Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 27oC, hot, sunny and a little cloudy.
Rise and shine; it is Monday morning, the beginning of a new week. Even though I went to bed stressed, I had a good sleep, and I am ready to exercise. It is Autumn in Rio, so at 5 a.m., it is still dark outside.
As usual, I pass by the lanchonete at the corner of my street to buy an expresso. I like drinking one while walking in front of the beach on my way to the end of Leme.
As I walked down my street toward the beach, the girls from the strip club sat on an extended bench outside the club while it was closing. There were a swarm of people, taxi drivers, clients still drinking, and the girls talking after a long night, some too tired to stand, others still wanting to play.
As I approached the girls, some saw me, and I politely said, “Good morning,” and they immediately answered with another “Good morning” pleasantly and affectionately, all of them giving me a sincere smile from their faces. This exchange of kindness makes an old man happy.
When I reached the end of Leme, no one was there, not even Paulo with his dogs. I did my series, which seemed longer than usual, packed up my things, and returned home. When I got home, I made a green tea with ginger, cinnamon, lime juice, garlic, and sweetener; it was perfect! I went to my desk with my legs on the bed and sent a message to the landlady asking about a date.
She promptly answered, asking if she could video call me; I said yes, and we talked for about fifteen minutes. She told me that her new flat was not ready yet so it would be better if I stayed another month. This was a relief as I was not yet mentally prepared to move in with my ex-wife.
Our conversation was nice and pleasant, as it always is, and we finished it on the understanding that the next month would be the month to move. At least I will be at my present address for my birthday on the 22nd of this month. I was not looking forward to spending it with my ex-wife at the moment.
With this now resolved, I organized my schedule and worksheets for the month. I renegotiated with the last of my pupils’ new fees and gave classes. It was a good day. I know that I should have informed Nalva that I would not be moving this month, but I thought it would be better to let it ride over for a few days.
AND LIFE GOES ON!!!
In bed by 9.30 pm.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading my blog. Check out my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments.
Richard
