The juice lady of Coyoacán, April 2015

Where & when

• Mercado de Coyoacán · Mexico City · Mexico 2015 the juice counter at the corner

About them then

Doña Lupe · about 53 then

A stall-keeper in her early fifties with a long grey braid, strong forearms and an embroidered apron covered in flowers. She sold fresh juices and little tamales from a counter at the corner of the market and sang along to the radio in a voice that carried across three aisles.

Who I was then

The tall American grandmother in the straw hat who nearly fainted next to your counter.

Why I'm writing

To say thank you · Just hoping my words reach them

Written on behalf of

Written by her son Marcus

In April 2015 I was sixty-five and visiting Mexico City for the first time, determined to see everything my late husband never got to. At the Coyoacán market the heat hit me suddenly and my knees gave way beside your stall. You pulled out a stool, put something cold in my hand, fanned me with a folded newspaper and sent a boy to find a taxi. You would not let me pay. I could not follow your Spanish and you could not follow my English, but I understood everything.

Passed on by 3 · reached step 3 · 0 keeping an eye out

Could this letter be about you? This is me