setting up for the trade show

smells of drywall, paint, sawdust, vinyl, solvents.

extension cords.

a man uses a trike to cart around building supplies.

the sound of a circular saw.

the sound of cell phones.

tradesmen in work gloves take them off to smoke.

dusty, unfinished floors.

plastic wrap around sofas and chairs stacked, waiting to become parts of booths.

waste bins overflowing with balled up plastic tape, bubble wrap, newsprint, styrofoam, cardboard, entire boxes. in and around ours, cheese wrappers and olive pits.

it is 3 AM. everyone has lots to do, not least us.