Repairing fishing nets and rocking chairs

A couple of Saturdays ago Paco and his brother Julio and I went to visit Paco Senior at work. He doesn't usually work on Saturdays but there was an extra job and a chance to pick up a few extra pesos. A fishing net needed to be repaired.

Making and repairing fishing nets (chinchurros) is what Paco has done since he was 8 years old. He has worked side by side the other old fellow in the photo (sorry, don't remember his name) for over 40 of those years.

I watched Paco tie knots with blinding speed. His hands long ago ceased to need instructions from his brain. I counted a knot per second.

A few days later I met this guy. The local rocking chair repairman. This is a profession in Mexico. One that may one day exist in America as the "disposable society" can no longer afford to throw things away.You'll see these rocking chairs all over Mazatlan. They're made of welded steel rod and then covered with a web of synthetic cord or small diameter rope. The rope wears out long before the frame does... if it ever does. It took this guy about a half hour to re-string this chair. And it will be good for another few years. He stays busy and supports his wife and five kids by making the rounds all over Mazatlan bringing new life to old rockers.