The Adam Boy

CHAPTER 34 - THE PLACE

After what happened to Josmacleide and the teacher who wears colorful clothes, my confidence and concept in my classroom fell even more than it was already low. The work that week was every day in heavy weather. Norman arrived with a frown and a very serious face. Luckily Alex and Mari did a good job with a new recording of Fala Povo.

When I left class on Friday and went to the Metro to go to each one, when going up the last ramp, a man approached, apparently good, tall and with his hair combed back. He asked me for money, which I said I didn't have. I went to buy my ticket. When I left the box office, checking some coins that the Metro employee gave me change, this same man who asked for money for me approached me.

- Oh Boy, can you get me a coin?

- No! - I replied, going towards the turnstile.

- But you have it there. I saw.

- I know I have coins. You asked me if I can give you some. I said no, I can't.

- But you have a lot. I saw you counting.

- Sir, it is not just because I have a lot of coins that I am the brigade to give to you. I know you must be hungry, or want to smoke, or to drink, whatever, it's not my problem, I would even fix it, but this pile of coins is for me to eat something and pay for the bus to go home. I know that I am sinning not to help you and I will be judged forever for not doing a charity, or I will burn in the flames of hell, but I also have my problems, which will be solved by these coins. What I have here will only allow me to buy two apples full of pesticides that I will buy at a train station, and to pay for my ticket to go home. In other words: I have the coins, I just cannot and do not want to give them to you. Understood?

He looked at me for a second, with me standing there in front of the turnstile. Then, giving the information to me, he muttered:

- Crazy!

He was impressed with the meaning of the word crazy in a person. How can a person who only had the coin to eat two apples and take a bus crazy? If I just said no, that I didn't want to give the coins, I would be mean and sinful, that I wouldn't help the needy. Now when I waste a minute explaining why I can't help, I'm crazy. Go figure.

That Friday, when I got home, what I had left was to watch Two and a Half Men at dawn. I forbid myself to study, despite the weeks of exams being close.

The cell phone alarm alerted two in the afternoon saying it was time to wake up. The day was sunny and there in Burma that was another factor that makes you more lazy than the city offers.

At five in the afternoon, I got a call. When I saw the caller ID on the phone display, I was surprised: it was Milla. It was a long time since I received a call where I saw a call from her device on the net display of my device. Got it! She had asked me out for a night with her, John, Yo and Will. I asked where. I did not know that they also left for São Paulo. But my illusion was interrupted when she said that they were going to stay there in the center of Burma. I asked myself what would be in the center of that city, on a Saturday night. I always knew it was empty, boring and had only one ballad, which still closed at eleven o'clock and only played funk. Did they enjoy this place? I didn't have much of their profile. I confirmed and accepted the invitation. I wanted to see where I would end up with them there in the center of Burma.

Shortly afterwards I receive another call; it was Brigadeiro's colleague, who also asked me out that day. When I said I couldn't go, that I had already arranged with the people in town, I noticed that he was upset by his voice.

- Damn it! But what are you going to do in this city there Saturday night?

- I don't know, and that's what I'm going to know. Not to mention that they are my friends. I like their company.