Building My Life

Chapter 11 - Routine on the Building

Josias took the key from Teodoro and went up the stairs. Upon entering the room, he took off his sweatpants and placed them on the back of the chair. It was a hot day for a beer, just as Melissa’s father had wished. He left the balcony door open and lay down on the bed, removed his briefs, and curled up on the sheet.

One shouldn’t have misjudged Josias for sleeping naked; he was simply disgusted by the prospect of wearing the same briefs again, and his sweatpants were also in a state of utter misery.

Josias woke up the next day, which promised to be another scorcher, already feeling discouraged by the prospect of work.

He got up and went to the balcony, looking at the horizon and the morning activity of the favela. The same girl from the neighboring building spotted Josias, and this time she dared to wave hello, to which he reciprocated. At that point, the girl was wondering if Josias ever wore a shirt. If only she had known...

Josias took the towel folded on the chair and wrapped it around his waist. He went to the dresser, grabbed the soap and shampoo he had bought with Teodoro’s money, along with his toothbrush and paste, and headed down to the men’s bathroom on the first floor.

Teodoro had been careful to build a decent bathroom within his means. Given the poverty of the area, he could have used that as an excuse for sloppy construction. Instead, the bathroom had tiled walls in alternating shades of white and light blue, three sinks with mirrors, so multiple people could wash their faces, and the latrine area was enclosed so no one would be seen using the toilet.

The only thing Josias thought could be improved was the shower area — or rather, the showers, which were tucked into the far corner but remained visible to anyone entering. The bathroom was located at the opposite end from the ladies’ room because some clueless men refused to close the door.

Just as Josias entered, two men were showering with the door wide open, talking animatedly about the outcome of the televised soccer match from the night before; their team had won.

They say that a real man isn’t bothered by being around another naked man in public bathrooms or locker rooms, but Josias wasn’t used to it. He had always enjoyed the privacy of his own bathroom. Not even his father had seen him in such intimacy, let alone two strange, large men.

Thus, Josias first washed his face and brushed his teeth, then retreated to one of the latrines and closed the door. After he flushed, he remained inside the stall, listening to the other tenants. He could tell the two had finished bathing and were drying off, their conversation about soccer still lively. Only when they finally left did Josias leave the compartment and head to the shower after securing the door. He worried some unsuspecting woman might find him as he came into the world, just like in those American comedy movies.

When Josias returned to the room feeling clean and refreshed, he looked with regret and disgust at his only set of clothes. He made a decision.

Teodoro was startled when he found Josias in the middle of the reception with only a towel wrapped around his waist, just as a mother was leaving with her children for school. She was embarrassed and stood in front of her children so they wouldn’t see the boy in that state.

“Seu Teodoro,” Josias said in an angry tone, “would you mind washing these two pieces of clothing?”

After a few more days of unsuccessful attempts at finding a job, Josias began to despair. Would he have to move to Rio de Janeiro and live with his distant uncles? They likely didn’t even know that their hated brother-in-law had been murdered due to his fault. Everything would have been easier if he had known where his mother was.

But as stated in the first chapter, Josias’s mother had grown tired of her husband’s stray behavior, filed for divorce, and ended the marriage without even fighting for custody — a rare move for a mother. She was probably already involved with another man who didn’t want to support a child that wasn’t his. Despite her complaints about a lack of money, Josias’s mother was the opposite of his father: materialistic and thirsty for luxury.

Therefore, if Josias had presented himself to her wearing those worn-out sweatpants and no shirt, she would have likely ordered her employees to shoo him away and denied he was her son.

So, on that particular day, Josias decided to look for work inside the Happiness Slum. He was done spending money that wasn’t his. In the previous weeks, Teodoro had been the one paying for his van tickets, and Josias was constantly reminded that the building’s rooms were meant for rent. At any moment, Teodoro’s patience could end, and Josias would be expelled.