January 19, 2013
A youthful Richard Gere is the best example I can come up
with to describe Leo, the car mechanic who is here bent over (oh my!) juggling
around under Denise’s hood…doesn’t that sound racy? About time I had something
to focus on other than my dreaded lookout for the yellow Correios van! I
remember Leo from years back when he gave me over-the-top Bug repair estimates.
Could never justify the extra expense despite the cute tush. Nothing
extraordinary about his personality, I recall, yet makes me sigh in dashed
hopes nonetheless. He married and has a beautiful home in Lagoa now. His knife
hacked hair doesn’t take away from those soft brown eyes, creamy olive skin,
hint of yesterday’s mustache and bright straight teeth. A simple t-shirt and
nylon drawstring shorts, havaianas slung on his feet and a glaring gold wedding
band mark his place in my new memory bank for future reference.
Just tracked a box on USPS.com and it is being sent back to
the sender since the address was incorrect…oh boy. How discouraging. I didn’t
realize just how heightened my sense of anticipation, fully attentive and aware
until the slightest noise from the street made me start in expectation. Living
in the future of joy, such a silly thing like a child thinking about Christmas
and the unattainable undetermined pleasurable lumps propped under the tree. Hadn’t realized just how much it owned me…considering
what I could possess that was inaccessible here in Brasil. Acceptance is the
only outcome.
Nerdy computer hacker showed up at the gate to work on the
numerous uncooperative devices. White izod shirt, baggy burmudas and thick
black unattractive glasses parked on his stubby nose, Bluetooth in his right
ear, sensible sandals with Velcro straps are well matched to his pitched voice.
Pockmarked face takes me in, a rush of a glance and past me to the doorway he
seems eager to be in the company of electronics rather than establishing stilted
painful small talk with me. Can’t say I blame him since I do not know any of
the terminology in English let alone Portuguese! Shocked by the consuming noise
of the vacuum cleaner as he goes to work on the hard drive…with my luck I would
have sucked up half the room including the computer innards. Oh well, guess he
knows what he’s doing…
Leaving books behind for Denise’s American friend that I
have consumed since arriving December 15th; The Bridge at Andau by Michener (story
of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956,) The Five People You Meet in Heaven,
A Reliable Wife by Goolrick (recommended!) Dress Your Family in
Corduroy and Denim by Sedaris (yes!) Weep No More My Lady by Clark, Tolstoys’
War and Peace, The Postmistress by Sarah Blake (also liked very
much) and onto One Breath at a Time Buddhism and the Twelve Steps by
Kevin Griffin which I am revisiting since I have the time.
Taelor and I have a Skype date which she is standing me up
for a much deserved nap between shifts at Dunn Bros. Working her way through
her astronomical medical bills. Welcome to adulthood!
Gotta run, Leo alias Richard is scooting under the body of
the car…
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