How much is it so far?
$8 and 25 cents.
OK.
- How much? - $11.30.
- How much is the meat? - $ 3.05.
I'll leave it. I only have $11.50.
But it's $ 11.30.
But I need to get matches. How much are the matches?
$ 1.20.
I don't have enough. Sorry, but I need the matches.
- I've already rung up the meat. - Can you take the detergent out?
I've rung up the detergent too.
- I need to get the matches. - What do I do?
And... I need...
- What was it? - I will have to open it.
- What's the matter? - I didn't know the meat...
- was so expensive. - How much do you have?
I have $ 11.50.
But it's only $ 11.30.
But I need to get the matches and they're not in there yet.
- How much are the matches? - $1.20.
What are you leaving out?
How much is the detergent?
$ 1.15.
And the sponge?
It's 40 cents.
So?
Ok, you can leave the meat out.
$ .45.
I dropped my coin there.
- Here. - Thanks.
THE MAN WHO COPIED
My name is André.
It was my father's name. It was he who chose mine.
My mom called me Zinho. But my father always called me André.
Later he gave up and started calling me Zinho too.
I live in Porto Alegre, in the south of Brasil.
I live on this street, Presidente Roosevelt Ave.
Roosevelt was a president of the U.S.
He was married to his cousin.
He invented the Roosevelt Doctrine.
But I had no time to read about that.
I don't know what a doctrine is, I think it's a bunch of rules.
It sounds like an old lady's name. Granny Doctrine.
From my bedroom window I see a club, the Gondoliers.
There's a gondola on its roof.
I don't know if there ever were gondolas here.
I work in this shop. I'm a photocopier operator.
When the machineJams you remove the paper.
And throw away the copy.
Usually you only have to press these two buttons: Start, stop.
I should stop or the Blob will catch me through his mirror.
He says the mirror is for our safety.
The Blob thinks I'm a sucker.
Considering what he pays me, I guess he's right.
The Blob's name is Mr. Gomide.
Mrs. Blob is called Maria.
She comes to the shop to look at magazines and get money.
Little Blob's name is Rodrigo. Or Diogo.
They call him Guigo.
He likes the light in the paper cabinet.
Don't.
This is important too.
- Leave him, André! - The paper must be very dry.
Or it gets stuck together, Mrs. Gomide.
Get the boy out of here, Maria.
Come Guigo, don't touch that!
Good, Mrs. Blob, off you go.
- I'm going. - Bye, little blob.
When the paper runs out, you open the drawer...
and put in the paper.
First you loosen the paper.
Hold, fold, loosen.
Once more.
Then you put the paper here and close the drawer.
Then you choose lighter or darker.
It's best to leave it in the center.
Right, Blob. In the center.
You tell her how many copies. You put the original here.
If it's a book, you hold it.
When you press this button you are saying: Go ahead, baby.
And off she goes.
This light is the best part.
OK. Now you know all you need to know to do what I do.
Photocopier operator.
Big shit.
That's what I tell girls if they ask me. Only if they ask me.
- So what do you do? - Me?
I'm a photocopier operator.
What's that?
I operate a photocopying machine.
Like... Xerox?
Yes, but it's another brand.
You make photocopies in a firm?
No, no. In a shop.
Cool.
Very cool. Start, stop, the paper with the light, the drawer...
button in the center, how many copies, and go ahead, baby.
How many brain cells do you need to do this?
It sucks.
It's for the money. I work with illustrations.
I've sent some material to a magazine.
"Material". I don't think she bought that one.
Girls are smart.
When I'm not working, I stay home drawing.
It's fun because it's useless, except as a pick up line.
But it's never worked yet. Girls are very smart.
Girls can tell a photocopier operator in seconds.
No girl dreams of spending her life with a photocopier operator.
Or traveling with a photocopier operator...
having children with a photocopier operator.
At least I have never met a girl who dreamt of that.
She's not home yet.
She lives with her father. I think it's her father, must be.
By the look of their furniture, they can't have much money.
But her father works, he has a uniform.
His shirt has those things on the shoulders with buttons.
Maybe he's a cop.
Or a public health agent, who kills mosquitoes.
Maybe he's a public health agent.
She's arrived.
Beautiful.
She goes straight to her room, I think she eats out.
Sometimes she gets something in the kitchen.
Only sometimes, almost never.
She always arrives after 11 and goes to her room.
I think she goes to night classes, she carries books with her.
Her window is covered with paper, but for a small gap.
There are 3 stickers on the window.
A smiling face, a drawing, dolls.
A piece of paper with 4 dots of glue.
A postcard, maybe.
Sometimes she stops and looks at it.
It must be a photo.
She had blinds, but they rotted away and were taken down.
Venetian blinds must be expensive.
In the wardrobe I can only see clothes.
She has 2 paJamas, tonight she's chosen the white one.
I can only see part of the wardrobe.
She often leaves the door open. It has a mirror.
Depending on the angle of door, I see a different part of the room.
There's a flowery eiderdown on the bed.
A tapestry showing a girl.
A TV, but I only see its glow.
She watches movies till late.
A brush with a wooden handle.
A teddy bear. A red ladybird.
There is a lamp by the bed.
A small table, a white vase.
That's it. That's all.
I earn two minimum wages, $ 302 a month.
After the discounts, 290. The price of tennis shoes.
I don't spend on transport, I walk to work, I never go out.
My mom buys the food, I pay half the rent.
2 bedrooms and a maid's room, if we had a maid, a very small one.
Living room, bathroom, kitchen, for only $380, including fees.
That leaves me $ 100.
I pay half of the TVinstallments, a 14", remote control.
$ 64, I pay $ 32.
I get left with $ 68.
I spend on silly things: Amagazine, a beer, a pen, clothes.
To buy my binoculars I had to save for one year.
You see the bridge from here.
Every day it lifts to let a ship go through.
It's really fun to be far away and see someone from up close.
Sometimes I read magazines at work.
But mostly I read stuff that photocopy.
I can only read a few lines from each sheet.
Better than nothing.
Shakespeare and Cervantes died on the same day: 23rd of April 1616.
They never even met.
Cervantes was buried in a common grave.
I don't know what common grave means.
What difference does it make?
One of these days there was a Shakespeare poem.
"When I do count the clock that tells the time.
And see the brave day sunk in hideous night."
When I behold the violet past prime.
And sable curls, all silver'd o'er with white.
When lofty trees I see barren of leaves.
Which erst from heat did canopy the herd.
And summer's green all girded up in sheaves.
Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard.
Then of thy beauty do I question make.
That thou among the wastes of time must go.
Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake.
"And die as fast as they see others grow.
"And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defense."
- The girl's here to get her work. - Thanks.
I didn't get it. I didn't even read the last line.
I don't know what bristly means.
I haven't mentioned Marinez. She'd gone out to pay a bill.
She sells magazines, pencils, erasers, glue.
Hot. She knows she's hot. She wears really tight pants.
I have to lie down to put them on.
I imagined the scene, her lying down, legs up...
trying to fit into those tight pants.
I'd better not imagine it, I'm way out of her league.
She had a German boyfriend, he wrote to her twice.
He's German but he lives in Der Haagen, Holland.
Der Haagen means "The Hague".
Hay?
Hague. The name of the town, in Holland, where he lives.
It would be like "the Brasilia".
Get it?
The Hague. Der Haagen.
Oh.
I said "oh" to stop the conversation.
A poor father is destiny. But a poor husband is stupidity.
She's hot and a philosopher too.
Poverty is...
either destiny or stupidity.
Right.
Destiny or stupidity. In my case, a bit of both.
My father left when I was 4. This is the destiny part.
I was watching cartoons on TV.
The set was a house cut in half so you could see inside it.
I saw a book cover like that.
Will you keep my mail for me?
He didn't get many letters, it was mostly bills and Junk mail.
I kept everything in a shirt box.
When it got too small I put it all in a shoebox.
Then in 3 boxes, split into bills, ads and letters.
One day I was talking to my fat schoolmate Mairoldi.
I said I didn't think my dad would come back.
I don't think my dad will come back.
- Did he go on a trip? - Yes.
- When? - 7 years ago.
He started laughing, a lot.
He went blind on one eye. That's the stupid part.
That was my last day at school. I got thrown out.
I didn't want to go anymore either.
While my mom watches soaps on TVI stay in my room, drawing.
One-Eyed Zack lives with Granny Doctrine.
"You have to pay attention in class."
"Pay attention to what the teachers say."
"If you don't understand something, ask!"
"Pedro Alvares Cabral discovered Brazil on April 22nd 1500."
Why?
Duh...
My mom drags her slippers from the bathroom to the kitchen.
She opens the cupboard, gets a glass, closes the cupboard...
opens the fridge, gets the water bottle, closes the fridge...
fills the glass, only haltway...
opens the fridge, puts the bottle away, gets the glass...
opens the filter, fills the glass...
drags her slippers from the kitchen to the bedroom and says:
"Goodnight, son, I'm going to bed. TVmakes me so sleepy..."
Goodnight, son. I'm going to bed. TV makes me so sleepy...
Goodnight, mom.
Then I go to the kitchen, get something from the fridge...
and go to the living room. I turn the TVand watch a bit of everything.
I like it better with the sound off.
It's like a fire, or a lit up aquarium.
Only the light and the movement.
At 11 I get the binoculars.
A lot of people are still awake.
One thing I've found from watching the neighbors...
is that fat people go to bed late.
I don't know why, it's statistics.
Among the last people to go to bed there is at least one fat person.
I'd like to know what music he listens to.
I've discovered another important thing.
If you want to see something with binoculars...
you can't switch between windows.
You have to stay on one window and wait. It's like fishing.
The most I've seen was her in undies and bra.
SheJust passed.
I had been waiting for nearly one hour and she passed.
I think it lasted about... 2 seconds.
It was worth it.
When yourJob doesn't require you to think...
you use the time to think about other things.
When I worked as a bagger at a supermarket...
all I thought of was becoming famous.
I imagined being a famous footballer.
I imagined scoring brilliant, decisive goals.
In one of them I dribbled the back and kicked.
Right into the net.
Another one was a header, at the end of the match.
I also liked one where I caught it with the chest...
and kicked, no chance for the goalie.
Then I ran with arms open...
44 minutes into the second half, the crowd going wild.
It's cool to run with open arms, you almost fall.
While at the same time you feel like hugging everybody.
I never saw myselfJumping and punching the air like Pelé.
It only worked with Pelé.
If anyone else did it he'd look like a queer.
Can you take the oil can from over the fruit?
- Sorry? - Too heavy, it will bruise the fruit.
- Put it in the box. - Sorry.
Or the fruit will get all bruised.
- I've said I'm sorry. - No need to be angry.
I only asked you to take the can from over the fruit.
But I've put the can here, what more must I do?
- What's the problem? - This boy.
I've asked him to take the can from over the fruit...
- and he got stroppy. - I said I'm sorry.
Please excuse us, he is a bit cranky.
Don't worry, it won't happen again.
Here I earn the same and I don't have to do any heavy work.
I don't think about being famous anymore.
Now I think about making money.
Lots of money.
It's wonderful!
Look at this bed, full of cushions!
I love this thing over the bed.
Dossal.
Dosser?
No, Dossal. It's the name of this thing, dossal.
When I see these rich in magazines, I think...
the really rich wouldn't be showing off in a magazine.
The first time I saw Silvia...
she was in paJamas, having breakfast.
She was eating a cookie.
She dipped the cookie in the coffee and ate it.
I fell in love.
I started to watch Silvia's place every day.
I knew what time she woke up and got back home.
One day I decided to find out where she worked.
There are people who never go out. It's called panic syndrome.
I think it was in a student's essay.
They stay home because they can't leave the house.
The problem is you end up growing old.
It's best to face the streets.
I waited in front of her building.
It's called Saint Cecilia.
The Romans cooked St. Cecilia in a room but she didn't die.
Then they ran out of fun things to do and chopped her head off.
She came out, holding books. She was wearing her red coat.
But her tights were blue, matching her skirt.
I think she was late.
I had to run too to be able to get on the same bus.
She went to the front of the bus. I sat in the back.
She didn't see me, she was reading a book.
A person will never think she is being followed...
if you are in front of her. I saw it in a movie.
She went into a shop that was still closed.
I think she works there.
Silvia's. I still didn't know it was a coincidence.
I waited a while in front of the shop.
A coffee costs as much as a bus ticket, but I can walk back.
I read that a guy who drew some puppets on the wall became rich.
But he died soon afterwards.
You work your whole life to leave money to who knows whom.
He didn't even have time to have a kid.
The idea is to get rich fast, as fast as possible, and take off.
The problem is: How?
I sent a story of One-Eyed Zack and Granny Doctrine to a magazine.
You can't do only what you want.
You have to do something that will get you rich!
- Why? - Because, without money...
you can't do anything you want!
They never answered. Then I sent one with a letter.
I asked for an answer or to get my story back...
as other magazines were interested.
When I finish paying for the TV, I'll have $ 45 left every month.
If I don't spend any of it, in 10 years I'll buy a used car.
It's easier to buy a gun.
Andre, if you buy $50 of pot, you can resell it for $100, 150...
It depends on the state of the sucker.
I once sold a guy $ 10 of pot...
mixed with lots of dried parsley for $ 100.
The guy loved it, he wanted more.
I tried it. It tasted like pizza.
Man, with $500 you can buy cooler clothes and sell cocaine.
Coke is great business!
Specially if you have a deal with the police.
You're wasting time at that shop.
Maybe.
But I don't fancy going toJail. Like he did, many times.
Feitosa is crazy, he carries a gun.
He says I'm a wimp.
A sucker and a wimp.
- From here it's OK. - Let's go up.
- No. It's OK here. - I'm going up.
You're such a wimp, Andre.
Hey, you! Get down!
Wimp!
Hey! Stop! Stop!
We'll jump off the bridge.
Come back here!
I can get you a gun for $300! Or $500, if you want a pistol!
With a gun I could rob someone and get money.
But that wouldn't solve the problem.
Unless I robbed someone with lots of money, so I'd only have to rob once.
When you start robbing every day, you end up getting caught.
The best is to rob a bank.
From my window I see a bank.
Before working at the shop I stayed home a lot.
I knew the bank's schedule, which days the armored van came.
How much money is there in one of those bags?
Good morning.
Can I help you?
No, thanks, just browsing.
If you need anything, just let me know.
Thank you.
Maybe she works in the stockroom, the office, or something.
Would her boss leave her in the back and this one out here?
This one wears too much perfume.
Or maybe this one owns the shop.
- I wonder if she wears perfume? - Have you been helped?
No!
- Can I help you? - Yes.
- Is it a present for your girlfriend? - No, it's for me.
For my mother.
A nightgown, a robe?
- Is it a birthday present? - Yes. Maybe.
Look, this robe here is a very good deal, $ 38.
Look how nice it is.
Yes, nice.
What's your name?
- Silvia. - Oh, Silvia?
No, I'm not the shop owner.
When I started here it was already called Silvia's.
- Oh, it was a coincidence. - Yes.
OK, I'll have another look around, maybe I'll come back.
- But this robe's nice. - Would you like to see a nightgown?
No, It's all right.
You can pay with 2 post-dated checks.
- Can I? - Yes.
Maybe I'll come back. Thank you.
"Thank you".
She said that as she folded the robe, it was an automatic thing.
$ 38...
She must earn 10%% commission, $ 3.80.
If she sells 10 things per day at about that price: $ 38.
Per month, $38 times 30...
But it's not times 30, Sundays don't count.
Let's leave it at $ 500.
But she probably doesn't sell 10 things a day.
And maybe other things are cheaper than this robe.
Things like panties or t-shirts.
- Marinez? - Yes?
How much do panties cost?
I don't know, I don't wear them.
- Why? - Nothing, just curious.
I know...
Let's say she makes $400. On top of her salary.
It must be like mine, 200 and something...
600 and something per month. Not too bad.
- Marinez? - What?
I have some tickets for a bar opening. Do you want one?
What bar is that?
It belongs to a friend of mine.
It's called "Mama Grave". You get 2 beers with that.
Can I bring a friend?
OK, I'll get you 2 tickets.
- And who are you taking? - I don't know yet.
It didn't work out with Marinez.
I didn't want to take her anyway.
Silvia?
- Hi. - Do you remember me?
I was here looking for a present for my mother.
Oh. Did you find one?
Yes. But I should have bought the robe.
- Have you sold it? - No. Do you want to see it?
No, I just wanted to know if you still had it.
- I do. - OK, so if I decide to buy it...
- I'll come back. - OK.
Silvia?
Do you like beer?
- Beer? - Yes.
Not so much. Why?
No. No reason, just curious.
So I'll get going, OK? My lunchtime is over.
Do you like beer?
Silvia?
Do you like beer?
Beer? I love beer.
Darling!
How are you?
Cardoso, this is Andre, he got us the tickets.
Nice to meet you. Cardoso, at your service.
How's it going?
Look, I'll get my first beer, OK? Excuse me.
- Interesting place. - Yeah.
But I don't like these metal tables.
Once I put a glass of whisky on one of these...
and it started to move by itself, because the table was wet.
It happens at home too, on the counter of the kitchen.
It's a physical phenomenon, attrition...
Then the glass started moving.
I thought like, man, I'm so drunk. And I was really...
- What? - Drunk. But not that drunk.
The glass was moving by itself. So it fell on the floor.
It's a sad thing to see whisky all over the floor.
Hey, there's a free table there.
I don't like these tables. And the name neither, "Mama Grave".
They love giving English names to bars.
- What do you do? - Me?
I'm a photocopier operator.
- Oh, at the shop with Marinez. - That's right.
- What about you? - I work with antiques.
Furniture, china...
Sorry to ask, but do you have to wear a tie to work?
No.
Listen, you and Marinez...
- Hot, isn't she? - Oh my God, oh my God!
- You two... - We only work together. That's all.
- And you? - I'll check her out.
I'll check her out.
She's hot, you have to play it cool.
A hot babe like that, guys dribbling all over her...
You have to give her a hard time. You'll see.
Hi! I've brought 3 glasses, the next beer is yours.
- Will you help me? - I only have one left...
I drank one before you got here.
I'd like to make a toast to this meeting and...
- Well, I'm no good with words. - It's OK.
- Cheers. - Cheers.
My cellphone battery's run out. I have to call a girl friend...
He's cool, Cardoso.
But his perfume is horrible, did you smell it?
And he's a lot shorter than me.
- And did you see his tie? - Yes, the tie is something.
Let's dance. Come on.
Will you put it on that table for me?
He thinks he's Mr. Cool.
- Who? - Cardoso.
Have you seen his shoes?
They've been resoled.
The soles are totally different from the rest of the shoes.
No, I haven't noticed.
Let's sit down.
- Now the beer has gone flat. - Oh, it probably has.
OK, I'll go get a beer.
Oh, and your friend?
What friend?
- Weren't you calling a friend? - Yeah! Well, she's sick.
- It could be better, this place. - I think it's cool.
Yes. I don't feel so much like dancing tonight, you know?
Well, I'm going to bop till I drop tonight!
Usually I dance til late too, I love it.
But tonight, I don't know...
I bought a CD collection. The Rock "Greistest Richards"...
- What? - "The Rock Grei"...
"Rock Greist"..."Rich"...
There's... really cool stuff, like Elton John...
- There's BB King, Chuck Berry... - Chuck Berry?
- Chuck Berry. - Has it got "My ding-a-ling"?
"My ding-a-ling"?
- Probably... - I love that song.
I'm sure. It's 4 CDs, in a really cool box.
We could go by my place later, I'll show you.
OK. I'll come with you later.
Great, it'll be nice, it'll be fantastic!
Now, let me tell you something.
- I won't go to bed with you. - What?
We're not going to have sex, Cardoso.
- You never know that, do you? - You don't get it. I know.
First of all, you smoke.
It's not because of the smoke, or the cancer...
it's the taste I hate.
I was thinking of quitting.
And you're poor, just like me.
It's not personal, but I won't get horny.
Not enough to fuck you.
I got it.
You only fuck rich guys, then?
No, not really, but I haven't met the guy yet.
- I'm a virgin. - What?
But you don't have to believe it. Nobody does anyway.
Let's dance?
- You mean, you never... - No.
- Nothing, ever? - No, no.
But I've done all the rest of it.
I never fucked. But I've done everything, you know?
But not fucking, not really.
I'll only fuck the guy who changes my life.
Or a real gorgeous hunk, like a movie star...
Really romantic, funny...
sexy...
One who makes me forget everything and turns me into a lovesick fool.
Sorry to be so honest, Cardoso, but you're not him.
- But don't you feel like it? - Of course I do!
So, what do you...?
- The same as you. - What?
I masturbate!
I had my beer and they were still dancing.
It was 10 to 11.
I got on the bus, she was there.
The bus was almost empty, I couldn't sit next to her.
If I sat in the back, she wouldn't see me.
I glanced back and then again...
as if I'd taken a few seconds to realize it was her.
Hi. Do you remember me?
I guess so.
I went to your shop one day.
Look, I'll come by tomorrow to buy that nightgown.
- Tomorrow is Sunday. - Then I'll come on Monday.
- Wasn't it the robe you wanted? - Yeah, the robe.
If I can't on Monday, I'll come before the weekend. For the robe.
I don't know why I came up with that crap.
I think it was the way she asked that question...
as if she didn't believe I'd pay $ 38 for the robe.
Now I'd have to get $ 38...
or forget that Silvia exists.
But I didn't have $ 38.
I didn't even know how to get them.
Not before the weekend.
The first paper money was made in China, 11 th century.
The emperor decreed that a piece of paper was worth 1 kilo of rice.
Whoever didn't believe it got killed.
I thought of asking the Blob.
I'd have to tell him what the money was for.
I could tell him I had to buy a robe for my mother's birthday.
But he might meet my mother and congratulate her.
Goodnight, son, I'm going to bed. TV makes me so sleepy...
Goodnight, mom.
She would think I was mad, giving her a robe, out of the blue.
It would be better to hide it until her birthday.
I thought of asking Marinez, but it was too humiliating.
How then could I think of her putting on her pants...
legs in the air, no panties, knowing that I owed her $ 38?
And she probably wouldn't have $ 38 either.
I thought of asking Feitosa.
He wouldn't lend me, but he might give me some pot to sell.
Wimp!
I'd mix it with parsley and sell to a sucker for twice the price.
But I don't know any suckers who'd buy parsley for pot.
That's when I thought of Cardoso.
He had money, he might want some pot...
or he might lend me $ 38 until the end of the month.
Marinez? Can you make money with antiques?
A dress worn by Marilyn was sold for US$ 1.267 million.
A new one, exactly like it, must cost around US$ 500.
Cardoso wears a tie, he has a cellphone, he drinks whisky.
He must have $ 38 to lend me.
It was the best plan to get $38 that I could make in a few hours.
Excuse me, do you know Cardoso?
In the back.
- Cardoso? - Just a minute, please.
Do you remember me?
No, sorry. I quit smoking, I can't remember a thing.
We met at Mama Grave, I'm a friend of Marinez's.
You work with her, right?
- Yes, I work... - Hi, how are you?
You told me you worked...
What?
You told me you worked with antiques...
So?
Do you see anything new here?
No, but I thought you had money.
But why did you think that?
Because you were flaunting it that night.
So? A stunning babe like that...
What would I tell her? I work in a place that sells old junk?
You too, making out to be some... operator of...
Right, photocopier!
Photocopier... You'rejust the xerox boy, I know.
OK, but it's better than showing off in a shirt and tie.
I know what you want.
You fancy her, so you came for an explanation.
Me? Marinez? No, not me!
Why are getting in my way, then?
I'm not. It was you with that antique bullshit.
It's only normal: Giving the chick some attention.
Have you never tried to chat up a girl with this operator bull?
Yeah. I have.
So, what do you want?
I wanted to... I...
Do you want to go for a coffee?
Yes, but...
- Are you paying? - Oh no, I have no money.
Oh, then. Why don't we leave it for another time?
I've quit smoking. Smoking is a drag! Coffee...
I quit yesterday. When did I say it was?
- Today. - Today? No, it was yesterday.
Not one since yesterday.
Smoking? No, no more.
It's tough, coffee reminds you of smoking.
But I can't stop doing everything I like because I quit smoking.
Like, I like to smoke after... you know? I love it!
The girl says: Let's make love.
"No, sorry, if I make love to you I'll feel like smoking."
What's your problem? Two coffees, please.
I need $ 38.
Is that why you've come to see me, to borrow money?
I thought you had money.
$ 38? No way.
OK. Alright, I'll find a way.
What do you need the money for?
To buy a robe.
- A robe? - Yes, a chenille robe.
Sorry, don't get me wrong, but who's it for?
- For my mom. - Is it her birthday?
Kind of.
$ 10.
No. It has to be the robe.
What is it? Mothers love angels!
They prefer angels to robes. Grandmothers like robes.
- I need $ 38. - You don't give up, do you?
Come on, get the angel, just $ 10, you pay later...
What angel is that?
Does it have a sword? Then it's a guardian angel.
I liked the angel.
I made a wish: $ 38.
I need $ 38.
- What's this? - A color photocopier.
Now you'll have to wear a smock.
This one's more complicated.
It has lots of controls.
To protect your clothes. It looks more professional.
The smock is horrible: Hot, it pinches my neck.
But the machine is great.
It can even make money.
$ 38.
I could copy a $ 50 bill.
If I had a $ 50 bill I wouldn't need to copy it.
I can borrow. Not the money, Just the banknote. Yes...
Once Mairoldi lent me a bill of 10 at school.
My mom gave me two bills of 5 to pay him back.
He lent me one bill of 10, a blue one!
I won't give him back 2 old red bills!
5 plus 5 makes 10!
What do they teach you in maths?
I don't want to go to school!
I'll explain it to Mrs. Bristly.
No! Not Mrs. Bristly!
I don't want to go to school.
My mother took me to school.
She gave Mairoldi the 2 bills.
The money he owed you.
OK.
Didn't I tell you?
Mairoldi is an idiot.
Will you pay this for me tomorrow, before coming to the shop?
Sure.
And let's go, it's already 5 past 6.
- Mr. Gomide? - Yes.
If you don't mind me closing, I could stay later.
To learn to use the machine, read the manual.
Come in early tomorrow.
But I have to go pay your bill.
What's this?
It's an angel. For my mother.
Birthday?
No. But I thought she'd like it. It's a guardian angel.
This is the angel Gabriel. Look at the sword.
- Is it? She'll like it anyway. - Sure she will.
You can close the shop.
Just don't stay too late.
Last week our neighbors were robbed. Be careful.
Sure, don't worry.
I looked for paper that looked like banknote paper.
The biggest difficulty is that you have to print on both sides.
And it's hard to make it right, one note on top of the other.
It took me about 5 hours to do it.
I managed to make a bill that looked very similar to real money.
But if you looked carefully, you'd soon notice it was a copy.
I can't pay Silvia with a fake. She can get into trouble.
Or I could be arrested in her shop, and then it's all over.
I have to change the money. The problem is where to change it.
Boy?
Your receipt.
I think it was the angel who made me give the real note.
A bank is the worst place in the world to try to change this money.
I could try this bar.
I won't screw the guy, he's as broke as me.
And they don't like to break a 50. What if he decides to check it?
LOTTERIES
Here the money goes to one register. It all gets mixed quickly.
Everyone's in a hurry.
And there's no proof that I gave them that bill.
I can make a $ 9 bet and take $ 41 change, real money.
I must ask her something, to distract her attention.
I've done that with a doorman.
"What's the date today? Do you know what the prize is?"
"How much is a bet on 6 numbers?"
"$9? Wasn't it $8? It's gone up?"
- Are you into angels? - Sorry?
I bought this for my mother's birthday.
It's meant to be a guardian angel.
But my boss said it's St. Gabriel.
I don't know much about angels. I think it's an archangel.
It's St. Michael.
- What's the difference? - The armor! It's St. Michael.
- Oh, I see. - Your mother will like it.
Thank you.
"Guardian angel, meek and mild, look on me, your little child."
"Bless me now, the day is done."
"Amen."
Hi.
I'm here to buy the robe. The robe.
Oh, for your mother!
I have it in two colors. I'll show you.
We have new nightgowns in, a little more expensive.
- Would you like to see? - I think I prefer the robe.
It was this one you saw, right?
It comes in two colors: Blue and violet, which do you prefer?
Which do you think is prettier?
I think I prefer the violet one.
OK, I'll get that one then.
Are you sure you don't want to look at anything else?
No, thanks, I think that's it for today.
- Will you pay cash? - How much is it?
It's $ 38.
I think I'll pay cash.
You can pay at the cash desk, I'll wrap it for you.
OK, thanks.
It's pretty.
If you want to exchange it, just bring the receipt.
- Thank you. - You're welcome. Thank you.
You're welcome. Thank you.
That one was completely different.
She said "thank you" looking into my eyes.
She looked at me and said you.
- But the best was 'you're welcome". - You're welcome.
Welcome to a lot of money.
Welcome to a lot of things you could buy with that money.
Welcome to how you'll be treated after buying lots of things.
And now welcome to a sucker welcoming a lot of things.
Could you pass me the salt?
- Hi! - Hi.
Thanks.
Do you always have lunch here?
Often.
- It's good. Cheap. - It's clean.
I used to eat in a place near here that was dirty.
The weigh and pay? It's disgusting!
And expensive.
Once I was helping myself to bean stew.
And I saw a wasp floating in it.
- A wasp? - A wasp, a bug, you know?
I complained and the guy said...
"It fell in, what do you want me to do?"
I said: "To replace the bean stew."
He took the ladle, fished the wasp from the stew...
threw it in the sink and put the ladle back.
He didn't even wash it!
You could see that dust they leave floating by the sausage.
I see.
Imagine if I ate it? It could be poisonous.
I don't think they are, not these city bugs.
Yeah, but... Christ, in the beans!
Right, in the beans is too much.
Can you imagine that gunge in your mouth?
Do you work near here?
Kind of.
What do you do?
I... I do illustrations. I draw.
That's cool.
- Well... - Yeah. I've finished too.
I have to go back.
- Are you going that way? - No, that way. Would you like one?
No, thanks. I'm not too crazy about figs.
- Bye. - Bye.
She wears no perfume, she's not crazy about figs...
she hates wasps in beans.
And her eyes twinkle when she smiles.
You can't see any of that through binoculars.
Go on, ask her to come out with us?
I'm broke.
Just to the movies! Then we go to my place, order a pizza...
No, I can't. I have no money.
Just the movies and a pizza. It's less than $15.
I can't, Cardoso.
Man, you really are poor, Jesus Christ!
Have you only just realized?
What's that in your ear?
Oh, it's a seed. Like, it squeezes a spot in the earlobe, you know?
A seed of what?
It doesn't matter. It's to quit smoking. It's "apucuncture".
- No, "acupuncture!" - Yes.