The Art of Towel Ringing

He works at the local car wash where all the cars are washed by hand, as many things are done this way in Mexico and not every human job has been replaced with a machine. If you get a chance to just stand and watch any number of jobs being done, you will notice the artful way they go about their business.

He looked like he could have been 15, but maybe he was 19. He was not tall, he was slim and fit with boots and jeans. He held his towel in the left hand at the height of his shoulder, with the twist of his wrist, gave it a spin and then with his right and he forcefully grabbed the towel and leaned into it with his body to give it a good hard ring (squeeze) to release the water. Then again, raise the towel, quick spin and then grab and lean for a forceful ring. It looked like a dance. His entire body was involved and there was a rhythm to his actions. How many times a day did he do this dance, I can't begin to even imagine.

The day before I stopped at one of the shoe shine stations. They are every where business is located. I climbed up the ladder to sit in my seat below the square umbrella. Now my shoes are at the height of his chest and he can complete his shine without breaking his back. He used about 5 different products and 5 different pieces of cloth. He had a way of wrapping a skinny strip of cloth around the tops of his finger twice, swipping this cloth into the cream, hitting it smartly in his other palm twice and then swipping again. Is that to warm up the polish? I don't know, but I watched him do this on the client before me as well. It was an art. How to grab enough polish, rub the shoe, shine the shoe - each step had a very particular method and he had it down to an art.

The travelling vendors on the street each have their own song that they use to get your attention. It is a chant, or a horn or a bell - but each vendor's call is unique and it is important that he remains consistant each and every call, each and everyday. These vendors use sound to sell their product. Not emails or tv advertisements, or social media, or flyers or a store - just their call. It becomes an art form.