Mostly Unlady

Part 7

Hiya Mummy!

You will never guess what. I was helping Nona tidy our apartment when I heard children cheering outside and speaking...Portuguese! I was jumping on the spot because I was beginning to think that me and daddy were the only Brazilians in the whole of Argentina.

I quickly finished tidying and ran outside to join the Portuguese-speaking kids, who had gone into hiding. After searching behind a few pillars and bushes in the communal square, this chubby boy came racing around a corner and nearly ran me over with his bicycle. I had to dive out of his way like a goalie and so I shouted a swear at him in Portuguese. 

I really hope you will understand that I had no choice. 

He did understand, right away, because he swerved and skidded as he U-turned to face me again. I could feel my heart pounding because I was preparing for full swearword warfare with this boy, when he grinds to a halt, about an arm's length from me and asks: "Are you Jewish?" I wasn't able to respond at first. I was so surprised because he was speaking Portuguese all right, but in a sort of strange way. Also, his question wasn't at all what I expected. I did wonder, though, am I Jewish?

I told him, "I don't think so," because I remember being baptised in a Church, and he said, "oh" in this super-disappointed way, and he hit the pedals on his bike and vanished around another corner. I started thinking about what daddy told me about the Old Testament and the story in Passover. I realise that bicycle-boy is the first Jewish kid my age I've ever met and it feels pretty cool. I would have to invite him to a game of football the next time I see him. That's when I heard giggles coming from behind me. I spun around, and there were these two heads lashing back behind an old vending machine. I ran to them and said "got you" in Portuguese. That was on a hunch, so you know, but they turned out to be a girl my age called Elena and her little brother Mateus. They've moved over from Brazil and they are going to the same school where I'm going!

They told me they'd been in the square playing all afternoon, so I guessed I'd found the same children I heard earlier. I was just getting to know them when the boy with his bicycle came back around and stopped by our side. He didn't seem happy to find Elena and Mateus talking with me, so I take it he sees me like a hair in the soup (I know you love that expression). Well, Elena and Mateus just kept talking, especially about their dog, Nelson, who they couldn't bring along to Buenos Aires because there wasn't room. Their mum called them in for the evening meal before they were finished telling me the full story and I was left alone with bicycle-boy. I asked him his name, which is Abe, and his age, same as mine, though he will be ten 4 months before me. I completely forgot to ask him if he wanted to play football with me sometimes.

I felt like he was talking to me because he had to, since he kept glancing over my head, at the third-floor windows. When I checked up there, over my shoulder, I saw a lady who looked just like Abe. She was waving at me with a massive grin.

She looked friendly and I'm supposed to go to his house for pizza on his birthday next month.

Love you

Zelia

Perhaps making new friends isn't so easy for Zelia, after all, even with the best of intentions. 

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