August Winds

1

AUGUST WINDS:

Shall we get some sleep'?

Put your arm here.

I'm going to lay you in bed.

- Fix that blanket first.

- Let me lay you down first.

That one there.

- This one?

- That one,

so it doesn't slip and choke me.

- This okay?

- That one there.

- This one?

- The other one.

- Is this okay?

- No, it was the other one.

It won't slip now.

Don't worry. it's tucked in tight now.

Okay?

- My legs are aching a lot.

Put your arm around my neck.

Bless you, my grandchild.

Let me get the blanket.

Don't try to get up.

Here.

Damn, that hurt!

Will you let me tattoo your arm or not?

Don't pester me.

A tattoo lasts forever.

But ifs a small one. It won't hurt.

If my father sees me with a tattoo,

he'll kick me out.

What a coward, scared of his father.

Be still!

- Good morning!

Morning.

Everything okay?

Dust fine.

- Working hard?

- Fixing a net to go shrimping.

Very well.

I'm a photographer,

and I enlarge and restore photos.

My work is top quality.

I came to offer my services.

You won't have to pay till November.

I also have these.

For a deceased relative.

The photo looks great on porcelain.

I don't want to spend my money

on that sort of thing.

- Come on.

- I don't like spending money on such things.

Really?

- I'm not interested.

Porcelain lasts a lifetime.

I'm not interested.

- You're not interested?

- No.

All right then.

- Thank you very much.

- You're welcome.

Brother!

- Yes, friend?

What if I Wanted to put three people

in the portrait?

Me, him, and someone who has passed away.

But I only have one portrait.

Do you do that?

- You only have one portrait?

- Yes.

- One of yourself?

- No. Me, him and the deceased.

We can use the sky as the background,

since she's certainly up in heaven.

We can have the three of you here

with the sky as a backdrop.

It'll look really great.

I can also include a message

in honor of the deceased.

- What was her name?

- Maria Helena.

- Maria Helena?

- Yes.

For instance, I could Write:

Maria Helena, time will never erase

the memory of someone like you,

capable of making fleeting moments

great and unforgettable.

Did you miss your brother a lot

after he left for Sao Paulo?

Yes. I was still single then.

You chose not to go,

and now you sit there,

complaining that you don't like being here,

that you miss him,

that you were abandoned.

Well, that's life.

When we're healthy,

we can have great aspirations.

When we're not, all that's left

is to Wait for a child of God like you.

What child Of God?

Someone like you,

who's shown me great charity.

Isn't that right, my child?

Life is beautiful when we're young,

but ifs cruel in old age.

I don't want to be here either.

I came to care for you

because my mother sent me.

Thank the Lord!

You might feel thankful. I don't.

Even when people lose their parents,

the hope of seeing them again remains.

Once in a While, I see mine.

- I do.

- See them how?

In my dreams.

They come to me and they smile

and gaze upon me.

They come and stay.

What we can't see in the flesh,

we can see in our dreams.

Used to supply the cities.

The sand has disappeared,

and the sea has seized the hillside.

Let's move on to natural phenomena.

In Brazil, along the northeast coast,

the sea is causing significant damage.

In several cities, the waves

have flooded streets and homes.

What is happening in our country?

The sea advances and retreats,

altering the map of Brazil.

In Joao Pessoa,

strong waves crashed down on children.

Yesterday, in Baia da Traicao,

on Paraiba's north coast,

the tide rose to nine feet

above normal levels.

The water flooded houses,

restaurants and buildings.

In February, the town

declared a state of emergency.

Take a look.

Look close. Look close.

Look at the teeth.

Hard to say.

I don't know.

Are you Mr. Jos?

- How are you'?

- I'm fine.

My grandmother told me

to come talk to you,

that you know everyone from around here.

What do you Want to know?

Do you know anyone

who had a gold tooth? Look.

This one I knew.

You know who it is?

Who is it?

His name was Z Pereira.

- Z Pereira?

- Yes.

- How did you know him?

- From around here.

- From around here?

- Yes.

How did he die?

I was a child when he died.

Nearly an adolescent.

I was 12 when he died.

I can't quite recall.

He was really old.

- And he had gold teeth?

- He did.

Are you sure ifs him

and not someone else?

Ifs definitely him.

- Was he the only one with gold teeth?

- Around these parts, he was.

Keeled over, then was swept out to sea.

- His boat?

- No, his tomb.

The sea claimed him.

Where did you find this?

- What?

- Where'd you find it?

- We were fishing.

- Is that so?

We were fishing, and he Went diving...

I was diving and found the skull

stuck in the coral.

- That so?

Dust the skull.

I'm certain ifs Z Pereira.

We came to try to find out who it was.

Those who die here

don't end up in heaven or in hell.

Like him, they end up in the sea.

It's all black,

as if the flesh rotted on it.

Or blood.

What are you kids doing?

Leave the man alone. Let him work.

Don't you have anything better to do?

- Good morning.

- Good morning, friend.

What's that spinning thing?

- It's for measuring the Wind.

- The Wind?

- Do you make money from that?

- Not much.

I'll be here this week recording the Wind.

Very well. Feel free.

- Thank you.

- You're welcome.

Good morning.

Good morning.

- Do the mangroves lead down to the sea?

- Yes.

- Is it far?

- No, ifs near. Straight ahead.

- Any danger of getting stuck in the mud?

- No, ifs all sand.

That boy told me I might get stuck.

Only if you go through the mangroves.

If you follow the path, it's safe.

Want to have a listen?

Hold this.

What do you hear?

- She talks a lot.

- She talks a lot, does she?

I'm listening to Lucia.

Point it at her.

Come on, singer!

How do you do?

I'm here recording the Wind.

Could you tell me

of a quiet place around here

to record the sound of the Wind?

- Without any Wind?

- No, a place that's windy.

Where I can record

the wind blowing harder.

I don't know.

- Is there a quieter place around here'?

- I don't know.

- Can I record here?

- Sure.

How is it that they breathe?

I've seen it for myself.

The rocks have lungs.

What do you mean?

Rocks have lungs like a human being.

All living things need lungs to breathe.

I've dived amongst these rocks

and I've seen their lungs.

What are their lungs like?

The lung is made of...

made of rock.

It's several rocks that never

entirely come apart from each other.

They're always opening and closing.

As weird as it sounds,

the rocks have lungs.

Poor man.

There's nothing worse than dying at sea.

- But why bring him to the village?

- This will bring us problems.

The stink will be unbearable

when he bursts.

He should've called the police.

It would've been a lot easier.

The belly's so swollen from the rot,

I reckon he's been dead about five days.

- How do you know it's been five days?

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