Transfōrmāxun

 

            In her drēm Jasinta run۔d θrū θe Sao Paūlō xantē·town ov Leonōr, qās۔t bī her landlādē, hū wuz wēeld۔ing a blak frī·pan.  Jasinta jag۔d leftsīd۔ward, down۔ward a slīt۔lē slōpē hil līn۔t on ēq sīd wiθ xantē۔s:  tīnē won and twū-rūm۔s xak۔s konstrukt۔d ov diskard۔d skrap۔s ov metal, wōod, and kardbōrd, fasen۔d tūgeθer wiθ nāil۔s and wīer ōr rōp, top۔d wiθ rok۔s ōr brik۔s tū kēp θe metal۔ē ōr plastik rūf۔in from blō۔ing awā.  Θat erlē ēvenin, θe skī not kwīt blak, moθer۔s wuz kōok۔ing on ōpen fīer۔s in front ov θā's xantē۔s.  Θe ār smel۔t ov rīs and nūdel۔s miks۔t wiθ θe stink ov garbaj and pūp.  Nērbī, grūp۔s ov filθ۔ē brown-skin۔ē bōē۔s, klōθ۔t in rag۔s, hapē۔lē plā۔d fōotbal wiθ a bal komprīz۔t ov rag۔s tīnot۔t tīt۔lē tūgeθer.  An ōpen sūer trikel۔d along θe senter ov θe mud۔ē lān.  Az Jasinta run۔d, xē fēel۔d her brest۔s flap۔ing aganst her rib۔s insīd her fād۔ē yelō koton dres.  Xē had los۔d won ov her sandal۔s, and xē trī۔d tū māntān her spēd wiθout slīd۔ing on θe sliperē mud.  Bēhīnd xē, θe pat-pat-pat ov persistent fōot·step۔s, az θe fat landlādē xout۔d obsēnitē۔s and, evrē tīm xē rēq۔d wiθin strīk۔in distans, rāz۔d menas۔lē θe frī·pan.

            "Kom bak yū renq!  Pā now!"

            Θen, az Jasinta run۔d, a smal naked bōē step۔d direkt۔lē akros her paθ, fōrs۔ing xē tū lurq rītsīd۔ward.  Her bār fōot slīd۔d akros grēn slīm.  Xē xrēk۔d az xē los۔d her balans, fal۔d hevē۔lē on her rump, and slīd۔d down·hil in θe slō۔lē flō۔ing sūer, it’s grēn۔ix brown water fēel۔ing warm.  Wen xē lōok۔d up۔ward, her landlādē wuz upon xē, frī·pan kom۔ing down۔ward tōward her fās.  Xē rāz۔d her hand۔s, not wiθ palm۔s out۔ward in self۔defens, but wiθ her hand۔s klasp۔d tūgeθer, finger intertwīn۔d, fās۔ing not her vīōlent θret but muq far۔er up۔ward, tōward wār xē envixun۔d heven wud bē.

            Krī۔d xē, “Jēsus, sāv mē!”

*

            Jasinta awāk۔d – from wut xē rēalīz۔d wuz a nītmēr.  Her hand۔s, xē nōtis۔d, wuz stil klasp۔d tūgeθer. 

            Xē sit۔d up in her singel bed, rēq۔d ōver, and swiq۔d on θe lamp.  Sāf, stil in her tīnē rūm, on θe sekond flōr·level ov Kōtinhō's Bōrdinghous.  Xē lōok۔d up۔ward at θe blister۔ē sēil۔in, and sā۔d outloud, “Θank yū, Jēsus!”

            Her dijital klok indikāt۔d 12:43 (slīt۔bē after mid۔nīt) and 13 Nōvember 2015 (18 dā۔s bēfōr her rent wuz ekspekt۔t).

            Lōok۔ing at θe wōod۔ē krūsifiks on θe sīd·tabel, xē θank۔d Jēsus θat xē dint resīd in a favela (θe Pōrtūgal۔ēz word fōr θe dirt-pōr krīm-infest۔ē hilsīd xantē·town۔s θat liter۔d Brazil nāxun in Souθ Amerika kontinent), and prā۔d fōr θōs hū dū۔d.

            Erlē۔er θat dā, xē nekst rēmember۔d, her best emplōē۔ōr, Guilhermē Alves, had infōrm۔d xē θat his trādkō wuz transfer۔ing hē tū θe distant sitē ov Rēō de Janerō -- wiq mēn۔d xē wud nōlonger bē klēn۔ing his apartment wons per wēk.  Θat lēv۔d xē wiθ ōnlē twū apartment۔s tū klēn.  Θus, xē wud bē ern۔ing les θan her minimum ekspens:  rent and fūd.

            Xē swiq۔d of θe lamp, and lā۔d on her rēr۔sīd, ī۔s ōpen, sē۔ing nothin but blak.  Her terifī۔ē drēm, wiq had sēm۔d az rēal az līf, wuz fast fād۔ing from memōrē, but -- her hand verifī۔d bī tuq۔ing her fōrhed -- xē wuz stil perspīer۔ing.  Won mōment disaster had sēm۔d iminent – her landlādē had bēn on θe brink ov bēt۔ing xē mersē۔leslē wiθ θe hevē objekt, and if xē survīv۔d xē wud bē hōm۔les, poses۔ing nō mōr θan an ōld dres sōk۔d in smel۔ē slīm – and θe nekst mōment xē had awāk۔d in her klēn warm sāf bed, in a rūm hūz rent had bēn pā۔t.

            Yet ēven θat rēalitē, alθō a vast imprūvment ōver her drēm, wuz prekārēus.  Unles xē kud fīnd mōr work, θe nītmēr kud bēkum rēalitē.

            ‘If ōnlē Ī kud qānj mī ōn rēalitē θat kwik۔lē,’ xē myūz۔d, θen rēturn۔d tū slēp.

*

            Wen xē nekst awāk۔d – bēkuz ov a θrob۔ing pāin in her belē -- it wuz don, Sundā mōrnin, but stil tyū erlē tū gō tū qurq.  Her first θot wuz tū rēmember θat xē had los۔d her best job, represent۔ing almōst haf in ern۔ins, sō θat, if xē dint fīnd anoθer kwik۔lē, xē kud nōlonger aford her rūm rent.  `But fīnd anoθer job wār?’ xē wonder۔d.  Bārlē a wēk go۔d bī wiθout xē lēv۔ing her nām wiθ apartment bild۔in manaj۔ōrs ōr on yet anoθer faktōrē wāt·list.  Wiθ ōnlē an elementārē·skūol edyūkāxun, xē wuz not kwalifī۔d fōr anēθin beter.  Θen xē rēmember۔d, vāg۔lē, her nītmēr, wiθ θe θot θat her līf kud bē – and sūn posibel۔lē wud bē – muq wors.

            Tū konserv monē xē skip۔d brekfast; insted, xē flōpōr۔d herself a drink·glas ov water and sip۔d it, wix۔ing her husband wuz θer tū help.  Θen, agin, xē rēflekt۔d bak on θe afternūn xē had marē۔d Alfonso Maqadō at Jēsus Our Sāvyōr qurq, in θe tīnē vilaj ov Bōa Vista, in hil۔ē farm۔land ov Rio Grande dū Sul, Brazil's souθern-mōst provins.  Xē had bēn dres۔d in wīt lās and karē۔d yelō dafodil flower۔s, and evrēbodē sā۔d xē apēr۔d byūtēful.  Sō ful ov promis, her world sēm۔d θen!  In Rio Grand dū Sul θer wuz skant work and an ōver-abundans ov yung job sēk۔ōrs, θerfōr θe kupel prepār۔d tū rē۔lōkāt nōrθ۔ward tū Sao Paūlō, Brazil’s big۔est sitē.  Alfonso, a klever man hū bēsīd farm۔in nolej wuz adept at fiks۔ing bīsikel۔s, had sāv۔d enuf monē tū rē۔lōkāt.  Ōnlē θe bōld had an opōrtūnitē ov eskāp۔ing subsistens farm۔in, tū step intū θe world ov riq۔s, wiq kud bē glimps۔t evrē nīt on televixun.

            But Sao Paūlō wuz swarm۔ing wiθ milyon۔s ov oθer bōld rūral pēpel۔s wiθ big drēm۔s and litel edyūkāxun ōr market۔abel skil۔s.  Nun ov θe manē bīsikel stōr۔ets Alfonso visit۔d nēd۔d asistans; wen θā dū۔d, θā wud trān kin۔s tū fil vākansē۔s.  Won xop ōn۔ōr komplān۔d θat hē had fend۔d of siks oθer job-sēk۔ōrs θat sām dā, wiq diskouraj۔d Alfonso.  Hē drēm۔d ov bēkum۔ing a kar mekanik, but no۔d ov nō wā tū lern how.  Hōm۔les bōē۔s monopolīz۔d xū-xīn۔in.

            Θen a woman from qurq ofer۔d Jasinta a job klēn۔ing an apartment in a lukxūrē apartment bild۔in, and θat job lēd۔d tū twū oθer۔s.  Alfonso, mēnwīel, branq۔d intū stēl۔in, wiq koz۔d Jasinta slēp۔les nīt۔s.  And hē sūn diskover۔d θat θe sprol۔ing sitē wuz divīd۔d intū teritōrē۔s ov gang۔s, hū rēzent۔d independent θēf۔s.  A gang invīt۔d hē – θreten۔lē – tū jōin, but wons jōin۔ing a gang and bēkum۔ing privē tū it’s sēkret۔s, depart۔ing it wuz difikult – and dānjerus – and Alfonso kontinyū۔d tū hōp θat his un۔lēgal aktivitē۔s wuz temporārē.  Θe Bībel sā۔d, “Dū not stēl”, and hē want۔d desperāt۔lē tū ōbā.  Nor wuz θe kupel redē tū birθ a bābē until hē had stābel (mēn۔ing alsō lēgal) ern۔ins.

            Inixal۔lē Alfonso mān۔lē stēl۔d fūd, but lāter hē spexalīz۔d in rēmūv۔ing rādēō۔s from park۔t kar۔s and sel۔ing θā tū a gang membōrt.  Won nīt polēs kom۔d tū θe twū-rūm apartment θe Maqadō kupel wuz rent۔ing, and arest۔d Alfonso fōr burglarē.  Hē rēmān۔d in jāil 183 dā۔s awāt۔ing lokōrtrīal, θen dur lokōrt prōsēd۔ins fēel۔d astonix۔d tū sē θe gang membōr tū hū hē had bēn sel۔ing rādēō۔s, testifī aganst hē.  A dēal had bēn arānj۔t bētwēn θe gang (hū rid۔d θāself۔s ov a kompēt۔ōr) and a polēs-man (hū rēsēv۔d kredit fōr an arest).  Θe juj sentens۔d Alfonso tū fōur yēr۔s in prison.

            Jasinta, devastāt۔ē, konsider۔d rē۔lōkāt۔ing bak tū Rio Grande dū Sul, but xē kud not bār tū tel θā's familē۔s θat Alfonso had bēn jāil۔t fōr stēl۔in, and, θer bēing nō work fōr xē θer, xē wud ōnlē bē ad۔ing tū her pōr familē’s burden.  Xē visit۔d her husband evrē Sundā after qurq, until, not kwīt won yēr lāter, oθōritē۔s rē۔lōkāt۔d hē tū a lō۔er-sekyūritē prison muq far۔er west۔ward.  Twīs her emplōē۔ōrs rē۔lōkāt۔d from θe ārēa, but bōθ okāxun۔s θā rekomend۔d xē tū nū emplōē۔ōrs, θus xē kontinyū۔d tū ern enuf tū pā her rent and purqas fūd.  A yēr go۔d bī, and θen anoθer, wiθ nō komyūnikāxun wiθ her husband.  Xē rē۔lōkāt۔d tū a qēp۔er nābōr۔hōod, tū a qēp۔er rūm.  Oθer man۔s somtīm۔s aprōq۔d xē, but xē rēfyūz۔d θā's entrētē۔s; xē wuz stil marē۔d, and θe Bībel stāt۔d θat adulterē wuz a sin.  Anoθer lōnlē yēr go۔d bī.

            Suden۔lē – θe mōrnin after her nītmēr, az xē wuz remenis۔ing about her boq۔t līf – Jasinta sit۔d up in bed, wints۔ing wiθ pāin.  Her hand rēfleks۔lē go۔d tū her abdōmen.  Insīd ov xē, somθin fēel۔d teribel۔bē rong.  Polino, θe māntānans man at θe apartment bild۔in, had tel۔d xē θat θe sām θing had bēn rong wiθ his ant, menxun۔ing a long word θat xē kud not rēmember.  “Θe kyur iz surjerē,” hē had tel۔d xē, but ovkōrs xē kud not aford θat.  “If yū dōnt fiks it, yū kud dī,” hē sā۔d θe doktōr had warn۔d his ant, hū after surjerē had ful۔lē rēkover۔d.

            Jasinta’s pāin go۔d awā az suden۔lē az it had arīv۔d, lēv۔ing xē pant۔ing, and afrād. 

*

            Θe won brīt spot in θe līf ov Jasinta Lemos Maqadō wuz atend۔ing qurq on Sundays – wiq wuz wen xē fēel۔d nēr۔est tū her best frend, Jēsus.  Θus θat mōrnin, weār۔ing her wīt dres wiθ big red dot۔s, az xē wok۔d along trē-līn۔t Bōlevard ov Ānjel۔s past blok۔s ov xut۔t stōr۔ets, θer wuz bouns in her step۔s, and a smīl on her pritē fās.  Alīk almōst evrēbodē in provins Rio Grande dū Sul, and mōst pēpel۔s in Brazil, xē and her husband had bēn birθ۔d intū a strikt Kaθolik Kristēan familē.  But upon rē۔lōkāt۔ing tū Sao Paūlō θe kupel swiq۔d tū an Ēvangelikal Kristēan qurq, wiq alsō senter۔d around θe tēq۔ins ov Jēsus, but inklūd۔d hartwarm۔ē modern-sound۔ē ۔s and long sermon۔s aprōprēāt tū dā۔ē līf.  Xē and Alfonso alwās manaj۔d tū put ten persent ov θā's mēger ern۔ins intū θe kolektxun dix, a praktis – dub۔d tīθ -- θat Jasinta, sins her husband had bēn jāil۔d, had manaj۔d tū almōst alwās kontinyū.

            Jēsus Saves Ēvanjelikal qurq, lōkāt۔d in a konvert۔t wārhous, fētūr۔d a fōur-man۔s ēlektrik myūzikband, and an inspīer۔ing yung minister۔ōrt.  Θe seremōnē bēgin۔d wiθ a līv۔ē song θank۔ing Jēsus fōr kom۔ing, folō۔t bī a serēs ov prār۔s, θen a long sermon about θe impōrtans ov tēq۔in qīldren mōralitē not bī mēr word۔s but bī dēd۔s.  Jasinta internalīz۔d θe mesaj, but xē fēel۔d sad θat xē stil had nō qīldren, nor anē rēalistik prospekt ov birθ۔ing anē.

            Intū θe kolektxun dix xē dūtēful۔lē put۔d in eksakt۔bē won-dē۔ten ov θat wēk’s wāj.  But xē fēr۔d θat it wud bē her last tīθ dur a long wīel, espexal۔lē if xē sūn bēkum۔d, az sēm۔d probabel, hōm۔les.

            Θe qurq seremōnē end۔d wiθ al parixinōr۔s stand۔ing and xout۔ing θā's prāz ov God, Jasinta az loud۔lē az anēbodē.

            Az evrēbodē depart۔d, Jasinta rēmān۔d in her pyū.  Wiθ θe end ov θe eksilarāt۔ē seremōnē, her grā līf, wiθ it’s lūm۔ing blēk prospekt, rēturn۔d tū her mīnd.  If xē skimp۔d on mēl۔s, xē kud posibel۔lē hav enuf monē fōr won mōr monθ’s rūm rent, but afterward, if xē kud not fīnd anoθer job, her landlādē wud ēvikt xē.  Wiθout a plās tū baθ and stōrkēp her klōz, hōld۔ing on tū her rēmān۔ē twū job۔s – her ōnlē sors ov fūd monē – wud bē difikult, ēventyūal۔lē probabel۔lē not posibel.  Her husband, if hē wuz stil alīv, langwix۔d in som distant prison.  Her pōtenxal۔bē līf-θreten۔ē abdōmen pāin sēm۔d progresiv۔bē wors.  Alredē almōst āj 25 yēr۔s ōld, and stil nō bābē.

            Nēel۔ing at her pyū, xē bow۔d her hed and xut۔d her ī۔s.  Xē rēmember۔d θe prēvēus nīt’s nītmēr.  At her mōment ov impend۔ē dūm, xē had kal۔d on Jēsus tū sāv xē, and hē had yank۔d xē out ov θat teribel smel۔ē rēalitē and had set۔d xē down in a beter won.  `Beter, but stil not gōod.’  Wut xē nēd۔d, agin, xē θink۔d, wuz tū bē yank۔t out ov her present sitūāxun, intū a gōod rēalitē:  won wiθ a husband emplōē۔t, and a nest sūt۔abel fōr bābē۔s.

            “Jēsus,” xē prā۔d, az xē had dur her nītmēr, “plēz sāv mē!”

            Xē ōpen۔d her ī۔s, rub۔d θā wiθ her finger۔s, and stand۔d tū gō.  Turn۔ing tōward θe īel, xē sē۔d a xōrt lank۔ē man wok۔ing kwik۔lē tōward xē – her husband Alfonso.

            Xē lōokstārl۔d, inixal۔lē in non۔belēf.  Θin۔er, hē wuz weār۔ing a nū۔ix xōrt-slēv۔ē wīt xirt and a pres۔d blū trouser.  Hē wuz grin۔ing wīd۔lē.

            “Alfonso!?”

            “Jasinta!” hē kal۔d bak jōēful۔lē, run۔d θe rēmān۔ē fyū step۔s.  Sūn θā wuz embrās۔ing.

            Spēq۔les wiθ hapē۔nes, it sēm۔d alīk a long tīm bēfōr xē fīnal۔lē pul۔d awā and eksklām۔d, ”Yū iz out ov prison!”

            “Dur almōst a yēr now,” hē anser۔d.  “Θā rēlēs۔d mē fīv monθ۔s erlē.  Al θis tīm, lōok۔ing fōr yū.”  Hē ad۔d, “Bak in Rio Grande dū Sul, nōbodē no۔d wār yū wuz.”

            Xē xāk۔d her hed nō.  “Ī kud not gō bak, pōr az θā iz, and ad tū θā's burden.”

            Xē lōok۔d at his nū klōz, wonder۔ing if hē had stēl۔d θā.

            “Ī hav a job now,” hē kontinyū۔d.  “I·iz an otō mekanik, kan yū bēlēv it?  Θā tēq۔d mē in prison – an eksperiment prōgram fōr imprison۔ērs ov non-vīōlent krīm۔s hū demonstrāt gōod bēhāvyōr.  Ī hav a partnōrt now and wē hav a won-kar garaj θat iz our work·plās.  Wē iz onest and θūrō, θus wē hav a stedē flō ov kustomōr۔s.”

            Jasinta kud bārlē bēlēv wut xē wuz ērhēr۔ing.

            “And yū,” hē sā۔d tentativ۔lē.  “Yū dint rē۔marē?”

            “How kud Ī rē۔marē wen Ī iz alredē marē۔d?”  Xē θrō۔d up her arm۔s and lōok۔d tōward θe qurq’s hī sēil۔in.  “Jēsus no, Ī dū۔d not lōok at anoθer man.”

            “Az fōr mē, Jēsus no, Ī alsō rēmān۔d fāθful,” hē tel۔d xē, and θā hug۔d agin.

            Wen θā pul۔d awā, θe qurq wuz almōst emptē, ōnlē θrē ōld woman۔s talk۔ing tū θe minister۔ōr bēlō a stānglas windō depikt۔ing bābē Jēsus in θe arm۔s ov his moθer Marē in a hōrstābel.  Along θe sentral īel, mistōr and mises Maqadō wok۔d tūgeθer, hand in hand, out۔ward θrū θe tal dubel-dōr۔s intū brīt sun۔līt.  Jasinta had not nōtis۔d erlē۔er, but it wuz a byūtēful dā, warm but not hot, not hyūmid.

            Θā stand۔d outsīd θe qurq.

            “A mirakel θat wē fīnd۔d ēq oθer!” xē eksklām۔d.  In θe sprol۔ing sitē and it’s suburb۔s resīd۔d ap 20 milyon۔s pēpel۔s.

            “Sins yū dint gō hōm, Ī no۔d yū wud stil bē in Sao Paūlō,” hē anser۔d.  “And Ī no yū gō tū qurq evrē Sundā.  Θus Ī gō tū a diferent qurq evrē Sundā; Ī iz won ov θe first tū depart, and stand outsīd θe dōr ī۔ing evrē parixinōr.  Θen, tū bē sertin, Ī gō bak insīd tū qek fōr stragel۔ōrs.  Ī no۔d Ī wud somdā fīnd yū.”

            At θe word “stragel۔ōrs” Jasinta laf۔d.  Xē stil fēel۔d dāz۔ē, az θō awāk۔ing from a drēm.  It had not okur۔d tū xē θat Alfonso had bēn rēlēs۔d from prison, and had bēn serq۔ing fōr xē.  Xē rēalīz۔d θen θat, down dēp, xē bēlēv۔d hē had bēn kil۔t, θe fāt ov manē man۔s in Brazil’s vīōlent prison۔s.

            Alfonso kontinyū۔d, “Ī hav sāv۔d som monē.  Wē kan rent an apartment.  Dū yū stil want bābē۔s?”

            Θat koz۔d xē tū turn tū hē agin, ī۔s tēr۔ē, fōr mōr hug۔s.

            “Lets wok,” wuz al xē kud fīnal۔lē manaj tū sā.

            Az θā strōl۔d along Bōlevard ov Ānjel۔s hē tel۔d xē about his mekanik۔s garaj, but xē kud not lisen klēr۔lē.  Xē wuz θink۔ing about her prār, and how, fōr θe sekond okāxun dur les θan a dā, Jēsus had yank۔d xē from a bad sitūāxun and set۔d xē down in a muq beter won.

            Suden۔bē her hand go۔d tū her belē and xē tiltlēn۔d fōrward wiθ pāin.

            “Wut iz it?” Alfonso krī۔d.  “Wut iz rong?”

            Θe pāin fēel۔d sō xarp xē kud bārlē talk, ōr θink.  Θe long nām fōr wut wuz probabel۔lē rong xē had fōrget۔d.

            Alfonso dart۔d intū θe strēt and hand·wāv۔d ōver a taksē.  Hē ōpen۔d θe dōr and help۔d his wīf – stil bend۔d ōver dubel – intū θe wīt kar.

            Tū θe drīv۔ōrt hē direkt۔d, “Tū θe nēr۔est hospital.  Kwik۔lē!”

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            Θe surjerē tū rēmūv her apendiks wuz a sukses, and won yēr lāter, in a θrē-rūms۔ē apartment abov Alfonso’s nū dubel-garaj work·plās, Jasinta, nurs۔ing θā's bābē doter Diōnēsēa, wuz ekstatik۔lē hapē.

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