New Delphi Monkeys

In the heart of New Delphi, cars, taxis, bicycles, and motorbikes zoom by like a video on fast forward. In the background the monkeys move slowly, almost in another dimension. They comb the sidewalk for trash containing small bits of uneaten food.

I study their movements and sketch their gestures. They have chosen the Tunisian Embassy as their home. It’s on a slightly quieter street, lined with wide-branched lookout trees that might have served their ancestors well. But now, the danger from humans is not a concern. They go about their business like ladies in a marketplace, selecting their meals from an array of brightly-colored fast food wrappers, and only occasionally looking up to check my position.

I know not to offer them food in exchange for their portrait. So, I wait until my presence goes almost unobserved.

As the sun goes down I finish my picture as the last spots of light seep through the trees. The sketch is complete, and the monkeys disappear over the embassy wall.