The Adam Boy

CHAPTER 36 - ANOTHER MOMENT ONLY MY - PART 2

On Monday as well as the rest of the week, I wanted to be at that moment alone. I went to one of the editing islands. In it was, as always, our publisher working on his supermachine, with his superprograms. I went to the TV screen on the other table and put a tape on the set and started watching the program to see if there was anything wrong. That was one of the most tedious and lonely jobs there. You have to watch the entire program, with as much attention as possible and not miss anything. It was a moment that nobody could disturb you, but it was the best job for the climate in which I was wanting: to stay there, without talking to anyone. The only thing that didn't help was the polar cold there with the air conditioning on.

I didn't want to hear Norman's screams, questions from interns, doubts from Alex or the other technicians. When the program was over, I still rolled up and returned parts, but knowing that I wouldn't think anything wrong.

When I get like this, I feel crazy, different wills. It seems that everything that is the same or everyday stresses me. So, I had called my mom and told her I was going to stay there in São Paulo tonight after I left college.

On Tuesday, already knowing that I wasn't going to work for the site that day, I had woken up very early, but really early: at 2 am But it wasn't because I was going to work, or because I had insomnia, but because I wanted to do something I had in mind.

I took a quick shower and ate something I found in the apartment's precarious closet. As was usual, I was already stressed, because waking up early makes me deeply stressed, imagine getting up early. But I felt the need to do what I wanted just to see reactions or draw new conclusions from my tireless search for human behavior.

I went down from the fifteenth to the lobby of the building and a silence dominated the place. Only the porter had given me a good sleepy and skeptical day when he saw me awake at that time, since, whenever I was there, he knew that I would only wake up after one in the afternoon.

I went out on the street and, as expected, it was deserted. Then I went to my destination, which was a bakery that, when I had seen it from a distance, I saw that the doors were still closed. But I expected this and was fully aware of the fact. I crossed the street and arrived at the closed door of the establishment ... And there I stayed ... I waited ... I listened to the machines that made breads and other pasta to be sold later. Everything was very quiet. I know I was running the risk of being mugged or something, because that is one of the main streets in São Paulo, and soon it would be busy with people coming from all sides going to their jobs.

Almost three o'clock in the morning, I saw a fat man approaching, walking with crooked legs, as if he was trying to move them because of the heavy weight of his body. The streetlights around the street beat against him and, as his steps approached, he felt like an alien who came close. I shrugged my shoulders because of the cold of dawn and continued in front of the closed bakery door. As he approached me, the owner of the establishment was slightly startled and stopped at a glance; it looked like he had seen a monster in front of him.

- What you want? he asked, almost turning his stout body to run at any moment.

"Good morning, Mr. Augusto," I said, still in the same position with my shoulders down and my hands in my pockets, as they were already frozen.

- Adam? - he was even more surprised. - What are you doing here this time?

- Nothing! Actually, I came here this time to say good morning to you and the people who are already working inside.

- Are you alright? he asked, turning his body slightly again, ready to escape any attack he might receive.

- I'm great. That's why I'm here.