A dangerous ride
Taking a french leave
I went out with my puppies without anyone noticing; I took them for the afternoon walk as I always take them to ample space for them to run, play, and wash in the sea.
I waited for them on some rocks at the end of the beach; they went through its holes, I think they went to a nearby beach; They took a while, I whistled, they both came jumping on me, wetting me and smearing me with sand.
Returning, I came close to a stone wall; a gentleman called and waved to me; he was at the door; I went to him with my cigarette lit in the fingers of my left hand, I shook his calloused hand, he asked me for a cigarette, because the nearest shop was closed. I gave him four, he thanked me and, eager, lighted one.
We talked a little, I don’t remember what, except that he was the condominium’s manager, and had only three girls to aid him, the work is too hard, since the condo was always full. I looked: about eighty meters long at the edge of the sand, several bungalows with balconies in rows, going up the hill.
I called the two little dogs who had returned to the waves; we continued between the palm trees and the wall, which followed to a condominium much larger than the previous one; just the swimming pool, Olympic I thought, must be fifty meters, about thirty before it and 50 after it!
I didn’t notice well, so as not to trip and in taking care of the puppies: I believe there were about ten chalets at the pool level, as many on two more levels above, all in wood painted with nautical varnish, and with balconies.
A little female dog came barking at my male ones on the wooden railing; my two climbed the wall where the fence is, and the three of them started playing, barking, and running, until a call was heard “Annie”.
Annie ran towards a house situated at the very end of the property, the puppies trailing her to the house’s access gate to the beach, where the three stood wagging their tails and barking.
It was a small house, all made of wood, painted with boat paint, a chimney for a fireplace and/or wood stove, well built, a balcony on the ground floor, where a beautiful woman, perfect body and curves, a light blouse that highlighted her breasts, flowered calico skirt, light blond hair, long with that small strand deliberately falling over her right eye, aqua blue eyes, conversing in French with an older lady, brown hair cut to her ears, long dress which I thought was in voile, also flowery.
They saw me looking and noticing everything, the beautiful thing said “Good afternoon!”.
I looked at them and saluted: “Bon jour!”
- Ah, tu parles bien français! Très peu de Brésiliens savent dire correctement Good afternoon in français, dit la dame.
- J’aime la langue; il y a deux décennies, je parlais raisonnablement bien et couramment, aujourd’hui mon français est faible; Je fais des erreurs d’accord grammatical et j’oublie beaucoup de mots, mon dictionnaire est devenu limité.
- Mais ton accent est celui d’un Parisien.
- Merci ; J’ai une bonne oreille pour les langues et les accents.
- Et ta voix de baryton est magnifique. Dit la jolie a chose.
J’ai regardé dans ces yeux et j’ai rougi.
“Entrez, parlez avec nous et prenez un verre du vin blanc sec et déjà glacé”, she a-t-elle poursuivi.
- Annie et mes chiens jouent à travers la cloture; more peut-être qu’elle will be in colère contre moi et contre eux si nous entrons dans son territoire of her.
- Pause tout; J’ai vu comment he te léchait la main. Quand il n’aime pas quelqu’un, grogne, mord ; he a mordu de nombreuses jambes de personnes qui sont entrées sans que je sois chez.
- J’ai ouvrit la petite porte, les chiens ont couru comme des fous between mes jambes, les trois ont couru par tout le condo.
The façade of the maison était latérale: deux fenêtres logngs et hautes, une porta entre elles. La porte conduisait à un vestibule, la chambre à dorm juste près de la porte à gauche, in la suivant, la cuisine, une toilette au fond; a droite un salon, combinant sale of manger-sale of visits-cinema maison. Je la traversé vers la sacade.
Here we had an excellent writer and chronicler, João Ubaldo Ribeiro[1], who in some chronicles used entries unknown to almost all Brazilians, some in archaic forms of words. Then the phrase: “To the Lexicon!” or “To the Father of Donkeys!”.
To read the paragraphs above, “Go to Google Translate” for those who do not understand French.
Yes, with my broken French, I managed to converse with the Dame/Mademoiselles.
Here we had an excellent writer and chronicler, João Ubaldo Ribeiro, who in some chronicles used entries unknown to almost all Brazilians, some in archaic forms of words. Then the phrase: “To the Lexicon!” or “To the Father of Donkeys!”.
To read the paragraphs above, “Go to Google Translate” for those who do not understand French.
I was shown the middle chair, overlooking the beach and sea; I bowed to each one and sat down.
The cute little thing filled my glass, and we did the usual eye-to-eye tint, I quickly lowered mine from the cutie’s, so I wouldn’t blush again.
A board of real French and European cheeses, a basket with pieces of bread, a pitcher of fresh water and glasses next to the pitcher.
I sipped the delicious wine, eating cheeses with unwanted but necessary parsimony; Wine is never drunk here at five in the afternoon, and I feared I would get dizzy.
- May I smoke?
- Of course: She — she pointed to the lady — makes more smoke as a chimney. It doesn’t bother me, but an ashtray full of butts.
She got up, cleaned the ashtray in a bucket with a lid behind her, and placed it between the lady and me.
I took a cigarette, but the lady, lighter in hand, lit it for me.
The female curiosity, which has no race, creed or colour, helped a lot.
I was asked for my life history, I made a short summary without boasting, a shower of questions to which I answered frankly, without embellishments.
As soon as they gave me a break, I first asked the lady, whose name is Déborah, about her “curriculum”.
Before she could answer, Sophie — she told me her name as we greeted each other-,
- One moment! For all you have done, the Countries and places you have been, you seem younger than you ought to be; how old are you?
I felt like taking a few years off, but I told the truth: 75.
- I’ve seen you running along the beach, diving and swimming, apart from the little beer drinker’s belly, you’re healthy and in shape!
- Thanks. But, keep going, Déborah.
She also told her life from birth until today, without bragging, interspersed with hilarious comments, others affectionate, some sarcastic from Sophie. In the end, she gave to understand that she had been very rich and she was still very rich.
- And you?
Sophie recounted it quickly and with few details, with humility (real or perhaps on purpose): she was born in Toulouse; daughter of French parents, he a successful industrialist, she, the only child of her parents, heiress to titles, shares, properties in France and elsewhere, including a farm here of which she sold most of it and kept this condominium; the neighbouring condo, she sold it to the current owner five years ago.
Her father got tired of working so much, 23 years ago, They came to live here; he maintains an office in São Paulo, from where he controls the group of companies in charge of the manager.
Six years later, her mother died of a massive heart attack; Her body was taken to Toulouse and buried in her family’s crypt.
My cigarettes were running low: I got distracted by conversations. I smoked one more: only four left!
From where I was, I could see the whole property; well-groomed, without even one bungalow occupied; it was just for leisure! They were wealthy enough so that Sophie’s grandchildren could keep the condo, maybe then they’d rent bungalows, and still earn more than enough to keep it well taken care of.
If the mother made the will in France, she disposed of all of her goods, between her husband and daughter most or all, some others at her discretion. If here in Brazil, half for her husband and daughter, the other for whoever wanted to. Sophie is much richer than what I understood from her counting of life.
I saw a big dark grey car, probably American, and a red Porsche.
- I see two cars in the garage; are yours?
- Mine is the Porsche; the other is my father’s. It is driven by André, who is also the one who hires the cleaning, maintenance, and pool treatment teams, our “jack of all trades”.
- Does your father come here often?
- Yes, but the shock of my mother’s death was very strong for him: he had a stroke, he was cured, he just has some difficulty walking. He comes every two months, sometimes one month; doesn’t like the noise and pollution of the city. He calls André, who will fetch him; here he walks with the help of a cane, when he gets tired, André or me we push him on a wheelchair.
- Excuse me, I’m going to the bathroom.
Returning, Sophie says
- By the way: at age 75 you must already have an enlarged prostate; do you still do the trick?
- SOPHIE!
I was so stunned that I thought I saw her eyes turning a darker shade of blue.
- Sorry, Deborah; I rephrase my question. “Do you have an erectile function in good condition?”.
This time, looking at me, I saw her eyes in Mediterranean blue, sparkling, irresistible.
Deborah got up.
- You’re too inconvenient today! I’m leaving and I suggest you go too, Sir.
- Calm down, honey! It’s a scientific experiment. I want to test if a man over 70 makes good sex.
Déborah collapsed in her chair, hands on her head.
- Sophie, you already have a boyfriend! I said.
- A boyfriend? Deborah says with a sarcastic smile.
- Yeah, some, but they’re just younger friends…
- Sir, watch out! This woman is a sorceress: she finds a boyfriend, then dumps him. and he never appears here again.
And she left.
My “erectile function” was already working. What does it matter if you get left later?
- I agree to participate in your experience. I’ll go home, give the dogs a squirt bath, take a shower, and come back.
- No: I want to go to dinner with you before having sex; it’s more romantic and exciting. Do you know “Le Printemps”?
- The one on the corner, with tables under trees, next to the Saturday street market square?
- Yes, this one. I’ll wait for you there.
- No way: I don’t keep a woman waiting for me, especially a beautiful woman like you; if I arrive later, you’ll already have a young guy on your side. I’ll meet you there in half an hour.
- D’accord.
I took the puppies on my lap and ran home.
My wife’s car wasn’t in the garage; great.
She must have taken her friend, that is visiting us, for a walk, certainly to the mall.
I squirted the dogs, dried them with towels inside the house, closed the door, and had a good bath with scented soap. I made sure the puppies couldn’t get out.
Without anyone seeing me, I left.
Heart racing, I accelerated the car, in tune with my hearts’
I parked in the first free spot.
I entered the restaurant, my body full of spring feeling.
She was already there, the bandit; It took me 20 minutes maximum to arrive! She waved at me; she was alone (thankfully!).
She waited for me standing, grabbed me, kissed me on the mouth,
Fright, screams, people running away from the restaurant!
Soaked in sweat, crouched on all fours on the bed, I screamed!
CROACK!
[1] https://www.pensador.com/autor/joao_ubaldo_ribeiro/biografia/