"Darling... my heart is yours alone." "I don't care what you may have been." "I love you." "All the years that you are locked up in there remember that I too will be locked up out here waiting for you." "There's that guy who deceived me and I want to send him a letter." "Ze Amaro, thank you so much for what you've done to me." "I trusted you and you put a cheat on me." "Even the key to my apartment you took away." "Jesus." "You are the worst thing that ever happened to me." "I'm only writing because your son, Josue, asked me to." "I told him you were a good-for-nothing layabout, but even so, he wants to meet you." "The address?" "Jesus de Paiva." "Sitio Volta da Pedra." "Bom Jesus do Norte." "Pernambuco." "Next." "Dalva..." "Honey baby..." "Honey baby?" "To feel your body stuck to mine, flesh on flesh in that motel bed, our sweat mingling..." "I still feel..." "I still feel..." "Intoxicated." "That's it!" "Intoxicated." "I don't rightly know the address." "No use without the address." "Put this:" "the third house after the baker's." "Mimoso." "State of Pernambuco." "Cancanca, Bahia." "Carangola, Minas Gerais" "Country of Relho d'Agua" "Muzambinho, Minas Gerais" "Miss Dora." "How are you?" "All right." "See you tomorrow." "See you." "Irene..." "Irene..." "Hey Irene!" "What?" "Get yourself down here at once!" "Ok." "I think that shit has my age." ""The time has come... has come..."" "Sit down here!" ""It's the right time, the samba has begun..."" "Here we go again, Dora!" "I want to make it quite clear that I don't agree with this." "Come on!" "Help me with that one!" ""I saw your entry in the Lonely Hearts section of the classifieds and your description was the only one that interested me"." "He's made me write ten letters already all saying the same thing." ""I am tall..."" ""I have brown eyes, straight hair"" ""And I am a college graduate." "I am said to be good-looking"." "Actually, he's as ugly as sin." "What about the college education?" "He can't even write!" "Trash can?" "Trash can." ""Jesus, you're the worst thing that ever happened to me." "You could at least turn up to meet your son." "He's got it into his head that he wants to meet you"." "She said the boy wants to meet his drunkard of a father." "She's the one who wants her man back." "No." "Don't tear that one up." "What's that?" "The boy wants to meet his father." "It could bring the family back together again." "So what?" "Would you destroy that?" "The man's a drunk." "He probably used to beat her up." "But what about the boy?" "He'll be brought up without a father." "That's much better than living with a drunk who'd beat him up too." "It's decided." "Trash can." "It's your client's first letter?" "Exception." "I've had enough of this." "Dora, let's stop right now." "I'm leaving." "She's going to get beaten." "That's her problem." "You don't have the right to decide for her." "OK." "I will allow the letter to be put in the drawer." "The drawer, no." "The drawer, no." "You mail it tomorrow." "It's either the trash or the drawer." "If we agree, I'll mail it next week." "Liar!" "Those letters lie on hold for years." "Next week, I'll mail it." "Now, would you kindly sit down and get back to work?" "Sometimes you can be a real pain, you know." ""They say that lots of people go crazy during Carnival." "I'm one of them." "We both had a great time." "Now let's forget it"." "I love that one." "So you do?" "I do." "Very very much?" "I haven't heard from home in a long while now." "Do you think they get the letters I send?" "You know very well you can't trust the postal service here." "And anyway, they could have moved." "Do you really think so?" "That'll be a buck, Sergio." "See you soon, Miss Dora." "Bye!" "I sent a letter through you the other day." "Do you remember?" "Yes." "Did you mail it?" "I was going to today." "That's wonderful!" "I want you to tear it up and send another one." "I got too mad at Jesus." "Ok." "Let's go." "Jesus," "Josue, your son, wants to meet you." "Meet you... and wants to spend a few day with you in Bom Jesus." "Days..." "A few days with you." "Next month, I'll be on vacation and can take him there." "And I can get a chance to see Moises and Isaias..." "Moises and Isaias..." "You see, Miss," "I'd like to see the wretch here." "You've had so much experience." "What do you think I should say?" "How should I know?" "Please help me, Miss." "Look." "Why don't you think it over and come back some other time?" "You see, the truth is, I'm still hooked on him." "Jesus, I miss you so very much." "If only I could awake and see you beside me." "I pray that you will be the one to pluck out the last black hair from my head." "That's it!" "That's it!" "Wait for me, I'm coming." "Your..." "What was your name?" "Ana." "Ana." "Ok." "Here it is." "Put this in the letter." "Look, in the letter." "Do you want me to mail it, or not?" "Yes, mail it." "How much is it?" "Two bucks." "No, just one for the letter I didn't mail." "One buck." "Mom, how do you know she's going to put it in the post?" "She hasn't even put it in the envelope yet." "Don't be so rude." "Can't you see the lady helped me?" "Next!" "Bye!" "Give me your hand, Josue." "Hey!" "My top!" "Come on, Josue, come!" "What happened?" "A bus ran over some woman." "Is she dead?" "She's on her way to settle her accounts in heaven." "Mom!" "Take him away!" "Mom!" "No!" "Mom!" "Thank you, lady!" "I want to send a letter to my father." "Come on, write!" ""Dad, come straight here to Rio." "Mom's hurt..."" "Can you pay for this?" "Yes." "Show me..." "Who do you know here in Rio?" "Mom." "Who else?" "Go on, write the letter!" "Do it, I say!" "Show me the money first." "In that case, give my Mom's letter back!" "I've already mailed it." "Now, if you don't mind." "Get out of here." "Give me back my mother's letter." "Clear up!" "Go away!" "Clear up!" "Come on, will you, you pest!" "Come on." "Clear up!" "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Out of here!" "Clear up!" "Hey, kid!" "Would you like a sandwich?" "So?" "You must be hungry." "I've already eaten, thank you." "Listen here!" "Beauty products!" "A buck for a mirror, 50 cents for the comb!" "Everything's fine here." "I've had more and more clients." "I can hardly keep up with them all." "I'm saving up to go back to school, otherwise I'll get too old for the job..." "Bring that back!" "Stop, thief!" "Hold him!" "Get him!" "Shut up!" "Shut your fucking mouth up!" "Stop it!" "Shut up!" "Wait, man, wait." "Don't kill me, take it back." "Good night, miss Dora." "Bye!" "See you." "Hi, son!" "Josue." "Fine, Josue." "Let me see..." "I know." "Your mother told you not to talk to strange men and she's right." "No need to be scared of me." "I'm not scared of you." "It's ok, Mr. Pedrao." "I know the boy." "Do you?" "I'd like to speak to you." "Hey, son..." "My name is Josue Fontenele de Paiva." "Paiva from my father and Fontenele from my mother." "Great!" "Mine is Isadora Teixeira." "So, Josue de Paiva, would you like to come home with me?" "I told you, I'm waiting for my mother." "Your mother won't be coming." "That's a lie!" "She won't come!" "She's die!" "Do you have any relatives here?" "An aunt?" "Hey?" "Give me an answer." "So, come with me." "Here you go." "If you should change your mind, all you have to do is follow me." "Ok?" "No problem." "Come in." "Where's your husband?" "I don't have one." "And your children?" "I don't have any." "No husband, no children and no dog." "In that case, may I go to the bathroom?" "Yes, you may." "Where is it?" "Over there." "Dora!" "Hi!" "It's been so sultry today." "I'm going into the bathroom to freshen up." "I have a visitor." "This is Josue." "So, did you like it?" "I have a pretty demanding guest, I see." "Of course not, Dora." "It's just that his mother's cooking was so much better." "No." "She couldn't cook either." "You should be more grateful, young man." "Irene, what do you do for a living?" "Guess!" "You look like a teacher, like she does." "Except she's a letter writer." "You're right!" "We were teachers." "Don't you have a husband either?" "No, I don't." "So, who takes care of you both?" "We take care of ourselves." "Didn't your mother live alone?" "Who took care of her?" "I did, of course." "And your father?" "Didn't he ever show up?" "My father works a lot." "He's a carpenter." "He works with wood." "He can make tables, chairs, doors, tops and even a whole house." "All by himself." "See!" "Hey, wasn't he a...?" "And what do you want to do?" "I want to be a truck driver." "My father and her father used to drive those great, big trains." "Two soaks too." "They really were." "Everything ok, Josue?" "What are you doing?" "You can read?" "I know." "You're thinking I wasn't going to send your mother's letter." "Well, you're wrong." "I've been having a bad time recently and I didn't have time to mail it." "I'll take it to my father." "Give it to me!" "What's that?" "Are you crazy?" "Do you know where he lives, by any chances?" "He lives thousands of miles away." "He lives on another planet." "I'll deliver it to him." "You'll never get there." "Let me mail it tomorrow." "It's better that way." "I swear I will." "Do you promise to swear?" "I swear I promise." "You're not gonna lie again." "No." "Where are we going?" "You're going to a great place." "Ok?" "Good morning, Mr. Pedrao!" "Good morning, Miss Dora!" "Hi there, sonny!" "You are late." "Hi, Pedrao!" "Hi!" "Come on in!" "Hi!" "Yolanda, this is Miss Dora." "Nice to meet you, miss Dora." "I don't know what he told you but, as you can see, we treat our children as if they were ours." "They're all going to live with rich families in Europe, or the States." "Josue will be wealthy when he grows up." "But you won't forget us, will you?" "Now show that pretty little tongue to your auntie..." "Show it!" "You can be rude as you like." "Stick out that little tongue of yours..." "I would just like to know a few things first." "But of course!" "We'll have a nice, long talk in just a few minutes." "What did you say your name was?" "Josue." "And so, Josue?" "Do you like video games?" "And what do you think about an ice cream to go with it?" "No." "Thank you." "Why don't you go and play over there?" "This is yours." "Pedrao told you how much, didn't he?" "He did. $2,000." "$1,000 is yours. $1,000" "That's right." "Bye-bye, Josue." "Bye." "Good heavens!" "We have now entered the age of the "remote control"!" "Is it stereo?" "Yes, except that it doesn't work." "Maybe it's the battery." "What about Josue?" "How did it go at the juvenile court?" "Fine." "He's going to the best juvenile institution there is." "I talked to the judge." "Which institution?" "The Father Jesuino Vidal Foundation down south in Pelotas." "All the way down south in Pelotas?" "I thought he'd stay round here so we could visit him." "At least you'll get to see Pelotas!" "You love traveling..." "It just doesn't work." "No, Dora." "Here you go." "Is he still down there?" "I'd like to see him." "No, I don't think so." "He must be on his way to Pelotas by now." "Where did you get the money from to buy that?" "A gold ring I sold some time ago." "You're lying!" "You'd never justify anything unless you were lying!" "Very well, Irene, I'm lying and you know everything about my life." "But now, let's watch television!" "But how did you get the money, Dora?" "Will please tell me the truth?" "A fiend of mine from the Station knows these people who send children to families abroad." "I can't believe you really did that." "He'll be better off, Irene." "Can't you see that?" "If he stays here, he'll end up in a reform school for the rest of his life!" "Don't you read the papers?" "This is no adoption!" "They kill these children and then, sell their vital organs!" "What are you talking about?" "I went there!" "He's too old to be adopted, Dora!" "That's enough, Irene!" "I want to hear no more about it!" "There are limits to everything, Dora." "Hi!" "I was here yesterday." "I know." "After I left yesterday, I kept wondering if you would be interested in other children." "I'm sorry, but for the moment, we don't need any more children." "Are you sure?" "There are some beautiful ones here." "Yolanda, who's that?" "Well, wait here a moment while I show the photos to my partner." "Josue!" "Wake up!" "Quickly!" "What are you doing here?" "Go away!" "Let's go." "No." "Come on, Josue." "Go away, you liar!" "Come with me." "Come with me." "No." "No." "You're no good." "Come." "No." "Speak lower." "Let me go." "I'll call Miss Yolanda!" "You're not calling anyone." "What's going on?" "The bitch!" "You old cow!" "I'll get you!" "Joao!" "Joao!" "You'll die, fucking bitch." "Old bag!" "Sleaze!" "Bitch." "Cow!" "I'll get you!" "I'm going to kill you." "You're already dead." "Esperanto street in Cascadura!" "I'm sorry, I've changed my mind." "Yes." "Irene?" "Who is it?" "Guess." "I'm so glad you called..." "Now, listen!" "If anyone shows up asking after me in the building, especially a well-built dark-skinned guy, and rings my bell, just keep yourself to yourself." "Don't you dare make an appearance and ask him in for a coffee!" "Do you hear?" "Well... you see..." "What is it?" "I don't believe it." "You see." "He's there with you now, isn't he?" "If he is, say something stupid." "Hey, Milton!" "I can't go out with you tonight." "I've arranged to go dancing with another friend of mine." "Don't say another word." "Where are you Milton?" "Are you on duty at the military quarters?" "I'm at the bus station." "I'm all fucked up." "And that drop dead gorgeous little soldier friend of yours is on duty too?" "Yes, Josue's here." "I "eloped" with him." "I always thought you were a true vigilante." "I have a favor to ask." "Lock my apartment, will you?" "Can you hear me?" "And take care of yourself." "I want to ask you another favor." "Yes." "Lend me 200 bucks and make a deposit to the Banco do Brasil in Bom Jesus do Norte." "It tooks as if I'm going to need it." "Here's your ticket." "It's time to go." "Come on." "Here's your ticket." "I'm trying to help." "Cann't you see?" "I'm going alone." "I've already told you." "I'm going with you." "I don't want to go with you." "Why not?" "Because I don't like you." "And why not?" "I've alredy told you." "Because you're no good." "And could you please tell me how you intend to get there all on your own?" "Just give me a little money to eat." "My father will return the money." "Idiot!" "Give me my mother's letter." "What do you want this shirt for?" "Are you thinking of going to Mass?" "I want to look good when I meet my father." "Why are you looking at me?" "You wait in the bus." "I'm just going to buy something and I'll be right back." "How much farther is it?" "How much father is what?" "My father's house." "Keep looking at the signs on the road." "You'll find out how much farther it is." "How do they measure a kilometer?" "A kilometer is a kilometer." "1000 meters." "I know." "But how do they know it's one thousand?" "How do they count it?" "They just guess." "Do you think that man over there is a father?" "What?" "That man there with a heard." "Do you think he has a son?" "No, that one doesn't look like a father to me." "That one there looks like a father." "I know his type very well." "My father was like that." "At home, he always glumed." "But in the street, he acted the clown." "They came up to me one day in the street and said," ""You're Cockie's daughter"." "That was his nickname, Cockie." "A clown." "Idiot!" "I don't like buses." "I'd rather travel by cab." "You're wrong." "You should always take a bus, never a cab." "A bus, you see, always has a set route, a set place to go." "A cab doesn't." "It drives one direction and gets lost." "Why?" "You see this was all in a lletter that my father once wrote to my mother." "It was his way of saying that he'd got tired of taking the same bus every day, meaning my mother, and had taken a cab instead, meaning another woman." "In the end, she was the one who took a cab into space." "I was your age when she died." "Get back to your seat." "My name's Josue Fontenele de Paiva!" "Fontenele from my mother and Paiva from my father." "Look at that, folks!" "The kid's drunk!" "What are you laughing?" "Prick!" "You drunkard." "The old bag's drunk too!" "Fucking hell!" "If I were your mother, I'd let you have it." "But you're not, you're not related to me." "Just like you!" "Why'd you come with me anyway?" "You'll end up a drunk like your father!" "I wanted to help!" "Heart that?" "I wanted to help you." "We're at Benemerencia." "You have ten minutes." "Hold on, please." "I'm traveling with my nephew." "He's going to see his father in Bom Jesus do Norte, but I have to get off here." "I was wondering if you could take care of him until he arrives." "Look, lady, that's a bit of a liability." "What is something should happen to him?" "Just a second, please." "This is for you." "It's ok, you can have it." "A ticket to Rio, please." "60 reals." "You shouldn't have done that." "You should have gone on with the bus." "You were right." "It would have been better if I hadn't been there." "I arranged everything." "And now, I can't seem to get rid of you." "I see." "When you feel you want to talk, I'll be at that table there." "Where's your backpack, Jesus?" "Where's your backpack, boy?" "Tell me you didn't leave the backpack on the bus." "I've decided not to go to Rio and I want to sell the ticket." "I can't refund your money now." "The bus to Rio was the one that just left." "Would you like some?" "No, thank you." "Yes, please." "Help yourself because I'm full up." "Are you all right?" "Yes, I'm fine." "My heart's just rushing a bit." "Just squeeze your little finger to your heart beat and it'll go." "This way?" "Are you going to Bom Jesus to fulfill a vow for the boy?" "Yes." "I'm fulfilling a vow for him." "Where do you live?" "I live here." "And your wife?" "He always asks that." "What's up with you." "The road is my wife." "I don't have any family." "So, you're the same as her, then." "Excuse me a minute, but I have to work." "I'll be back in about 20 minutes." "Jesus, give the man a hand." "Bene." "Hi, Bene, it's been so long." "Wait a second." "I'll fetch the other one." "You can stay here, sonny." "Sonny!" "The boys and girls of today are being converted at young age." "It's just wonderful, I tell you." "They're a generation raised in the values of Christ." "I always see them in Church now wherever I go." "Things have changed." "They'll be living in a different world, more in keeping with God's will." "There's reverend who's been inspiring them." "What's in there?" "Let's go into the truck and eat something." "Put all that into my bag and I'll go and give it back!" "Why?" "Put that stuff in here." "If your father were here, he'd take off his belt to you!" "Do you want to go to jail?" "Hurry up!" "Wait in the truck!" "Go!" "Go!" "I'll try my best to try to bring that reverend here in two weeks." "We'll see what he can do for the youngsters in our parish." "Miss, would you mind opening your bag, please?" "What?" "You heard what I said." "Open your bag!" "But wait a minute." "I know this lady." "She's my friend." "Just open your bag and all will be revealed." "Bene, in the name of our friendship and the faith we both share," "I can't allow my friend..." "Joana... to be humiliated like this." "Since it's you, Cesar." "Then, OK." "I must have been mistaken." "Thank you, Bene." "Isn't there anything you want, madam?" "There's nothing here I could possibly want." "Never do that again!" "Do you hear?" "All you had to do was ask." "You see?" "I bought the food with the money that was left over and there was even enough for some other stuff." "So what are you staring at?" "You didn't have any more money." "I had a little left over..." "Come on!" "Eat!" "You're lying." "Whatever do you mean?" "You didn't buy anything and on top of it, you stole more." "You show some respect, young man!" "I could be your mother." "My mother wouldn't steal things like you do." "And she didn't get drunk like you do either." "You're right." "It was your father who did that." "No." "He built our house all by himself." "He can do anything with wood." "Yes." "He's a drunkard, a drunkard." "You know what that means, a drunkard." "That's lie!" "You're ugly and deceitful!" "That's why nobody will marry you!" "You look like a man." "You don't even use lipstick." "Irene isn't ugly..." "Even with all the make-up she uses, she never got married either." "Mortadella is the best thing to steal." "I hate mortadella." "Would you like some?" "Thank you." "I'd like to apologize for the incident in the store." "Miss?" "Dora, although I quite like Joana." "Dora." "Would you like some?" "Bene is a nice person, but he's a bit mistrusful sometimes." "This one here wants to be a truck driver." "So you'd better get used to a whole load of limes." "Do you think a truck like this comes cheap?" "This is tiny." "I want one of those great big ones." "Do you think you could let him take the wheel just for a bit?" "Come here." "Sit here." "Watch out, don't step on the accelerator." "It gets cold in the desert." "Dora!" "Just a second." "Where are you from?" "I'm from Victoria da Conquista." "I left there a long time ago." "Ever since I've been on the road," "I guess I must have changed about ten times." "The worse thing about it is all the people you meet and never see again." "Like you two, for example." "We've become friends, but it's more than likely that we'll never set eyes on each other again." "We don't have to loose one another." "Dora." "I'm cold." "I'll be right there." "Excuse me." "I had two girlfriends in Rio." "Did you know that, in Rio, all women have sex before they get married?" "All of them." "What'll it be?" "Nothing, we'll just keep you company, Cesar." "No way." "You're my guests." "Three set meals, please." "And a water for me." "What about you?" "A beer." "And your son?" "A coke." "What do you do for a living, Dora?" "I used to be a teacher." "No, she's a letter writer." "She makes money writing letters to the ones who can't write." "When I retired," "I started to do that to meet the ends." "Don't you like playing table-football?" "Go and play!" "Come on!" "Go!" "No, no." "I don't drink." "You see, I'm an evangelist." "I'm sure HE won't be looking." "I just wanted you to know that..." "I'm rather glad I missed the bus... very glad." "Just a moment." "I'll be right back." "Do you think you could possibly lend me your lipstick?" "Hang on to it." "There's not much left anyway." "Thanks." "Why did Cesar leave?" "Don't you already know the answer to that question?" "He got scared." "He's a pansy, isn't he?" "No, he isn't, Jesus." "May I say something?" "You looked good with lipstick on." "Truck." "Come..." "Good afternoon." "Would you by any chance being going to Bom Jesus?" "Yes." "It's far away." "It'll be $10 a head." "(Sing)" "Mom taught me." "Would you like some?" "No, thank you." "Yes, please." "Right!" "He's a growing lad." "And how many harvests have you seen?" "Nine." "When I was thy age, I'd have eaten a whole ox." "Fare thee well." "Have some." "It's good." "No, thank you, Jesus." "It'll be a few "harvests" before I eat that." "I'm telling you." "My mother always used to tell me that, one day, dad'd show me what the desert was like." "Where do you think she is right now?" "I wonder if they buried her properly." "Come on." "Come with me." "Put your mother's handkerchief there." "Are we going to my father's house?" "Yes, we are." "Are you satisfied now?" "What's the matter?" "Don't tell me you've given up." "I don't want him to see me like this, like a beggar." "He'll like you." "Don't you worry." "The trouble is, will you like him?" "I already do." "Your father is not exactly what you imagine." "He's not." "You don't know him." "He built our house all by himself." "He knows how to work with wood." "I know, I know." "Ok." "You'll soon be with your dear daddy and everything will be fine and dandy." "I could ask him to let you stay a few days with us." "Would you by any chance know where this is?" "Run, Jesus!" "Mum, we have visitors." "Is there someone in?" "Yes." "Good afternoon." "Is this Jesus's house?" "Yes, it is." "Do you want to talk to him?" "Yes, I do." "Is he home?" "No, he isn't." "But he'll be right back." "You can wait if you like." "If I may..." "Hello." "She's here to speak to your husband." "Would you like some coffee?" "No, thank you." "Can you tell me what you want to say to my husband?" "I'm afraid I can only speak to him." "Your friends have been waiting for you to speak to you." "Good evening." "I've come from Rio de Janeiro and I have important business to discuss with you." "Very well." "Maria..." "Mother..." "if you'd excuse us, please!" "Out!" "Out!" "Get out'a here!" "Out!" "Speak your mind, Miss." "I'm bringing you this boy." "His mother passed away and now, you are the only person he has in the world." "And what are you to him?" "Nothing." "So, why did you bring him here?" "Let's just say I'm a friend of his." "Is he a good boy?" "Yes, he is." "This letter here is for you." "You've got the wrong man." "I'm Jesse." "This letter is for Jesus who used to live here before." "Let me just show you something." "Here." "This is where Jesus lives now, down in Vila do Joao." "He won a house in a riffle and sold this one." "When he got the money, he drank it all away in the bar on the corner." "Hello!" "Irene!" "Hi, Dora!" "Is everything ok?" "Did you send the money I asked you for?" "The money is at your disposal in Bom Jesus da Lapa." "Bom Jesus what?" "Da Lapa..." "I found no truck to get away from this godawful pilgrimage." "Where are we going?" "We'll walk." "To hitch a ride on the road." "Walk?" "Yeah." "I don't know what I could possibly have done to deserve this." "You're my punishment." "I'm hungry!" "Oh, really?" "Doesn't it even occur to you that I might be too?" "There is no more food." "There is no more money, if you want to know." "It's all gone!" "Now are you satisfied?" "What are we going to do?" "I don't know." "But it seems that I still have to be responsible for you." "Your father and your mother brought you into the world." "But they shouldn't have!" "Now good old Dora here has been left holding the baby!" "Oh hell!" "Jesus!" "Where are you going?" "Come back!" "Jesus, come back!" "Jesus." "Jesus!" "Jesus!" "Oh my God!" "Jesus!" "Jesus!" "Thank you." "Thank you, Jesus." "Here I am, Lord." "I beg you." "I am praying with all my heart, with all my soul, Jesus." "I am a Franciscan from the bottom of my heart." "Oh, Jesus, bless my people!" "Bless my pilgrims!" "Forgive me Lord, for I am a sinner." "For Christ's blood," "look at the hardships I must hear!" "Burn it, Lord!" "Burn Lord!" "Let us keep away evil and let the light come through." "Jesus!" "This commerce here." "This madman's fair is the fair of the devil and the merchants of the temple." "This is the carnival of Satan." "He's down below, jumping for joy!" "Look!" "Want to know your fortune, miss?" "It's only a buck." "I don't have any money." "Give me a help, if I deserve..." "I don't have any money left." "If I deserve." "Let me see your hand." "What a bore!" "Where are you off to?" "Jesus?" "How much does it cost with Father Cicero?" "3 bucks." "3?" "That much?" "That's the price." "And the photo with message for the Saint?" "Just the photo with the Saint and you." "Do you want it?" "What did you come here for?" "Let's go, Jesus." "Lady, she's a writer." "She can write a message to the Saint for you." "You can write?" "It'll cost you a buck." "We write letters!" "Get your letters written here!" "Send a letter home!" "Send the Saint a message!" "Only one buck!" "We write letters!" "Get your letters written here!" "Send the Saint a message!" "Only one buck!" "I want to spend a letter." "How much is it?" "That's cost you a buck." "One buck." "Two, if you want us to mail it." "Even better." "Stand there in the line!" "We write letters." "Get your letters written here!" "Send a letter home!" "That's it." "Can I start?" "Yes." "Criselda, my Criselda," "I'm come from Itabaiana all the way here..." "Itabaiana... on foot, walking all the way here." "Ma, I'm here in Bom Jesus to thank the Good Jesus for the vow made about Benicio marrying me." "Thank you, Good Jesus, for making my husband give up the booze." "Leontina Emerentian," "I am the happiest man in the world." "How long has he been away?" "He left 4 years ago." "He hasn't sent any news since, has he?" "To my mother, Maria Dalva Jose Bezerra." "Josefa Maria da Silva from Sao Bento do Norte.." "To my beloved," "Joao Pedro da Silva from Sao Paulo." "to my father, Jose Alves da Silva..." "Thank you, Boy Jesus, for making it rain on our fields this year." "I've come to Bom Jesus to let off ten colored rockets in Your honor." "Sebastiano." "Here you go, miss." "Your letter." "Thank you." "So, are we rich now?" "Even enough to eat." "Come on." "Give me your hand." "Let's go, let's go." "I want to buy you that dress." "For me?" "For you." "Oh, my God." "How much is it?" "5 bucks." "You'll look a lot nicer with this dress." "I've had it!" "Don't do that!" "Should I tear them up first?" "No." "Give them to me." "I'll decide what to do with them later." "OK?" "Will we go and look for my father tomorrow?" "Yes." "There's a bus at lunchtime." "Ok, Jesus." "You can come in." "Good night, Jesus." "Good night, Dora." "Do you always sleep like that?" "How would you expect me to sleep?" "Naked?" "It's more comfortable." "You can take your clothes off if you want." "It doesn't worry me." "What's that?" "Are you embarrassed?" "I bet you've never seen a woman with no clothes on in your life." "Yes, I have!" "I've seen a lot." "Yes... your mother!" "That's a lie!" "I've seen lots of women." "You might have seen them." "But I bet you never did anything." "I had sex with them too!" "You had sex with them?" "How?" "I don't talk about that kind of thing with women." "I see I have a real man in my bed." "How long is it going to take?" "How long?" "Stay here," "I'll be right back." "Dora, the bus is here." "It's really crowded." "Excuse me, where is F street?" "Hey!" "Hey you." "Where's F street?" "F is the new street, the asphalted one." "It's down there." "Let's go." "Thanks." "They all look the same, don't they?" "Yes, all the same." "Did your mother have a picture of your father?" "She did." "Do you think you would recognize your father from a photograph?" "Sometimes I can remember his face." "But sometimes it seems to fade away." "Yes." "Sometimes I can hardly remember my father's face." "Maybe we shouldn't have photographs so that we wouldn't have to remember." "They might at least allow us to forget!" "I left home when I was 16." "I never saw my father again." "Then, years later, I was walking down the street downtown in Rio." "And I bumped right into him." "I froze." "It was all I could do to talk to him." ""Do you remember me?"" "I could see from his face that he really didn't recognize me." "He didn't recognize his own daughter." "Know what he said?" ""How could I forget such a lovely specimen as you"." "I said that I'd mistaken him for someone else and walked away." "I heard he died sometime afterwards." "Did you get that?" "What did I do?" "You forgot me too not long ago." "I don't want to forget you." "Don't worry." "You will." "Jesus!" "Jesus doesn't live here anymore, Miss." "Do you happen to know where he is?" "Me?" "I don't have the foggiest." "He just walked off and vanished into thin air." "No one's ever heard of him again." "Thank you." "He won't be back, will he?" "No..." "At least, I don't think so." "I'll wait for him." "It's no use, Josue." "He won't be coming back." "So, will you come back to Rio with me?" "Would you like to?" "I would love you to." "I would." "Let's go." "His father's disappeared." "What are you going to do now?" "I can't just leave him here." "No, you can't." "After all, he's a good boy..." "you know." "Are you coming back with him?" "I don't know, I wonder." "What do you mean, you don't know?" "I've already made many mistakes in my life." "What are you going to do now?" "Listen, Irene." "Sell the fridge, the couch." "What else do I have?" "The TV?" "Yes, sell the TV." "Tell me, what are you going to do now?" "When I stop somewhere, I'll give you a call." "I need two tickets to Bom Jesus for today." "The bus leans tomorrow morning." "How about another town?" "Only tomorrow." "We have no there buses today." "This is the end of the world, miss." "How do I get out of here?" "Only tomorrow." "Only tomorrow." "Could it be that you're looking for my father?" "Your father?" "Jesus!" "I heard that strangers were after him." "Yes, that must have been me." "Do you know my father?" "Well, I used to be a great friend of his." "What a coincidence, running into one of his children!" "It isn't really, if you think how small this place is." "Pleased to meet you." "I'm Isaias." "Pleased to meet you too, Isaias." "I'm Dora." "So, you've come to pay him a visit." "No, I was just going past, that is, I was in the neighborhood, so I decided to pay an old friend a visit." "In that case, I insist that you both come home and have something to eat." "It's not everyday that Dad has visitors." "I insist." "I'm sure you wouldn't refuse me." "And this is..." "What was your name?" "Geraldo." "Geraldo, Miss Dora, I insist," "I insist." "Let's go." "Geraldo, come here." "Do you know what a tong-twister is?" "No." "Peter Piper picked a peck of picked peppers." "Now you say it!" "Peter Piper picked a peck of paper..." "What a dope!" "This is the house my brother Moises and I moved in when my father left." "Moises, we have visitors!" "This is Dora." "She's a friend of Dad's." "Hello." "Hi!" "Miss Dora, how long does it take to come here?" "It depends my son on the way you come." "Moises is dying to see Rio." "It is beautiful ther, isn't it?" "Too bad there are so many crooks." "There are crooks everywhere." "We took this land and are squatting it, Miss Dora." "All of it." "We moved into this house when our father lost the other one and put this carpenter shop." "Moises grinds away here all day long." "In fact, he's better at it than Dad." "He makes tables, chairs, he makes anything." "We've even got a few orders from the Capital." "Hey Geraldo, come and have a look." "The little squirt can play real well." "Don't egg him on." "He's conceited enough as it is." "No, they're too shit." "Come here." "Give it to her so she can read it to us." "Forget it, Isaias." "What does she have to do with it?" "She's father's friend." "We can trust her, Moises." "Please." "In that case, I'll get it." "All right." "Get that dammed letter!" "About six months ago, this letter arrived." "It's written to Ana Fontenele and it's Dad's handwriting." "She's a woman my father met after our mother died." "Ana Fontenele went to Rio de Janeiro about... 9 years ago carrying our youngest brother in her wombs." "Dad's waited for Ana Fontenele to come back from Rio for about 2 years." "He stopped working, drank, drank, drank." "Then he had to sell our house in Bom Jesus to pay his debts." "Then, one day, I woke up and couldn't find him anywhere." "There was a half-full bottle of liquor on the table." "So I thought, if Dad left the bottle still half full, there must be something wrong." "He left without even saying good-bye." "And that was the best thing that could have happened." "Don't say that, Moises!" "And why not?" "It's the pure and simple truth!" "You know Dad." "You know what a great guy he is." "Great..." "I'm going to give her the letter to read." "Let her read it." "The letter's addressed to Ana, not us." "Deep down, they never really cared about us." "But Ana never returned." "Let's put everything in the open, shall we, Moises?" "Would it be too much trouble for you to read it to us, Miss?" "Of course not." "So?" "It says where he is?" "Go on." "Read it." ""Ana,... you wretch." "It took me a good time to find a writer to tell you that only now I have realized that you must have gone back and found our new house while I'm here in Rio, looking for you." "I want to be back before this letter but if it arrives before me," "listen to what I've got to tell you:" "wait for me, I'm going home too."" "The letter got here six months ago." "In that case, he didn't manage to come back." ""I left Moises and Isaias in charge"" "That's a good one!" "He left us in charge?" ""Ana," "I'm thinking of spending a month or so in the gold fields before going home." "But anyway, you can sure I'll be coming." "Then we'll all be together, me, you," "Isaias, Moises" "and Josue" "who I'm hearning to see." "You're a bad-tempered little critter, but I'd give all I got to set eyes on you again." "Forgive me." "It's just you and me in this life." "Jesus"." "He's coming back!" "He's never coming back!" "He'll be back one day." "Dora." "He didn't really say anything about wanting to see me, did he?" "Of course he did." "No, he didn't." "I know he didn't." "Let's come in." "I've already made my father's bed for you, Miss Dora." "Thanks." "Geraldo, tongue-twister!" "Again?" "Say five times very quickly "How now cow"." "Now say it." "Say five time very quickly..." "What a dope!" "Dora?" ""Josue," "I haven't sent a letter to anyone for a while but I'm sending you this one now..."" "You were right." "Your father will come back and he surely is all you say he is." "I remember riding with my father in his train and he'd let me - a girl- blow the whistle all the way!" "When you're driving down the road in your big truck, just remember that I was the first person to have you put your hands on the wheel." "It's much better for you to stay there with your brothers." "You deserve far more than what I can give you." "Whenever you want to remember me, take a look at the small picture we took together." "I'm only saying that, because I'm afraid that, one day, you'll forget me." "I long for my Dad." "I long for everything!" "Dora."