Astronomy

I called Meire this morning. Either there was no one there to answer the phone or she identified my phone number at the call and didn't want to get it. Meire isn't one to remain pasted to her home, so I'll have the benefit of doubt on this issue. She must still be angry with me on account of yesterday's conversation; I'll give her some days off. She'll surely call me when she feels more relaxed.

Noon. I am feeling really strange today. Have been feeling like this since I woke up and called Meire. An aprehension that is taking over me. My physical body is suffering its woes too. Could it have been anything I ate? I thought I'd give my body some rest and went to bed just to have my eyes shut for some time.

Later on, the phone rang. I thought it was Meire, finally entered in a state of zen relaxation. A male voice with a strong Mineiro accent started speaking and scheduled an interview with me for this afternoon. I gave the man my address and some directions on how to get to my house and hung up.

I stayed at the computer until later. It was long past one in the afternoon and I decided to fix some lunch myself, avoiding interviews without much substance. It was hardly one hour after I had had lunch when my doorbell rang. A man, big as a closet, came in and introduced himself as Duílio. Said he had come to talk to me about his son Andrés. There followed a silence I never tried to break. Gave the man some time, certain issues are hard to bring out sometimes. The fact that I am a perfect stranger helps relax. But it is not always everything we need. Eventually I decided to ask for basic data, just to break the now minute-long silence.

"What's your full name, Duílio?" I started taking notes.

"Duílio Lima Conselheiro", he said casually, looking around.

"Your wife? Your son's full name?"

"Maria Aparecida Silva Conselheiro and Andrés Silva Conselheiro", he said even more casually than before, looking at my laptop's screen as I wrote.

"How old is the kid?"

"Twelve", he replied.

"What can I do for your kid?"

A huge pause. Duílio seems he is measuring each and every word inside before they jump all over me. I try to read what is going on in his mind. A confused wave of thoughts, farm front gates, fields, trees, pens, big cities, he won't easily let me in.

"He's been a bit aggressive these days. Fights at school, you know? His brother gets a beating from him sometimes, because he doesn't like to fight."

"Oh, he does have a brother."

"Yes we have another son, Adriano."

Here I run into a tradition. Giving the kids names that start with the same letter or sometimes even the same sequence of letters. Besides, "he's been a bit aggressive these days" has always been the password for a lot of trouble as far as I'm concerned. But I make a living out of these troubles. I have, since 1994.

I ask him what the boy does in his free time. Not only what he does at school and in his daily obligations, but what he does in his free time tells a lot more about him than his chores, so many times accomplished in an automatic, cold way. Duílio seems a bit hesitant in replying to me (as if being here talking about his son's problems were one more of these automatic obligations) and finally says he helps with the farm's cattle.

I tell him I ask him about things that are pleasant for the boy, pastimes, for instance. He tells me that is what they are, pastimes, but they absorb too much of the boy's attention. That he even got lower grades at school on account of cattle work.

"Did you ever try to curb his cattle work a bit so he could study more? I mean, imposing a maximum period for cattle work and a minimum for studying?"

"Yes, but all the same he keeps at it. His grades got much better, but not that he has slowed down with the cattle."

"How much of the day is spent with farm work?"

"Eight, ten hours."

"Do you allow a twelve-year-old to work with cattle for eight to ten hours on your farm?"

"No."

"Sorry, but then I have stopped following your logic."

"Neither I nor my wife want him to do it. We tried to ban him from doing so, and for some time there it seemed to work out. Then, he stopped eating. Ended up in a hospital with parenteral nutrition, nearly died. Then this psychologist advised us not to mess with the situation for some time. Told us to let him do the work since he's so passionate about it."

"I hear you."

"Other than this aggressiveness we hadn't noticed before, all has been fine, as I said, even his grades have improved."

Duílio assumes a brighter look on his face as he says that. I tell him the grades at school are a good indicator, but they are also obligations the child must comply with. The most precise indicator is what gives him real pleasure and how this affects the child's general mood. Duílio seems to see common sense in my explanation and agrees. He asks me what should be done.

"I need to spend some time among you", I said trying to look as casual as Duílio, "see how he behaves in his everyday activities, especially this cattle work that you mention."

The father looks at me, a shadow runs across his face. I can tell by his expression he hasn't said everything he needs to yet. He went on to tell me the boy disappeared mysteriously from the farm sometimes. No one knows how. The kid said he was going to a far out place to look at the night sky. I tell Duílio astronomy is a good excuse, especially in Minas Gerais and smile. Ele smiles back, but says he doesn't know whether it is true at all. I say it's very unlikely to be true.

"We are going back to Taurinos tomorrow afternoon. Do you think you are ready to leave tomorrow?"

"Yes, for sure."

"Can I pick you up at three in the afternoon?"

"I'll be waiting."

Couldn't help but noticing how quick he was to walk away. He must be one of the busiest men I have seen.


Seeing out the angel | Taurinos

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