Age Does Not Matter

Today I had the pleasure to meet and talk with Dona[1] Rita, an 83-year-old lady who lives alone with her pets in a house in the neighborhood and has her nails done by the same person who does mine. Because of the rain on this day, she arrived early and sat beside me.

My manicurist greeted her saying - Gatosa [2]Hello! Then she explained to me that gatosa  was her way of calling her like sexy lady. And so I was introduced to Dona  Rita.

We talked about her pets (Rita has a dog and a parrot) and she told me how she had found her dog, a Fox Terrier, in a box 14 years ago with a piece of wire wrapped around its neck and covered in blood. According to her, she way on her way home inside a taxi stopped at a traffic light when she heard terrible cries. She asked the taxi driver to stop to check. She had him drive her home to pick up a towel and returned to the spot to rescue the animal. After taking the dog to the vet, she took it home.

Dona Rita also told me about her great friend Sandrinha[3] that is 100 years old and is very elegant, has a flat belly, takes the bus everywhere she goes and only wears high heels. She said that one day she was at the newsstand talking to the salesperson when Sandrinha walked by and greeted her: -Hey granny! The salesperson then asked which of the two was older. Rita replied that Sandrinha was a 100 years old and she was only 83. Rita asked Sandrinha where she was going in a red dress and red high heels. Sandrinha smiled and replied – I’m going to flirt with the boys downtown.

I really enjoyed listening to the stories Dona Rita told me. Every time I said Dona Rita, she asked me to just call her Rita  I tried to explain that this way due to my upbringing  and that for me it was very difficult to call a person her age only on a first name bases , but I promised  would try.

Dona Rita, a gatosa 83-year-old woman who has her nails and toes painted red at the same beauty parlor I go to. Proof that happiness and vivacity does not depend on age.

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This story was originally written in Portuguese and posted on the website Tomate Poema in the beginning of 2013. http://tomatepoema.com.br/cronicas/idade-nao-importa/

copyright ©2013 - Todos os direitos reservados a Meire Marion.

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[1] Dona = Portuguese for madam.

[2] Gatosa = Gato ( cat in Portuguese ) + Gostosa ( sexy in Portuguese)

[3] In Portuguese adding the suffix `inha or inho’ to a person’s name is a sweet way of calling that person.