Persimmons and Pears at Night Market Stand

Rows of orange persimmons and pale Asian pears rest in wooden crates beneath the high arches of a prayer hall near Santiago de los Caballeros. Sodium-vapor light casts a warm, amber wash over the wet fruit skins, highlighting the glistening sheen left by the recent monsoon rain. The humid air hangs heavy, visible as a soft haze between the crates and the stone pillars. Weathered wood grain runs deep in the crate sides, against the smooth, taut skin of the fruit. City lights begin to glow softly through the open archways in the distance, framing the produce against the deepening twilight. one drop of water rests on the stem of a persimmon, catching the street glow before sliding down the curved surface.