Great News!

 

Brazil has eradicated the corona virus! Maybe not the whole country, just São Paulo. Isn´t that the news of the year? Whether it is fake or not, it certainly feels like it.

Up until last week, the hospital beds were full; people dying in the hospital corridors and families grieving their departed. Now, all of a sudden everything has gone back to prior to corona. Malls reopening, street stores reopening, restaurants reopening, people roaming the streets without their masks on and most of all, reuniting and partying. Reopening because Mother´s Day is around the corner and store owners are complaining that they are not making money. Not that these rules prior to this weekend were being followed to the core anyway.

This weekend the noise coming from the local bars was insanely loud and not only that, but horns were also being honked in a symphony to shut up those who started complaining and to celebrate the end of an epidemic. In my simplicity, I still thought the curfew hadn´t been lifted. If so, at least that is what I had read in the newspaper, then how were those people gathered and partying. All night long, as Lionel Richie would say. I wouldn´t be surprised if that song started playing. It was the vibe that was seeping through my window. “We´re gonna have a party, all night long, all night, all night.” Thank you Mr. Richie, now that song is playing in my head and most probably will be playing “all day long, all day, all day”.  

Some days I feel like I have been left behind in a city infested by this virus and no one else can catch it but me. People are still perishing. People are still getting ill. People are still hurting. Is it that hard to understand that this is a world issue? Is it that hard to have faith that this will pass eventually if everyone just does what needs to be done? Is it so amazingly difficult to realize that if we do what has to be done now, we will be able to gather in the near forthcoming, or whenever that is – near or far? I don´t think so.

 

Written : April 25, 2021

 

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THE BILL

 

Placed under doormat which does not read welcome.

A puff of wind so strong blowing it towards the middle of the hallway.

Neighbor finds it and returns it to the door mat.

Once again, the wind blows, the bill flies onto the neighbor´s mat.

It is as if it does not want to stay put.

 

A few days go by.

On her way out, the neighbor places half of it under the door of its rightful owner.

As she waits for the elevator, the poor bill is pulled in with so much violence.

She jumps and prays for the elevator to reach its destination.

A roar comes from within the apartment sounding like a beast awakening.

Perhaps because the bill is overdue.

After all it was not the first time that it had blown towards the other door.

Maybe it is being overcharged.

Utility prices have been skyrocketing lately.

The roar was dreadful, violent, full of hatred.

Transmitting the energy of its owner.

 

The poor bill,

Neglected and torn to pieces.

At last, the elevator arrives.

 

Written: April 23, 2021

 

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the cute little old man

 

 

the cute little old man

carrying his shopping bags

while walking down the street

wearing his mask

cheerfully looking around

 

the cute little old man

little due to the shrinkage

wrinkling of the body

as time goes by

 

the cute little old man

although wearing his mask,

happiness could be seen

through his shining love-filled eyes

 

the cute little old man

happy because he could walk

delighted because he could see

pleased because he could carry his bags

 

the cute little old man

noticed that I was staring

looked at me, nodded

as saying good day Madam

 

the cute little old man

made my day!

written: April 22, 2021

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The Blood Roses

 

The magnificent red roses had wilted all of overnight. The water had been changed the day before and they seemed to be in good health, as if they had a few more days ahead to brighten up that barren room.

A month had gone by since he had packed up and left. The big red roses had been given to her as a gift by a dear friend who knew how much suffering was overshadowing that house. It hadn´t stopped raining indoors nor outdoors since he had moved.

On that morning she managed to put on an outfit that brought out the color of her eyes - blue. She put on her make up and seemed to smile back at the sorrowful woman who was staring back at her in the mirror – blue was pulsating.

In the car on the way to the office, the light turned red, she stepped on the brakes. Not noticing that her window was partway open, she was startled when a man selling roses walked to her window and asked whether she was interested in buying his roses. She jumped in her seat. “No, thank you”, she politely answered.

He reached in a sweet way to comfort her for he noticed her fear. “Don´t worry beautiful lady. If you do not buy any, some one else will. I always go home empty handed”, he said rubbing her right cheek with his left hand in a sign to calm her apprehension.

The light turned green, nervously she rolled up her window and drove off. She was relieved that nothing happened because that traffic light was the most dangerous one in the city.

Sweat was pouring down her face. She was somewhat nervous because she was going back to work after the breakup. How were her colleagues going to treat her? She wondered.

As soon as she parked her car, she opened the door and noticed that her secretary was staring at her in a state of shock. Ok here we go, she thought. “Move over, let me drive”, the secretary cried. “What are you talking about?” “Look in the mirror!”.

Horrified, her right cheek had been cut open with a thin razor blade.

 

Written: April 20, 2021

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Am I Going Insane?

 

These days have been dim. Individuals are startled about tomorrow. However, tomorrow has never been promised. We can hope for it, wish for it and even believe in it. But then again, tomorrow is just an imaginary word. A land that suddenly becomes today or yesterday. Little children sometimes refer to it as the day not today. Stop and listen to how children from 2 to 5 talk about time. What is clear in their minds is today. They live for the present, now, the moment.

When I started thinking about this text, I wanted to talk about what has been happening in my country. I say it proudly, it has beautiful places to visit and the diversity of the peoples is outstanding. I wanted to start off on a positive note. I am rattling my brain to find one. Perhaps that I am alive and typing the muffled ideas in my mind.

Tomorrow is what I started talking about, however, what I really wanted to talk about is yesterday. Well, here goes. Last night the president of my country (who will be referred to as so-and-so in this text) spoke on national radio and tv. It has been a while since I have watched national tv. I read in the paper this morning that his address was full of lies. He has started his reelection campaign. Anyhow, as he was speaking, people went to their windows to bang on pots and pans in a sign of protest against him. I include myself in this act of protest. Nonetheless, while the noise of the tin grew louder, there was a woman in the middle of the street near my building, screaming at the top of her lungs for him to stay and how lovely he was. Her voice seemed to stand out because she was the only one saying the opposite of what everyone else was yelling. The others as if in a choir were yelling leave, go away; she yelled stay.

She did catch my attention as I stood at my window. When I spotted her, she was reminded me of an angry mother bear trying to protect her cub. If other people agreed with her, they were quietly hiding behind the curtains in their homes. Not her though. She was out there in the middle of the street marching us and down, flapping her arms in the air, crying and howling. So-and-so stay! So-and-so is lovely! So-and-so is helping the country.

As I was lying down waiting to fall asleep, I could still hear her voice. My brain started to find arguments to support her, but there were none. With everything that has been happening in my country. Just to list them would make me fall off the ledge into the pit of depression.

I realize that this text seems a bit confusing, guess that it is the effect that I want it to have. A representation of the ideas floating around in my mind. Am I going insane that there are people still blind to what is happening? Could they be right? Might I be wrong? Stuck in the matrix, better yet, this nightmare. When will it end?

Written: March 26, 2021

 

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