Sapphire Moonlight

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

For the Dantas, to proceed down Conselheiro Altino Guimaraes Street was to move on familiar ground, every detail of which they knew by heart. It was the same as walking on an extension of their house. An important part of their life history had been staged within its homely contours. The cement or tiles of its pavement, the asphalt, the kerb, the walls and roofs, had a special meaning. 

A few minutes after they had said goodbye to Constancia Ramos, they found themselves in front of a broad shop window, fashionably arranged, belonging to a shoe shop with a modern attractive facade in red brick. Above it hang a long yellow, designer awning that looked like it had been drawn by some clever architect, who had combined distinction with taste, and had made it light and delicate, with a very gentle slope and an absolutely horizontal top. The immaculate yellow colour made it appear even lighter, as if it was about to glide away into the sky.  

With unhurried interest, they kept examining the many items displayed in the window. Among these, a pair of brown leather boots stood neatly near the bottom. They caught Otavio Sergio's attention immediately.  

'What bitchin boots!' he said, staring into the shop window.  

He was mesmerized. Images from a film he had recently seen, came to his mind. The fact that one of his friends, plus an acquaintance, had lately been seen wearing boots also played its part, and with an even greater weight. Then it occurred to him that Sebastiao Tenorio, whom he had seen a few minutes before, driving the beautiful tractor, had also been wearing boots like those. That settled the question.  

'Oh, I do want to have a pair of those!'  

He asked his mother whether he could buy the boots. He never asked for too much. He bought things only from time to time and always asked within reason. She promptly gave him her consent and they walked into the shop. They greeted the shop assistants as they went in. Two of them, a boy and a girl, stood tidily and impeccably near the entrance. They happened to be Mrs Dantas's pupils at high school. They were in the same class. Mrs Dantas shook hands with them warmly. They were each about sixteen years old. 

'How nice to see you,' she said to them both. 'I hope you are enjoying your holidays.'  

'Yes, Mrs Dantas, thank you, we are,' each replied in succession. 

'Nice to see you too,' the boy said. Then he looked at Juliana, Luiza and Otavio Sergio and said, 'Hi.' They smiled at him and returned the greeting. With the girl it was the same. 

'We miss you,' said the girl to Mrs Dantas, and the boy agreed. 'And your classes,' the girl completed.  

They had classes in the mornings and worked part-time in the shoe shop every afternoon.  

A few steps away, at the cash desk, a young woman was checking a stack of bills. She worked full-time in the shoe shop. 

'Hi, Mrs Dantas,' she said.  

'Hi, Sandra,' Mrs Dantas said to her. 'How are you?' 

'I'm very well, Mrs Dantas. And you, ma'am?' 

'I'm very well, Sandra, thank you.' 

'Mario and Gisele will attend you, ma'am. You and your children. But in case there's any difficulty, would you please call me.' 

'Thank you, Sandra.' 

Turning to the boy, Mario, Mrs Dantas asked him whether he would be kind enough to bring the boots which Otavio Sergio had seen at the shop window. Otavio Sergio gave him his shoe number and Mario went into the stock inside the shop to fetch the boots. He came back holding a cardboard box containing a pair for Otavio Sergio to try on. Otavio Sergio put them on with a certain effort and an extra pull, as it is usually the case with boots. They fitted him nicely. He stood up and walked a few steps. They came up to above the middle of the shins, not quite to the knees, and were firm and at the same time smooth and comfortable. They were traditional brown polished boots. They made a characteristic thumping sound as he stepped. Now he knew how it really felt. The images from the film and of his friends returned lively to his mind. He was going to meet his friends, later in the evening. It would be delightful to walk about in town wearing those boots. Then he thought of the girl he had been in love with for the last few days, Luciana Ferreira. In the last days and nights her countenance had been coming hauntingly, and lovely, to his mind, quite often. This is why he had asked his sister Luiza about her. The boots, as objects which were intended to charm, made him think of her.