“Yeah.”

“Well, they were the ones who believed what they saw the least. You could show yourself off till doomsday, and you’d still have to prove you existed.”

“Be quiet, woman, and come on and show me something good. You don’t have to show me till doomsday, but you can show me all night long.”

I didn’t come back with the next gag but it was there. I did put one line in though. “For all your complaints about Americans, you and your mama certainly know the lyrics of a lot of American blues and rock tunes.”

He was looking like he didn’t know what I meant. But he did flex a muscle when I talked about his mama.

33

I can’t remember their names: Alexandro, Arturo, Christophe, Joaquim? Clara, Christina, Dominica, Victoria? Umberto? But I’ll have them as Joaquim and Victoria.

“This is Joaquim and his girlfriend, Victoria. This is my friend from the States.”

“Are you from the States? I’ve been to the States, to Chicago. Do you know Chicago?” asked Joaquim.

“Everyone knows Chicago,” said Victoria. “He came back calling everybody ‘my man,’ even me.” She giggled.

“What part of the States are you from?” asked Joaquim.

“Ohio.”

“That’s a state?”

“Sure, everybody knows Cincinnati.” Victoria. “That’s in Ohio.”

“Get off your high horse.”

“He brought that back too. I can’t say a word without being on my high horse. He rides his all the time.”

“They told me I’d get lost in Chicago, but I didn’t.”

“You told me you got lost.”

“Yeah, I did, but they found me, so that’s the same as not getting lost. But take our country. We have a very generous country too. There’s a lot of it. But there are places if you get lost here, they never find you. Don’t even play hide-and-seek here. You stay unfound.”

Thin moustache, thick black hair. He looks like everybody’s villain in every movie I’ve seen. I discover he’s the son of the owner of the mirror factory where Ensinanco worked for a summer.

“I’ve even gotten lost in New York and they found me, but get lost here and you disappear for good.”

“You can get lost in Rio,” said his girl.

“You can get lost in Rio even when you know where you are.” He laughed. “You’re in good hands with Ens my man though. Ens, my man, I’m thinking of going into business for myself.”

“Great.”

“Yeah, I’m thinking of going into business for myself.”

He looked at me. “I’ve been to a lot of places, but the human species is the same everywhere. That’s what you learn.” He stroked my hand. “Let me tell you something.”

“He doesn’t mean any harm,” his girl said. “Look, Quim, you’re making her uncomfortable, and Ensinanco’s not too pleased either.”

“Ens, he’s the man, aren’t you, buddy? You always set up a big fuss about nothing. When you argue, you’ve got to place your argument on a sound foundation, which means it’s got to be about something. Let me touch this woman’s hand if I want to. Allow me to do that. I just want to tell her something: Not to get lost in Brazil because they’ll never find you.”