Meeting Zé

We’ve spent the last two days putting things back in the right places, and still a long way to go. But at least it’s a chance to do a thorough clean-up and organize things. Handyman Ronaldo, who’s making his home in the (maidless) maid’s room, also got the bug and has painted it and switched things around, so we were both reorganizing the cupboard in there – all quite satisfactory
 
Towards evening, Ronaldo reminded me that I was supposed to be fixing the car tyre and he was going to collect the microwave from the repair shop, so out we went. I wound up sitting on a very dirty chair outside the tyre repair shop, chatting to the charming old owner, while they changed all four tyres. At which point, I spotted a cradle suspended alongside of the metro building and two figures working on a massive mural, another episode of my favourite street art stories. Later, the light went out and the cradle was lowered, so I rushed across on the off-chance of being able to meet the artist – and bingo, there he was. I babbled my admiration and asked if I could publish a photo of his work in the English-speaking community’s magazine. Pricking up his ears at the word ‘foreigners’, he asked if I was one. You could have knocked me out with a feather when he told me he himself was American, born and raised in the Bronx, albeit married to a Brazilian and living here for the last 15 years. Then he told me that there is now a book telling the adventure of his protagonist, Zé, and produced a copy from his backpack. He couldn’t sell it to me, as it’s the only copy he has at the moment, but it’s about to be launched and he’ll advise me of the date and autograph a copy for me. Detail – he’s a big fan of the UK, and the story ends in London, where he already has two murals.
 
I’m tickled pink.