PART THREE

Leonardo, accustomed to his new life, felt no sadness. He no longer bothered to leave the lights on, to change the pool water at Sandrinha's every command, or with the high grocery expenses. For months he hadn't asked if he could help with anything, and three times he had taken money from the desk in the office where Alex always left it, without explanation.

— "He's changed a bit," Alex said on the phone. "I have faith in him... Yes, I'll do as you advise."

After ending the call, he called his friend to talk, and had to insist to get Léo's attention that same day.

— My uncle has decided to cut back significantly on what he sends me monthly. — Alex said as he sat down.

In the room opposite Alex, Léo remained distant and standing.

Alex continued:

— He doesn't see the benefit in what I'm doing, and I can't question him. He stated that if I want to write, I won't need much, and that I can manage with less, in his words, be more humble. I might even learn more. He emphasized that if I truly seek responsibility, I should get a job and support myself. I had to agree with him.

— How much will he send you? — Léo asked without any embarrassment.

— Whatever he deems appropriate.

— I haven't been much help. I confess I thought I was with an eccentric millionaire and even felt embarrassed to offer my humble assistance. Let's see with your uncle how much he will send. We'll manage the groceries... You're not sure how much he'll send?

— The only certainty is that we won't be able to afford this house.

— A smaller one, with a pool? — Léo asked, pacing the room with unease.

— A tenement house. I think it's a good option.

— I can't live in a tenement house! — Léo exclaimed. — Many things have changed. I have new obligations.

— I'm sorry, Léo, that's all there is, I'm sorry, but that's it.

Alex went to his room, leaving his friend to stew in his worries; about Sandrinha.

They had only one month. Léo remained frustrated. Two weeks passed before he told his girlfriend about what he called a catastrophe.

— Alex's uncle wants him back, but he doesn't want to go. And the uncle, annoyed, cut off all his allowance! — Léo invented.

The young woman was intrigued and speculated extensively, seeking a solution to the impasse.

— Alex should rent a room until they make up. It shouldn't take long. I'll go back to my parents' house until things settle down. — Léo continued, giving each statement a tone of disaster.

Deceptively, he tried to convince Sandrinha. And the girl pretended to be more concerned about the situation than about any loss.

With nothing to be done, Léo accompanied his friend to the tenement house.

— The answer tomorrow? — the tenement house owner joked. This tomorrow took a long time.

In this atmosphere, Léo said goodbye to Alex. For a moment, Alex doubted he had even achieved one of his objectives. He shook his head as if to forget what was happening and set about setting up his computer to update the events that had occurred. He wrote and quickly described colorful objects, sweaty bodies, or almost wilted flowers. He decided to state the facts without judgment, hoping that if someone ever dared to read those lines, they could make their own judgments and perhaps truly understand what was written. Reality and fantasy mixed, amidst notes and pages. A confusing story he never denied it was. He made letter by letter. A melody without harmony that brought him comfort in the solitude that invaded him.

Ironic! To leave isolation to learn to make friends, to make them. To what end? To suffer. And how he suffered! He had never felt so alone as on the nights he wrote. And because of this, he would go out walking, hoping to find a friendly person to do him a favor. To give him some words for his ears to hear. And when he heard them, he would rush to his room, to the computer, and describe a long story.

It wouldn't be long before he saw himself as a madman. But no one saw him. And so he continued, a madman in his written daydreams. Without censorship, without limits.

Leonardo, accustomed to his new life, felt no sadness. He no longer bothered to leave the lights on, to change the pool water at Sandrinha's every command, or with the high grocery expenses. For months he hadn't asked if he could help with anything, and three times he had taken money from the desk in the office where Alex always left it, without explanation.

— "He's changed a bit," Alex said on the phone. "I have faith in him... Yes, I'll do as you advise."

After ending the call, he called his friend to talk, and had to insist to get Léo's attention that same day.

— My uncle has decided to cut back significantly on what he sends me monthly. — Alex said as he sat down.

In the room opposite Alex, Léo remained distant and standing.

Alex continued:

— He doesn't see the benefit in what I'm doing, and I can't question him. He stated that if I want to write, I won't need much, and that I can manage with less, in his words, be more humble. I might even learn more. He emphasized that if I truly seek responsibility, I should get a job and support myself. I had to agree with him.

— How much will he send you? — Léo asked without any embarrassment.

— Whatever he deems appropriate.

— I haven't been much help. I confess I thought I was with an eccentric millionaire and even felt embarrassed to offer my humble assistance. Let's see with your uncle how much he will send. We'll manage the groceries... You're not sure how much he'll send?

— The only certainty is that we won't be able to afford this house.

— A smaller one, with a pool? — Léo asked, pacing the room with unease.

— A tenement house. I think it's a good option.

— I can't live in a tenement house! — Léo exclaimed. — Many things have changed. I have new obligations.

— I'm sorry, Léo, that's all there is, I'm sorry, but that's it.

Alex went to his room, leaving his friend to stew in his worries; about Sandrinha.

They had only one month. Léo remained frustrated. Two weeks passed before he told his girlfriend about what he called a catastrophe.

— Alex's uncle wants him back, but he doesn't want to go. And the uncle, annoyed, cut off all his allowance! — Léo invented.

The young woman was intrigued and speculated extensively, seeking a solution to the impasse.

— Alex should rent a room until they make up. It shouldn't take long. I'll go back to my parents' house until things settle down. — Léo continued, giving each statement a tone of disaster.

Deceptively, he tried to convince Sandrinha. And the girl pretended to be more concerned about the situation than about any loss.

With nothing to be done, Léo accompanied his friend to the tenement house.

— The answer tomorrow? — the tenement house owner joked. This tomorrow took a long time.

In this atmosphere, Léo said goodbye to Alex. For a moment, Alex doubted he had even achieved one of his objectives. He shook his head as if to forget what was happening and set about setting up his computer to update the events that had occurred. He wrote and quickly described colorful objects, sweaty bodies, or almost wilted flowers. He decided to state the facts without judgment, hoping that if someone ever dared to read those lines, they could make their own judgments and perhaps truly understand what was written. Reality and fantasy mixed, amidst notes and pages. A confusing story he never denied it was. He made letter by letter. A melody without harmony that brought him comfort in the solitude that invaded him.

Ironic! To leave isolation to learn to make friends, to make them. To what end? To suffer. And how he suffered! He had never felt so alone as on the nights he wrote. And because of this, he would go out walking, hoping to find a friendly person to do him a favor. To give him some words for his ears to hear. And when he heard them, he would rush to his room, to the computer, and describe a long story.

It wouldn't be long before he saw himself as a madman. But no one saw him. And so he continued, a madman in his written daydreams. Without censorship, without limits.