Soccer – World Cup

 

Brazil is known as the soccer country. Many awesome players from the past started off their careers in Brazil, however, the really good ones move on to European teams so as to increase their income. While some of them increase their income, others also increase their egos and then when they come to play a World Cup match, they forget that they're playing for the sake of playing and not just for the money that they're making. I do not have to state names because everybody knows what I think about one of our players that the only thing he does is fall down or get hurt.

It's World Cup season out of season, end of the year, Christmas is approaching, the school year also ending - so much to do so much to do - and the World Cup is underway. Funny how people get together to cheer for a nation and it is so important to win the game. The traditional shirt is yellow and green or green and yellow, whichever way you prefer to say it, however, for four years this shirt has been attached to the horrible government that we are under. I myself do not have the courage hitherto to wear my yellow and green soccer shirt to watch a match. There are blue and white ones, too. I just wear an army green T-shirt and blue and yellow accessories to represent the Brazilian flag.

Although the elections were fair and democratic, the people who follow the government or better yet the president who's on his way out, praise him as if he were a myth. I've been thinking about this recently and I can't understand how people believe his lies and I'm not just saying that to say it out of spite. You just have to look around. There are more homeless people everywhere; prices at the supermarket have skyrocketed and I'm not talking about special products that are always expensive, I'm talking about the everyday rice and beans that people need to eat. It's hard for me to accept the fact that the people who believe in this president, who's on his way out, do you not see what's happening around in their own cities, in their own neighborhoods.

These blind followers blame everything on the government that was or shall I say, the president who will start his government as of January 1^st, 2023. Hopefully this situation in the country will start to get better, I do realize that it's going to take a lot of work and the president who is on his way out of office is not going to go so easily; he has disappeared from his social medias and even from the cameras. In addition to not even taking place in the transition phase from one government to the other.

Nonetheless, it is the World Cup and everybody is just happy to cheer for our country. It's as if there is no problem going on; as if there's no COVID and who cares if the numbers are rising large groups of people are getting together to cheer on the soccer team; close together and hugging each other with no masks on and just helping the numbers rise. But, of course, what is important is that Brazil wins the World Cup. The rest does not matter.

 Written: December 8, 2023

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Everything I know about soccer I learned from my Father

 

This is the first World Cup game that I am watching ever since my dad passed; Brazil´s very first game is against Serbia. As soon as the national anthem started playing the tears started rolling down my cheeks with so much saudades - Saudades is a word in Portuguese which is not translated in any other language.  It is a noun which means that you really miss someone or something and at this moment, while I was standing in my TV room singing the national anthem, as my dad and I always used to do, I realize how much I miss him. Don't get me wrong! I think about my father every day, it's just that all the 1st events hurt or are more painful than the others for example, the first Christmas, the 1st birthday, the first family gathering, the first Sunday dinner without his presence, and so on hurt much more than the second and 3rd and 4th … however this is the first real soccer World Cup games that I I'm watching without him since his passing in 2017.

The World Cup in 2018 was in Russia and the time zone or time schedule for me was not applicable therefore, I didn't bother to watch the games and I guess that I did not want to watch the games without my father's presence. Nevertheless, this time it's hitting me hard because of my emotional state I'm crying more. As I'm watching the game, I am speaking to my father as if he were watching the game with me.

You know, when people meet me, they judge that I might not know much about soccer, but dad taught me a lot. It makes me proud that I learned my lesson. It's funny how I still have the habit of yelling at the TV believing that the words that I'm saying is reaching the coach telling him who to whom with and also yelling at the players that whoever is on the left is free; things like, kick the ball, pass the ball to the guy, don't be so egoistic as to wanting to make the goal, just play the play, no! get the ball out of there… These things that I yell at the TV just like my father used to do. When Brazil makes a goal, there is jumping, there is screaming but that is like for what 15 seconds and then it's back to concentrating on the game.

Boy, do I miss him or as we would say in Portuguese: “aí que saudade!”

 Written: November 24, 2022

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Break a leg, “Merda”, Goodbye

The other day I was thinking about some expressions and their translations from English to Portuguese, especially because it's the end of the year and a lot of people are putting on shows. The expression that I'm talking about is what to wish someone who's going to step on a stage. You can't say good luck because then they believe that that will bring them bad luck. However, I looked up the expression and break a leg which means good luck does not mean that we want anybody to break a leg, but it is rooted to the theater community which is known to be superstitious so if you wish somebody good luck actually, you're wishing them bad luck so by wishing them to break a leg you're wishing them a flawless performance. It was around 1939 that people started using the expression break a leg.

Now, in Brazil, we wish people Merda which is translated to feces. It originally comes from French merde which in the 19th century people used to either go to the theater in wagons or on their horses. Therefore, if you saw a lot of horse manure in front of the theater, it meant that there were a lot of people in the theater watching the show, considered to be very successful one.

I have also read an account about man who to perform his first play and on the way to the theater stepped on poop. Getting there he didn't have to time to clean his shoes or change them, so he went directly on the stage and performed an incredible character, therefore you also have the superstition stepping on poop is good luck.

Another expression that I read about or heard about was the word goodbye written good-by, good-bye, good by, goodbye, believe it or not, all the forms of spelling are accepted. But the most popular is goodbye. Goodbye is actually a contraction of God be with you which is what people used to say in 1573 and it was registered as Godbwye short for God be with ye. Throughout the years this has changed and because of the influence of for such expressions as good day or good evening, people started saying goodbye. W also have this expression here in Brazil and it could be Adeus, Deus te acompanhe, the latter one still is used nowadays which literally means God be with you, but it is mostly used by religious people. The most common expression for goodbye in Portuguese is tchau pronounced chow.

Written: November 25, 2022

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On my way to school this morning…

 

As I stopped at the red light, I noticed many police cars with the red lights spinning and alerting people that something was going on. I also noticed a big moving truck with three strong men that looked like they were going to carry in the merchandise that was being taken from this house on the corner.

The police were telling the people in the house to come out with their and as the light turned green, I saw that it was a woman and three little children who couldn't have been older than five. They were coming out carrying some bags and their backpacks. Nobody looked happy. The very long faces made me wonder whether they had anywhere to go. There was also an Asian man standing to the right talking to a police officer who was writing things down perhaps for the report that he would have to fill out as soon as he got back to the station.

As I was driving to school, I kept thinking about the scene. Perhaps it was an empty house and this woman and her family or other families might have invaded it to live there because it was a pretty large corner house with two floors. Therefore, it seemed to be quite large. I kept thinking of how this house must have been vacant for several months or years and these people who were homeless decided to take shelter in this home, however, if the house was closed up, of course they had invaded the property.  Not having a place to live when you have children under 5, you do what you have to do to give them shelter and protect them from the rain and the cold. It made me think of some actions that could be taken by owners of buildings that are abandoned and closed out for many years.

Some thoughts that crossed my mind:  they could make a deal with the family and let them stay there until they need the place for whatever they are going to do with the house; even if they sell it to be knocked down, so a building could be put up.

This idea made me realize how many houses and buildings were closed on my way to school and if the owners make some deals allowing people to live in the place, possibly it would be better taken care of. The people living there could pay for electricity and water and try to regain their confidence and finding a job while also preserving the home and having shelter for their family members. I'm not one to judge and that's not my job here but I'm trying to see how people can help others.

Perchance, I would do this if I had an abandoned building because I keep thinking of all the people that I see sleeping on the streets, just suffering from the cold, the rain and the heat having nowhere to go.

As I drove on, I couldn´t get the scene off my mind. What were they going to do now? Where are they going to go? Perhaps, these kids by living in this house were going to school while the mother was trying to make ends meet to put some food on the table. It was sad though to see all those policemen taking these people out of the house. I do realize it's a private property. I do realize that these people did invade the place and perhaps the owner even did speak to them politely asking them to leave and perhaps they didn't want to leave.

Anyhow, it was just something that I was thinking about on my morning commute. Nowadays, there many people are homeless; the numbers have increased in the past four years due to several factors, including the government, the pandemic, businesses bellying up and other people who just abandoned everybody so that they could save their money for the future. But the future isn´t in our hands, is it?

Sometimes you save your money your entire life, then when you die. Either the money just stays in the bank or goes to your family members who have never even called you up to see how you were doing.

Lots of thoughts this morning and it might sound judgmental, but I don't know the word but just a thought so many other serious things happening in this city and here they are worrying about the private house.

 Ah, for instance, something they could worry about fixing: when I was driving, I went by a hole that has been there for at least six months. It's becoming part of the avenue and perhaps when they fix it up, if they ever do, it will be missed. Every morning you have to go around the hole causing traffic jams or causing traffic accidents.

There are other more serious issues in the city like the increase in crime. A week ago, my building was invaded by criminals; underaged boys dressed in school uniforms who had access to the gates. They had hacked the tag used to open the gates, so they got in no questions asked. They used the service elevator which serves all four apartments. They went to the last floor and started coming down the stairs where there are no cameras. The condominium administration is still talking about putting cameras in the stairway which makes me wonder if and when or ever this will happen. Nonetheless, a few weeks before this incident, a neighbor and I decide to put up our own camera in the hall. Actually, there is a smile you're being filmed sign in the hall, alerting people they're being filmed but there were no cameras - as if that would scare people away. Even with cameras we don't scare people away. Anyhow they went down up until the 15th floor by the stairs and they tried to break in some apartments. They also took pictures of the doors probably to bring in better equipment to break in some other day. I came to know that a few of my neighbors have bulletproof doors and it just made me wonder how many expensive things there are in these apartments. I think that one of the most valuable things that I have are my cats and my life, of course. Since I'm at work all day, my cats are alone and if somebody breaks in, of course they're not going to go through the trouble of closing the door on their way out and I'm afraid that the cats will be frightened and run out.

It's very hard to participate in discussions about what to do with the dwellers of my building. There was even a person who lives in my building that said that we should all have guns and just shoot down these kids, these robbers, thieves, burglars whatever you want to call them. That would be so easy, wouldn't it? Just shoot them down. OK, so what about the kids in the building who do go to the same school and wear the same uniform? Do they have to wear bulletproof vests because this crazy neighbor might just shoot them down? I guess I'm just rambling on because this happened on the 18th today is the 27th of October.

On Monday, when I finally turned on my cell phone there were 309 WhatsApp messages from the people who live in my building asking for some explanation and details of what happened; posting pictures of the thieves… (luckily the camera that my neighbor and I own did not have any pictures of the suspects it did have me though leaving the house at 6:00 AM and coming back at 5:00 PM then I thought hey not bad I look good on camera)

Anyhow, it is what it is. One day at a time as I say and try to keep your head up of course. If everybody did what they have to do, the world would be a better place. Times are rough and now I'm starting to ramble on, so I'll just end it here. Thanks for reading.

 

Written: October 27, 2022

Photo: Meire Marion

Fantasy World

 

                As I am home resting so that my pain can seize a bit until it is tolerable to go back to work, I am rewatching the Harry Potter movies – all of them. I just happened to turn on the TV and there was a marathon showing. It is a great way to escape from the real world from time to time. HP is a story about true friendship and fighting against evil for the greater good. There are funny moments, sad moments, and even some scary moments – they get me all the time.

                With all the stress that came along with the weekend – presidential elections; spending the day with mom at the ER; driving around the city with all the crazy people – my pain seems to have increased. My doctor always says that I need to live a stress-free life. I aways question him how to do that. No answer, unfortunately.

                Could I have spent the day reading? Could I have watched something else? Could I have slept all day? Sure, I could have done all of that. However, just letting my mind rest by watching this enchanting world, allowed me to get the rest I needed.

Written: October 31, 2022

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Just a thought...

 

                Blindness When your vision is 20/20 is perhaps the worst kind. According to science, when you lose one of your senses, the others become more powerful. However, in this case, if your eyes are working well, your other senses have not strengthened although you are blind to what is happening around you.

                A view depending on where you are looking from is your view; therefore, everyone’s got a different point of view. But how can you explain why so many people believe in their point of view is more important than another´s. What makes your point more accurate as the other´s?

                Sharing our points without trying to make the other see what you see is one possibility. Not judging the other person would be another because everyone sees with their upbringing, background and experience.

                Perhaps, we should all try to see with our hearts and minds and not with our eyes.

Written: October 30, 2022

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A GRAND EVENT TAKING OVER THE WORLD

 

         The alert had been activated, people were hurriedly trying to find a safe place to hide to just protect themselves and family members. A group of students and I had found an old hut in the middle of the forest. It looked rundown and for sure no one would look for us there. No one had mentioned what we were running away from- we just ran. It is peculiar how the human being tries to save his life when he knows that one day, we will all die. Guess, that it is just that no one wants to be tortured to death.

Inside the hut, under the staircase as soon as you walked in, just three steps, there was an extremely low moan that my ears picked up. One of the students held a bat while I lifted the board that was covering the hole. An old beat-up man jumped out screaming “They are coming. They are coming.” He scared the bejesus out of us, and we fell backwards onto the floor. It was difficult to calm him down to question him about who they were. “Sir, who are you talking about?” He had no time to answer. As he shrieked, his shaking finger pointed to the doorway as a gigantic red furry spider - similar to tarantulas but larger - crawled in; not only one, but quite a few. “Them,” squealed the old man.

The spider quickly devoured the old man. There was nowhere to hide or run. We were each bitten by a spider but unlike the old man, we just fell into a deep sleep.

When we awoke, we were in a nearby city. It looked like a regular city and people were going on with their business. Since I was a teacher, I was taken to a classroom and instructed to do my job. It was stronger than me. I wanted to question what was happening but instead, I just taught a lesson and the students miraculously participated and did what was asked of them.

During dinner time, the whole town gathered at a community kitchen where we were served red meat and water to drink. My desire to eat that almost raw red meat surprised me because up until the day before, I was a vegetarian. However, that red meat surely hit the spot and satisfied my needs.

After dinner, we were led to our rooms. The evening was very painful for everyone´s body transformed into gigantic red spiders. However, in the morning, we had returned to our human state.

         In the morning, I woke up with a growling stomach and parched in addition to very painful joints and bones. Guess that being transformed into a spider was not a dream after all.

         Breakfast was served at the community kitchen, so was lunch and dinner. However, ever the city had changed. It seemed like we were in another place. How this happened beats me. There was no time for me to make sense of the whole situation and, in fact, no one was available to talk about it. All meals were red meat and water.

         My job was to teach. I did notice that there were newer students and some of the ones that had been in the classroom the day before were missing. No questions were to be asked. However, I noticed that after dinner, we transformed into other creatures, for instance, hamsters, cats, dogs and so on. Each day this happened, and, in the morning, we woke up in a different city.

         As meat was scarce, there was a voluntary butcher shop where people were slaughtered so that the rest of us could be fed. You could tell people were disappearing, so you weren't sure if there were experiments going on or if people had become dinner that night. Surely what I could feel was the painful transformation.

         Tired of doing the same thing, eating the same thing and not being able to just enjoy life, I was drawn to the butcher shop. I couldn´t understand why though. It was as if some magnetic force was pulling me inside. I should have known that this day would come. I was to be that evening’s dinner. Waiting in the line, it was as if I had been freed from the spell that I was under. To my horror, controlling everything there were tiny gray creatures with bright purple eyes escorting people into a gigantic hole.

 

Written: October 1, 2022 (Based on a dream.)

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THE TRAP

 

The laws have been lifted. As the pandemic has been eradicated, people are free to do whatever their hearts content.

It had been years since hopping on a plane and enjoying the beauties of life and nature was possible. She packed her bags and headed to Greece, a place that had always been on her list of things to do and places to visit before you die. Excitement could finally be seen on her face for a mask did not need to be worn any longer, nonetheless, she had learned to read people´s expressions through their eyes. As they say: the eyes are the door to the soul.

Arriving there it was a dream come true;  sceneries , crystal clear water, picturesque islands, beautiful people dressed in white so that their tans stand out, and most had relaxed complexions. Her anxiety built as she reached the hotel where she would be spending these glory days.

Although she could not speak Greek, she managed to befriend a family from her own country who had moved there several years ago. However, being foreigners, they never had the chance to buy a house, so they just ended up buying a hotel room. It makes sense to do so - there is always someone to tidy up your room and meals are prepared for you.

During one of the parties at a nearby hotel, she felt alone and abandoned because she couldn't find her way around.  Despite having been there for a few weeks, she had not met anyone she could befriend. The party was not too exciting, so she decided to look for the family and hitch a ride back to the hotel. Sadly, there was no room in their car but, nonetheless, being resourceful, kind and helpful, they managed to find her an Uber driver who spoke her language.

Sparks flew as the stranger spoke to her and demonstrated some kind gestures such as gently touching her arm; touching her hand she had never been in a situation like this for her this was totally new. How could she be falling for a stranger who she knew nothing about his background? Could it have been since during the pandemic she had kept herself away from everyone- family included? The desire to be touched and hugged was bursting at the seams.

When he stopped the car in front of the hotel, he leaned forward and said with those tender lips that there was no charge because her presence and company were priceless. She automatically leaned forward as if he were a magnet drawing her towards him. She couldn´t resist the temptation, she needed to taste those luscious lips and kissed him. She had never done this before and always waited to be kissed. A whole new door was opening right before her eyes. She was the one that wanted much more from this man. She was hungry for love; she was hungry to be loved; to make love- simply have sex.

Her body burned with desire. Breaking her moral rules imposed on her through her religious upbringing, she invited him up to her room. They couldn´t hold out and sparks were flying in the elevator as it reached the floor where her room was situated. It felt so right. What could go wrong?

When they passionately hugging and kissing entered to room, they were surprised with another couple in her room. The Uber driver spoke to the couple, angrily and frustrated, as if he knew them. The couple angrily left the room but “Zeus”, as she had nicknamed him in her mind, looked even more scrumptiously delicious.  Was it a trap? All she wanted was sex.

Dizziness took over, she stumbled to bed, a feeling off torture and pleasure took over. She had fallen in this trap but overtaken by a wave of pleasure.

 

August 16, 2022 (Based on a dream)

 

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1:30 a.m.

 

pain, exhaustion, confusion

 

at 6:30 PM a wave of exertion hits.

 

shower, dinner, TV, reading, Morpheus calls

 

turbulence strikes as demons are battled in a fictional but could- be- real dream

 

mental screen polluted by newsflashes of the world today.

 

the fight is fierce seems like this could be a delusional fever

 

- temperature 35.7 at 10:00 PM.

 

fall asleep once again.

 

more scenes of people you know, who want to change the world,

 

but delegate the tasks to someone else, just in case, the law comes knocking at the door;

 

be it the judicial law or the morality law.

 

the body needs to cool.

 

the head needs to calm down.

 

Ideas, thoughts, the events of the day

 

need to be flushed  

 

- temperature 35.4 12 AM

 

toss and turn, check messages, respond to some

 

head still ringing

 

body aches

 

insomnia hits.

 

1:00 AM

 

get out the notebook to jot down the massive mess going on inside

 

the war between emotion and reason causes the neck to ache.

 

the ultimate quest is peace:

 

peace of mind,

 

peace of heart,

 

peace of soul.

 

thus how?

 

August 9, 2022 

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How many times?

 

How many times does a person need to get fired to get used to it?

How come when you are called to the boss´s office you are never told the truth about why they are letting you go?

Why do they just tell you that “you don't fit the profile any longer”?

So many questions come bundled up in the turmoil of emotions. The tears don't even form because it isn´t the first, second or third time that this has happened to you. You worked so hard at being part of the group.You shared your know-how from the heart not expecting anything in return.

After being fired, it dawned on you that you were just being used by the company. They sucked out all your tricks to the trade and simply threw you in the street after the younger and new employees, who get paid way less, had acquired the tools to do what you did.

In fact, these tools were given to them by you just to make the work that needed to be done flow better. However, your ideas were sucked out of you by a bunch of vampires and your bloodless body was thrown away with a simple “you do not fit the profile any longer”.

Until when will this situation go on?

Written: June 29, 2022 ( For my dear friend who lost her job today. )

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Venting in 2022

 

All of this just pains me. My eyes release salty water because my heart bleeds each and every day.

Each day whoever turns on the TV or opens a newspaper which is reeking with blood sees death and injustice in most of the reports.

If it's not a person who is has been shot by a lost bullet, it's a person who has committed suicide at 13 in a school bathroom for reasons unknown to the adults who forget that being an adolescent is not simple.

Two men who knew too much were eliminated as they adventured in the rainforest looking for information for a new novel. A wonderous place where they had been before along these fifteen years. Could it have been witness-elimination? It wouldn´t amaze me.

A father who sexually abused and murdered his two children while his wife just sat there and watched.  

Prices increase. Unemployment increases. Violence increases. Poverty increases. It is definitely easier to turn the other way making believe that you are blind to everything that's happening around you. Continue to live in your bubble while people living on the streets are freezing in the low temperatures; homeless people who don't know where their next meal is coming from; young children being abused and killed; people being killed because of skin color, religious beliefs, political positions, sexual preferences, gender, the list goes on and on.

People dying in vain.

People dying because of another's intolerance.

People dying due to the lack of compassion.

People dying because of other´s selfishness in not wearing a mask.

People dying due to a genocide government.

People dying because there is no love.

Fight and do what is right.

Stand up for what is right.

In this day and age, how do we know what right is?

Values and morals are twisted.

People suffering because they love and appreciate things other than people.

Where did the “do unto others” go?

Where is the love?

Written: June 13, 2022

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Trying to Understand

 

Dealing with change is not an easy thing to do.

At first, your whole world shatters especially, when you were not part of the decision.

It was made for you and now you must deal with it.

You need to adapt to someone else´s idea, which was not studied, or the end results which were not discussed.

Why can't people just work together as a team?

Why can't people accept that just because you have a little more power and are at the top, are not better than those who are below them?

Funny how people in high positions do not worry about the mental health of those who need to adapt to the changes over night which they have implanted.

Funny how those people easily forget that they are in that high position because they were placed there by those whose lives they are messing up with.

Funny how these people show no gratitude nor compassion.

Perhaps their plan is to destroy it all instead of growing and improving.

Perhaps their main objective is only money, income, dough, the green.

Perhaps they are just plain evil.

 

Written: June 13, 2022

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Change

 

change is hard to deal with

at the first moment it's scary

the floor cracks open in impressive width

the abyss you fall into is a crazy

 

change is difficult to face

more so, if it comes from the top down

the words are expressed without a trace

as you read the message you feel like a clown

 

change may be hard

however tough it can be,

in the end we get used to it

ultimately, all the anger is set free

 

written: June 13, 2022

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In and out of Love

 

The same way you fall in love, you fall out of love. Isn't love supposed to be something that lasts forever? At least that is what the vows say exchanged on your wedding day say: till death do us part. However, many people part before death. It was no different in this relationship of seven years.

Work took a toll into late hours, they had to move in with their relatives because they couldn't afford to live on their own due to cut in wages and the economic crisis in the country. In fact, she didn't mind living with his family because when she arrived home food was prepared, the house was cleaned, and she was able to rest a bit before dinner. Nonetheless, she did manage to make it a point of doing their laundry. The husband, however, always managed to always arrive late. By the time he got home, he had already had dinner somewhere. Every night she was propped up in bed reading waiting for him to arrive. Although the fire in the marriage was close to extinguishing, she still had hopes of rekindling the flame.

Her in-laws kept her pretty entertained, especially her husband's younger brother who was interested in reading more. Perhaps it was because he would always see her reading. She would read while everyone was watching the soap opera on TV. She would be sitting in a corner devouring books. The brother- in-law was intrigued and always asked her what the stories were about, and she really enjoyed talking about the books and encouraged him to read a couple. “You only read thick books. I don't think I have the patience for that.”  “You can start with a shorter one. I'm sure that eventually you will be interested in reading a thick one. Besides you just have to get into the habit of reading- the more you read the more you want to read.” “Do you think you could recommend one for me to start?” “Sure! I'll be happy to. I will select a few and you see which ones you would like to read or read them all.” He was grateful and she was happy to be of help.

One evening her husband arrived early. She was so busy trying to pick out some books for her brother -in- law that she didn't notice when the husband walked in the room. “Oh, hi! You´re home early?” “Quick we must get ready because my boss and his wife are coming over for dinner tonight. I had already advised my mother about it,so she's setting up the dining room for us…” “But how come you didn't tell me? I could have helped her and besides I´ve already eaten.” “Well, it doesn't matter you can eat again, just get into something more elegant and make yourself presentable.” That was such a weird comment after all she was wearing jeans and a new red blouse, which she had been complimented on all day long at work. She looked at herself in the mirror and kind of thought that she was presentable, after all, he should have given her a heads up. Since she was trying to be on good terms with him and not to make him more upset  than he already was, she decided to put on a nice dress, nothing too fancy but continued arranging or selecting the books for her brother- in- law.

She decided to go to her brother -in- law´s rooms, leave them there with a note attached saying that he could keep them she didn't want them back. That night her brother-in-law would be in extremely late because he had a project to do for his school and was going to get together with his group to work on it.

On the way to his room, when she walked by the den (actually the den belonged to her father -in- law) she heard voices and peeked in through the half open door. As if like magic, all the pieces to the puzzle came together. Her husband and supposedly his boss´s wife where in each other’s arms hugging and kissing- too busy to notice that she was standing at the door. That was more heat than she had seen in the past couple of months.

She was jealous but at the same time it was more of a nostalgic feeling that hit her of the beginning of her relationship with her husband. He was a real charmer and pretty hot.  Deep down inside, though, she was relieved that she now had a reason to leave him. Nonetheless, she was broken hearted and felt like a failure.

“Hum hum!” she cleared her throat. Her husband turned around and turned as white as a ghost while his lover tried to pull the skirt of her dress down back into its place.

Calmly, the soon-to-be-divorced, betrayed woman slowly turned, went back into her room, took the biggest piece of luggage she could find and started packing her belongings. Prior to packing, she had locked the door because she knew her soon-to-be ex-husband would come in and try to stop her. After all he had to make a good impression on his boss, and he was probably terrified at what she could do.

All packed up and ready to go, she headed on her way out. She stopped by the kitchen and thanked the family for everything. By that time her brother- in- law had come home it seems like the study group had been cancelled, she told him she had put a pile of books on his bed and thanked him too. She walked by the dining room introduced herself to the boss with a very sturdy handshake, said goodbye to her husband and the boss´s wife- they were tongue tied. “Honey, my lawyer will call you early tomorrow morning. Have a good life.” The boss was perplexed and asked what had just happened? She looked at him, smiled and said “Ask your wife why her clothes are wrinkled. And ask my husband since when they were the same lipstick color.” Out the door she went, radiant, glamorous and with a wonderful smile on her face.

Written: June 13, 2022 (based on a dream)

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A Whistle

 

At the mini market prices are high and so is the tension in the air due to the fact that covid is spiking again therefore wearing a mask in closed places is a must. Apparently, the rebels refuse to wear one, they just make believe that they have not read or heard the latest news.

In this mini market it isn´t any different. There is a maskless man feel the fruit to select the ones that are ripe. A woman walks by, and he whistles twice. Every other one gives him a discriminating eye. How dare he whistle at a woman who walks by.

With a broad smile on his face, he continues to squeeze the fruit. This time he is facing the checkout counter and once again whistles twice. At each register there are woman paying for their goods. He grabs the fruit he wants to buy and heads to the checkout line.

At the checkout line there is a woman wearing a mask holding a tiny dog. He starts talking to her and asks to pet the small animal. She lets him however, she looks away whenever he opens his mouth to say something - he is not wearing a mask.

Once again, he whistles as the curious eyes follow his target. It is the woman´s other dog tied up waiting at the entrance to the minimarket.

All this time he was just playing with the pooch.

 

Written: June 7, 2022

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The Start of a New Friendship

 

         New student, shy, petite, and fragile, wearing her favorite hair ribbons and tremendously colorful ensemble.

          When she walks into the classroom all the hustle and bustle stops as her new fellow classmates watch her sit down at the first desk she lays her eyes on.

          Her body trembles as mostly words are thrown at her. “Look at those braids”. “My, my ribbons in her hair – how childish!” “What a weakling”.  “Bet you a bone can snap just with a hug”. She freezes in her seat as these comments reach her ears. She wishes she were invisible or at least that the teacher would appear to make them stop.

          To her luck, the one in charge is out sick, so they are waiting for the substitute teacher to arrive. The new girl tries to keep tears from rolling down her cheeks as the awful words turn into animal sounds.

          Suddenly the head of the class – the big bully- gets up and starts walking in the newbie´s direction. Tall, strong, wearing a blue top and blue and white striped pants. Nothing can knock her down until the class bursts out in a roar of laughter.

          The bully´s pants has become the American flag with a gigantic blotch of red.

          Losing her cool is not an option, neither is running. When the new girl sees what is happening, she courageously gets up, stands behind the bully covering her pants and whispers “keep on walking, I´ve got your back,” as they head towards the nearest restroom.

Written: June 1, 2022

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HEADING TOWARDS THE FALLS

  

No one has an ore

As the boat just floats

Down the river,

Heading towards the fall.

 

This is life, at the moment,

In all areas

Country, work and personal,

No one has the control.

 

Those in power are useless

They are sailing towards destruction

Mistake after mistake.

 

The police act as they please

Torturing innocent people

Based on skin color.

Will there ever be a stop to this?

 

Parents crying as they bury their little ones.

Fourth graders all shot one by one.

Empty beds,

Empty homes.

Rage and sorrow in so many hearts

Children who witnessed it all

Traumatized waiting for it to happen to them.

Instead of training teachers to improve teaching methods –

Gun drills: gather or spread out?

How to know which is beat?

Sorrow and grief stamped on their faces.

 

People missing

Lives abducted

Slaughtering those who are the first of the forests.

Destruction and death

Felling trees to make money

The root of all evil:

The money and the power

The power and the money

It has already been sung before.

 

Hunger and poverty

Rising on a daily basis

Bombs, attacks, raids, rapes

When will it all end?

Why is it all happening?

Greed, power, pleasure

In torturing and killing.

Defeat and conquer.

Conquer a destroyed country?

All of this is senseless

While specialist try to make

Some sense of out of it all.

 

The boats are just afloat,

Heading towards the falls.

 

Written: May 27, 2022

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