It was night, the rain had ended a few minutes ago, the weather was cold, but everyone still retained the caloric sensation of that hot day. At this moment, four friends were heading to a nightclub in the north zone. Kelly was very relaxed next to Carla, who was driving, Lucio and Kênia were in the back seat. Already in the north zone, as they crossed a bridge over a voluminous river, Kelly got scared seeing a friend sitting on the guardrail.
— Stop, said Kelly, scared, it's Dal
Dal, a nickname given by the contraction of his surname Valmiro Vidal, was the affectionate way Kelly called the friend with whom she shared many affinities.
Carla stopped abruptly, Kelly was the first to get out, then she calls out to her friend, who looks at her with a very happy expression.
— Hi, Kelly.
— Hi, what are you doing? Kelly asked with a clear tone of fear in her voice.
Dal turns towards the water flowing under the bridge, smiles:
— I find it cool, he said.
The waters ran furiously, an effect of the accumulated waters from many distant rains.
— Cool Dal... Get down from there, let's go now, said Kelly while pulling him.
— I'm not going to jump, if that's what you're thinking, said Valmiro as soon as he saw everyone arriving with their frightened expressions.
— I know you're not going to jump, but what worries me is that you might fall.
— I'm not going to... Valmiro is interrupted.
— I know, I know, I know... Just don't climb up... But what are you doing there anyway?
— Observing.
— Just observing, Kelly asked.
— Yes, of course I have my reasons, I just don't think you'd want to know.
Lucio approaches, looks curiously at the river, nothing attracts him:
— What is it? Now tell me. I'm curious.
Valmiro seemed to hesitate, took a deep breath, but then said:
— Some time ago, six years ago. I'm twenty-two now. I was walking with a friend at night when, passing by a bridge, he stopped and looked at the water as if hypnotized. I asked him why, but he didn't answer, he started talking about other things, about the future, what he wanted to do. I thought he wanted to vent, but nothing he said made any sense, not to me at sixteen. But he was looking at the water so intently that I didn't hesitate to imitate him. Soon we were standing there, I quickly fell silent and just watched...
Valmiro falls silent and stays quiet looking at the water, no one was worried about the water, which allowed the narrative to continue, prompting Lucio to return to his observation.
— After some time, my friend turned and continued on his way. It took me a few seconds to realize he had moved away, I was still able to catch up with him. I remember he said he liked looking at the water. I didn't pay much attention to it. But the following year he moved away. I, almost by instinct, started coming here and looking at the water, not a week went by without me coming. Years passed, and I continue to come, as I did today. A few months ago, I met him, I couldn't help myself, as soon as I saw him, I asked if he still went to any river to look at the water. He told me he had found love, and that he was getting married, said she was pregnant, that he had gotten a job, and that he was happy. And he said that after that, he would never go to a bridge, lake, or any other place to look at the water again.
Lucio kept looking for something that would satisfy him. Kelly listened attentively to everything. Nothing made sense to her.
— Why do you keep looking at the water? Kelly insisted.
— Because it's beautiful, it's fantastic... But one day I'll be ready, I'll live, I'll have my house, a wife and my children, I'll work hard and I'll be able to buy the things I want.
Kelly smiles.
— And will you keep coming here and looking at the water? Kelly asked.
— Not anymore, when that happens I'll be free, whispered Valmiro so only Kelly could hear him.
Everyone falls silent, Carla followed to the car and signaled to her friends. Kênia, who hadn't cared about any of this, was the first to get into the car. Valmiro, who looked at each of them in the eyes with marvelous joy, slowly moved away and disappeared as he entered the avenue that followed the river. Kelly, who didn't understand what was happening, got into the car and said goodbye to Lucio, who stayed behind.
Silvio Lôbo Júnior
It was night, the rain had ended a few minutes ago, the weather was cold, but everyone still retained the caloric sensation of that hot day. At this moment, four friends were heading to a nightclub in the north zone. Kelly was very relaxed next to Carla, who was driving, Lucio and Kênia were in the back seat. Already in the north zone, as they crossed a bridge over a voluminous river, Kelly got scared seeing a friend sitting on the guardrail.
— Stop, said Kelly, scared, it's Dal
Dal, a nickname given by the contraction of his surname Valmiro Vidal, was the affectionate way Kelly called the friend with whom she shared many affinities.
Carla stopped abruptly, Kelly was the first to get out, then she calls out to her friend, who looks at her with a very happy expression.
— Hi, Kelly.
— Hi, what are you doing? Kelly asked with a clear tone of fear in her voice.
Dal turns towards the water flowing under the bridge, smiles:
— I find it cool, he said.
The waters ran furiously, an effect of the accumulated waters from many distant rains.
— Cool Dal... Get down from there, let's go now, said Kelly while pulling him.
— I'm not going to jump, if that's what you're thinking, said Valmiro as soon as he saw everyone arriving with their frightened expressions.
— I know you're not going to jump, but what worries me is that you might fall.
— I'm not going to... Valmiro is interrupted.
— I know, I know, I know... Just don't climb up... But what are you doing there anyway?
— Observing.
— Just observing, Kelly asked.
— Yes, of course I have my reasons, I just don't think you'd want to know.
Lucio approaches, looks curiously at the river, nothing attracts him:
— What is it? Now tell me. I'm curious.
Valmiro seemed to hesitate, took a deep breath, but then said:
— Some time ago, six years ago. I'm twenty-two now. I was walking with a friend at night when, passing by a bridge, he stopped and looked at the water as if hypnotized. I asked him why, but he didn't answer, he started talking about other things, about the future, what he wanted to do. I thought he wanted to vent, but nothing he said made any sense, not to me at sixteen. But he was looking at the water so intently that I didn't hesitate to imitate him. Soon we were standing there, I quickly fell silent and just watched...
Valmiro falls silent and stays quiet looking at the water, no one was worried about the water, which allowed the narrative to continue, prompting Lucio to return to his observation.
— After some time, my friend turned and continued on his way. It took me a few seconds to realize he had moved away, I was still able to catch up with him. I remember he said he liked looking at the water. I didn't pay much attention to it. But the following year he moved away. I, almost by instinct, started coming here and looking at the water, not a week went by without me coming. Years passed, and I continue to come, as I did today. A few months ago, I met him, I couldn't help myself, as soon as I saw him, I asked if he still went to any river to look at the water. He told me he had found love, and that he was getting married, said she was pregnant, that he had gotten a job, and that he was happy. And he said that after that, he would never go to a bridge, lake, or any other place to look at the water again.
Lucio kept looking for something that would satisfy him. Kelly listened attentively to everything. Nothing made sense to her.
— Why do you keep looking at the water? Kelly insisted.
— Because it's beautiful, it's fantastic... But one day I'll be ready, I'll live, I'll have my house, a wife and my children, I'll work hard and I'll be able to buy the things I want.
Kelly smiles.
— And will you keep coming here and looking at the water? Kelly asked.
— Not anymore, when that happens I'll be free, whispered Valmiro so only Kelly could hear him.
Everyone falls silent, Carla followed to the car and signaled to her friends. Kênia, who hadn't cared about any of this, was the first to get into the car. Valmiro, who looked at each of them in the eyes with marvelous joy, slowly moved away and disappeared as he entered the avenue that followed the river. Kelly, who didn't understand what was happening, got into the car and said goodbye to Lucio, who stayed behind.
Silvio Lôbo Júnior
