michael L. Carlebach. All rights reserved. Courtesy of UM's Libraries, Special Collections.