Journalled on Tuesday, 2nd of May 2023 | Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 26 degrees, warm, sunny, and slightly overcast.
Tuesday was a Tuesday of surprises. First, I exercised, had coffee, and showered, and everything went well.
I was ready to begin teaching classes when I received a message from Katia, the flat’s owner, asking whether I was leaving that day.
The month before, we had arranged for me to leave the first weekend of May, or, more precisely, the first weekend after Labour Day.
So, when I received the message, I was a little shocked, to say the least.
I immediately messaged her to let her know I would be leaving the coming weekend, as arranged. She called me right away and said I had to move today. I told her that it wasn’t possible, and it wasn’t what we had arranged last month.
When I became more incisive about what we had arranged and that I was still not ready, as I was still organising my things, she consequently asked me if she could leave some of her things, some stuff, in the flat.
The truth is that she was not asking but telling me, and how could I refuse the hypocrisy of the situation?
She showed up around 11 am with a load of furniture and other items left in the living room. She also told me she had arranged with the porter to take the fridge, stove, and washing machine later that day.
I do not know if this was a way of forcing me out, trying to make me feel uncomfortable there, or if she had just decided to do this without thinking about the consequences, or if it was just plain stupid, giving little thought to my needing these things over the last couple of days. I know Katia very well, and I like her very much.
However, it is undeniable that she can be espaciosa, meaning she can be inconsiderate and selfish, putting her own needs first, sometimes at others’ expense. One thing I learned from my father was integrity.
My word is my bond, and if I give my word to you or something, I will honour it to the best of my ability.
Brazil is experiencing significant political and economic turmoil, and I have noticed that many powerful people in high positions lack integrity; their words mean little, and that is a lot for the millions of less fortunate people who depend on them.
What is it with power, and how does it turn people into selfish, sly, manipulative worms that feed off the state and others? Those in high places who do not have any, or extraordinarily little, honour.
Since I spend most of my time in my bedroom because my home office setup, desk, etc., is there, and I am on my way out, another page of my life is turning over. I don’t mind the living room being a mess, and I don’t mind the porter coming to take the stove, fridge, and washing machine.
What I do care about is people being stingy, inconsiderate, mean and niggly about stupid, unimportant things. I am better than that! Another lesson from this is that nothing lasts forever, good or bad. Today, we are good; tomorrow, we are not, and vice versa.
IT IS ALL TEMPORARY!!!
After the brief confusion, the rest of the day was set for work, making money, and some good reading.
Thank you very much.
Thanks for reading my blog. Check out my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments.
Richard
