Puerto Rico PS Options

[worldneighbor]

I forgot to impart one of our most interesting encounters in Puerto Rico. We were driving out of the El Yunque rain forest preserve and into the nearby town. Since I am always scouting for local artisans and cultural crafts I pulled over when we saw an art studio. It was set up in what looked like an abandoned yard and building. Demetria and I wandered warily into the front gate and started looking around. An emaciated cat wandered by and gave us a sideward glance. Suddenly a little surfer man with straw like died black hair came out and greeted us. His name was Bob and he was a transplant and squatter from the States. He had pale white, almost translucent, skin and he had clam digger pants and a half top on. He must have been in his early 50’s and he lived a life similar to Patrick Swayze as Bodhi in the move Point Break.

Bob lived off the land, surfed and created art. He had a papaya tree in his yard that he harvested and he was a vegetarian. He set up his art studio in the back of the abandoned building along with a twin mattress on the floor for sleeping. Bob was a real character. Demetria and I felt he was harmless enough if not extremely eccentric. He showed us around his studio and turned on the lights supplied by the power line that he pilfered from the main line that ran behind his house. We talked about his art for a while. He explained that his art was more than child to him it was like his own blood. I asked if he would be interested in selling any of his art. He noted that he wouldn’t even know where to begin in pricing his works and that it would be difficult to part with them. (Not sure what the point of the art studio was – other than to make new friends). We signed Bob’s guest book and left Bob alone with his art, his surfboard and his papaya tree. I have two regrets from this encounter; one is that I didn’t get any pictures of Bob and two is that I didn’t walk away with any of his artwork. Who knows, maybe this unknown recluse, transplant, surfer, squatter will turn out to be the next Vincent Van Gogh.