City in motion

"The Sun wakes up the city, mixes the color of the mass that moves at the speed of light of our eyes' King Star. I'm the same color as the city, I walk along with the crowd that throbs to the sound of truth, drum for our communication that bangs in our blood, that touches the senses, that spreads the rhythms of the tribe in the air. On the force of the wind only one movement; it falls on the wave that invades and overflows on the sound that wakes up the city. Heart of peace, heart of bread, all is a brother's heart; a king heart, a brother's heart."

City In Motion, written and performed by Pedro Luís E A Parede.

Downtown Taurinos for the first time since Arthur's wake. The city is broken down, but it seems to breathe in a new life. No more bulls and cows in town except for those in their farms' pens. Yesterday we spent the whole of the day back in Hospital Regional do Sul de Minas in Varginha. Andrés underwent all kinds of examinations, especially neurological tests, all that was known by science. The physician attending us was in total awe at Andrés staying under water for almost eight minutes without any neurological damage.

Today, one day after all examination and two days after the insane Ordeal we all went through, Taurinos is but a great open-air party amid all its rubble. Bizarre as it may seem, the contrast of two paradoxes clashing is a natural part of this beautiful yet ruined town.

"Mom has been weird on me since Saturday", complained Andrés as his father changed the gear and entered the main square in town.

"I'm weird on you too, lad", retorted the father twisting the wheels to start parking the car, "how do you want your mother to feel on learning she gave birth to her own father-in-law? She's spent the whole Saturday and a part of Sunday crying like a baby first for fear of losing you to the test and later for fear of receiving you back in our house. Do you think it's been easy for us, Andrés?"

"Is it being for me?"

"Maybe not, but at least you gave yourself a choice. What about us? What choice have we been left with?"

The Mayor comes out to the square and walking close to Duílio's car, interrupts father and son. He might as well work in the open air since the Town Hall has fallen into pieces as one of spots of the city the bulls led by General Ariman visited the most. They had to get even with the Town Hall too, like any other human citizen of Taurinos. He thanks us for bringing the law of men back to town. I told him I would like to see more than just the law of men in town. I'd really like to see the law of men, women, adult, elder and child taken to every corner of the city. He looked real embarrassed and gave us a yellow smile, eventually leaving us alone at the square. Duílio thanked me for that, I don't know why. I do think this Mayor sucks big time anyhow.

And there is master Danilo crossing our way again. You might think he lurks in the dark, but the fact is that there isn't much more in town than this main square. Everything happens here and by the mountains in a wilder zone. A town that doesn't grow or shrink.

"Have lunch with us, Danilo" invited Andrés.

"Yes, be our guest, master Danilo. Hey… what familiarity with an elder, Andrés! Have a little respect." Duílio gave him a scolding.

"It's just that we are childhood friends", explained Andrés, smiling.

"Now, I'll accept the invitation", he said smiling too, "for now there isn't much to do it here, my partner has even gone to São Paulo…"

We stopped at Zé of the Depths' restaurant for lunch. One of the restaurants in best conditions in town. All of the rest is a mount of rubble, people lodging at the only school in town. No sign of classes back so soon, but what the hell, it is only once in 52 years! I soon asked the men why such unusual nickname for a restauranteur and Andrés told me it was because he likes to send annoying people to the depths of hell as he swears at them when he is stone cold drunk.

"Little by little, things will get back to their original places", commented master Danilo as we sat down and ordered a meal, "at least the worst is now long gone."

"My thoughts exactly. It's time for reconstruction and construction of new things for the town", agreed the Conselheiros' family man, with a great commonplace.

They had fun telling the most recent Mineiro cases, as the Ordeal for example, "…and when they took me out of the water I was like, where am I? Where do I go from here? Where are we going to? Are you really from here?" told Andrés amidst the general laughter at the table.

After the ordeal | A means to an end

Radio Universal: A Love Like Blood