Building My Life

Chapter 7 - He helps even being short of Money

Josias finished crying and broke the hug. He wiped away his tears. “Thank you very much for your kindness, Seu Teodoro.”

“You’re welcome, young man. Come on; I’ll get you some coffee.”

Josias took the opportunity to ask, “Seu Teodoro, how does it work here? For example, I know that we’re not in a five-star hotel, but in my room, there is not even a sink.”

Teodoro smiled; he understood that Josias didn’t want to be ungrateful. “I understand. Well, downstairs are the bathrooms. I did my best to separate the men’s and women’s bathrooms so that everyone would be comfortable and have no complaints. We have families with children, and I wouldn’t be comfortable letting children bathe with adults.”

Josias nodded; it was necessary to be careful. But, families with children? When he voiced the question, Teodoro explained, “I had some two-bedroom apartments built here, ensuring that families could come to me. I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.”

Josias smiled at that. Teodoro was not a fool to miss opportunities. He had business acumen.

“Well, let’s see if the last few bucks left will make it possible for me to buy a toothbrush and towel,” Josias said as he followed Teodoro into the kitchen.

Yes, on the first floor there was a place for Teodoro to prepare his meals.

In the room, there was a table with four chairs, a sink for washing up, another table with cups and plates and a thermos of coffee, and a refrigerator.

Teodoro gestured to him, and Josias helped himself to coffee. Teodoro prepared bread with butter and handed it to Josias. The boy pulled out one of the chairs and sat down to eat. The feeling of eating without having brushed his teeth first was weird to him, but it was temporary.

“Further ahead, there is a pharmacy,” Teodoro explained while pouring more coffee. “We don’t have one here in the slum. You will have to leave here and follow the avenue.”

“I think I know where it is,” Josias responded while chewing.

Teodoro pulled out another chair and sat down. He set the coffee cup on the table and put his hand in his pocket. Pulling it out, he handed Josias a few more bills.

“Here, son,” he said, in a tone kind enough for Josias not to refuse. “Take it and go further, maybe to Downtown, so you can buy a bath towel and whatever else you need. Bath towels are not sold at the pharmacy. And nobody is going to hire an employee who doesn’t bathe.”

Josias smiled and accepted the money, mentally promising that he would pay him back.

After having breakfast, Josias left Teodoro’s building and started walking to the pharmacy. It was an opportunity for him to get to know Happiness Slum as it was by day, since he had had his first impression at night.

When he lived his normal life, he had always passed by car or bus in front of the favela. He had never imagined that he would be walking inside it.

The noisy bar was closed, with one of the customers sleeping on the sidewalk. The group of teenage girls who had danced to Olivia Newton-John was now in uniform, going to school.

When Josias passed in front of the house of the lady in the nightgown, she was now going out in secretary attire. And when Josias passed in front of the house of the naked man, he came out wearing a mechanic’s jumpsuit.

Everyone was going out for some activity. And Josias, going out shirtless and in sweatpants, was going where?

Some residents began to notice the boy. Such a young man, wasn’t he going to study or work? Was he another thug who had come to bother the good citizens?

Upon arriving at the pharmacy, Josias promptly chose personal hygiene items. As he searched and chose, his gaze crossed with a brunette girl with curly hair, about 17 years old, in the hair products section, undecided between two brands of shampoo. She smiled when deciding on one of the bottles and put the other back. Then she went to the cashier to pay.

Josias finished choosing what he wanted and went to the cashier to pay. The clerk, when summing up what the girl had bought and checking her money, alerted her, “You’re short R$ 2.00, miss.”

The girl opened her eyes wide and checked the money. “That’s not possible; I counted correctly before leaving home!” She rummaged in the pockets of her shorts but found nothing else.

Josias, seeing the girl in trouble, stepped forward and stood beside her at the counter. “Excuse me, allow me to help you, miss.”