16 - EARLY DAY

 16 - EARLY DAY

It was after ten and Juca was going to her house. He had to stay late on the field as some posts had fallen and had to be replaced. Of course he wasn't alone, Chiquinho and Zé Roia, two campaign companions, helped him fix the fence before any cattle escaped. Except that they lived near the winter house and he… well… his little house was a little far away. It's not that he didn't like to walk at night… it was his favorite time of day, as he was able to relax simply by walking through the woods and smelling the grass. But, with everything that was going on in the village… he didn't feel very safe to walk for almost two hours through the countryside… he thought a little and decided to stop at the village of the farmers… that was where Zacarias lived and he certainly wouldn't refuse to give him a place to stay that way. night.

The night was clear… it was a full moon. At any other time, he would have walked home without hesitation… after all, it looked like daylight. But… no, he really didn't feel safe doing this hike. It was better to avoid it so as not to regret it later. And so he decided and so he did. After a few minutes there he was, clapping in front of his friend's house...

Zacarias still hadn't collected himself, as well as his family. So he soon welcomed the boy, taking him out of the open. And soon they were at the stove, talking about small things.

The night passed peacefully and when the dawn was announced by the crowing of the roosters, everyone was already up, ready for another day of work. Zacarias left a little earlier, as he was going to the hose to milk the cows… and Juca accompanied him.

- What was that yesterday Seu Zacarias?

- What, boy?

- The body…

- It was a body, uh...

- I know it was a body... that's not what I asked...

- Wow… if you know it was a body, I didn’t understand the question…

- I heard some things...

- Just bullshit for sure...

- Got me thinking...

- Thinking about what, boy?

- Thinking like this... what if it's true?

- But what's true, man of God?...

- That the one who killed that unfortunate man was the woman in white….

- Stop bullshitting, man...

- Is it bullshit, really?

- And it's not? First… what the hell is “woman in white”?

- The haunting...

- But what haunting, boy? That does not exist…

- Oh, no, Mr. Zacarias… hauntings do exist…

- Have you seen any? I never saw.….

- Now you're the one talking nonsense...

- What are you talking about, exactly?

- You're going to fool me that you didn't see the sacis, there in the field...

- Sacis?! You're delusional, boy...

And with that, Zacarias ended the conversation. But Juca wouldn't give up the conversation, and he attacked again...

- You know that I respect you like a father... but we did see those little devils...

- Boy, the only thing I saw is that our cattle strayed and we sweated to rescue them… and it was all the fault of the rain…

- So it means that the rain braided the mane and tail of our horses...

- Boy, what imagination do you have, huh? And look, I shouldn't even be talking about these things... the church bell hasn't rung yet...

- What bell, Mr. Zacarias? What church? There's no church around here... just the little chapel, next to the Casa Grande... and there's no bell there...

- I'm talking about the Great Church of Heaven, where Our Mother Mary watches over us…. People shouldn't talk nonsense before the bell of His Church rings… if you say something bad and the Angels say “amen”….

Zacarias crossed himself. Juca looked at his partner and, even in the dim light, it was clear that he was serious. He saw fit to let the discussion go… there were other matters he could talk about. He would only take care of the cattle when the day broke, and that was a good quarter of an hour before that happened. Therefore, he would lend a hand to his friend and teacher as he waited for the day to dawn.

- Did you know that a new herd is about to arrive?

- Dairy cattle?

- No, cutting… those that are in the pasture have already fattened and were sold… I think the same entourage that is bringing the cattle will take this one…

- So we missed the chance to win some on the outside...

- Yeah... the boss of the cowboys is famous in dealing...

- Who is it?

- Zé Cardoso… comes from Andradina…

- I know him... good guy in dealing with cattle, just like he's about to be born...

- Do you really know?

- Yes, Juca... I've already walked a lot through this endless world... and I've already touched a lot of cattle alongside Zé Cardoso...

- Is he really good, as they say?

- He does the devil with the lasso… he never lost a head of cattle in his campaigns…

- And the group that accompanies him?

-Well, you know… these people work for those who pay the most… so you don't have a company set up for a long time…

- Know…

- I'll tell you one thing... living herding cattle on this road is very good... but there comes a time when we get old... and we end up getting tired of this life...

- But you like to drive cattle along the road...

- Yes, Juca... but once in a while, to earn a little extra money and kill the nostalgia of my days as a cowboy... now... living directly on the road... that life ended for me when I met Rosário.

- You've been married for a long time, haven't you?

- Yes… and it was the best decision I made in my life….

- How did you meet?

- Well, I was a cowboy... head of entourage. One day I came to these parts with a herd of cattle… and when I got here… well, it was love at first sight… that brunette bewitched me. I suddenly couldn't stay away from her anymore…. So, when the group left for Goiás, I decided to stay right here, next to the little brunette…

- And there?

- I worked with the cattle on the farm… I worked for a long time as a cowboy. Then, they needed a trail and I ended up staying… every now and then they need a cattle herd and here I am…

- And you don't miss it?

- Than?

- Going out into the world on campaigns, playing the horn...

- Sleeping in the middle of the woods, subject to being bitten by snakes and other animals... no, my son... I'm better this way...

And the two fell silent as they began to milk the cows. And soon the day cleared, and Juca left towards the pasture. He would have a lot of work ahead of him, separating the cattle that would be taken to their final destination...

Zacarias watched his pupil go away, and thought about how people's lives were similar to the lives of the cattle they were herding... after all, the day would come when the bosses would decide that it was time to discard some workers and replace them with others, that they would bring more profit in the daily work... and he only prayed to God that that day would take a long time to arrive for him, because he didn't know how to do anything else in life besides what he had learned since he was little... to deal with cattle...

The sun finally broke over the horizon. Zacarias put the gallons of milk in the oxcart and began his walk towards the camp… before that, he passed by the big house, to leave the milk for the bosses, and he would leave some at his house, too… but the bulk of the production would go all to the cooperative, which was close to the railroad... and there he went, leading his team of oxen towards the dirt road...