On the balcony Serendipità listens to the ninety-nine construction workers as they return and get to work. She misses the sea, even the objects (three). She doesn’t miss Raven or her father. On the balcony she combs her hair with a wide-tooth comb, she detangles it with olive oil. The smell of smoke is all around her as she detangles, sprays, combs through, pulling out a cluster of knots. Dead hair is all over the balcony, split ends all over. The crowd is thinning, and from this height she can see the few who have yet to offer parts of themselves. Far off a piano is played, the scales. Some people hesitate and a part must be forced from them.

There’s so much hair on Serendipità’s head, an unbearable amount. Serendipità parts it into twos, then into fours, sixes, eights. She braids quickly and without thought. Her arms ache. The hair reaches far down, but she doesn’t like her hair to hang around her body, so the eight braids are tied up into a bun, that’s all.

The ninety-nine construction workers crowd onto the balcony with Serendipità even though they know it isn’t safe. The green mesh moves.

The workers try to intimidate Serendipità; they want a raise. The exterior of the yellow building is layered with green. Every week she’s strong-armed into a new arrangement with them, into more benefits or higher stipends, more perks, more paid time off, a provision to work remotely. Nothing is quite repaired or constructed. The holes in the walls are getting larger and the white dust rests lightly upon her braids.

LEAVE A FINGERPRINT, GNOCCHI

boil the potatoes until soft, 1 kilogram

remove the wet skin, peel, dry, wait until cooled

smash the potatoes together into a paste, with your palms, move your knuckles,

make a mountain of them and place a hole in the middle

put one whole egg in the middle

introduce the 300 grams of flour and the one whole egg into the mountain of potatoes

knead until dough is formed

let sit

roll into long ropes, cut into small pieces (it is my favorite part) use your fingers to flick the dough, usually with your thumb, make an indentation, don’t use a fork (it is lazy) leave a fingerprint

boil water, the small pieces float, remove remove remove

serve, eat immediately

THREE MONTHS OF BANANA