An undesirable comrade (Registro – Curitiba)
Posted on | June 23, 2009 | 5 Comments
It was about 6 or 7 am. “Good morning BR116″. I started walking.
After about 2 Km I heard some words behind me, which almost drowned in the noise of the trucks : “Hey, wait a sec!”. I turned around. Another pilgrim, walking on the other side of the road. But he was different. He waved his hand, greeting me. He seemed to try to smile, but it didn’t really work out. He crossed the street, almost hit by a car. Hes was about 1,90 m, black, carrying a little bag with him. He asked me for a cigarette. I gave him one and we started to chat. He walked to the same direction as I did. “Where are you going?”, he asked me. “Curitiba”, I said. “Where is that?”. I was surprised. “It’s the capital of Parana. Maybe 180 Km left… How about you?”. “I don’t know. I just walk”. “No target?” He shacked his head. “No target. This is how I live. I don’t need the society”. At first it seemed that I met Supertramp from the movie Into the wild.
“Do you have a target?”, he asked. “Sure”, I said. “Once around the planet”. He looked at me… His facial expression told me that he didn’t really believe me. “Ok”, he said and we kept walking silent.
“How do you organize food?”, he asked finally. “I asked people for help”. “Yeah man! I’m doing the same” he said laughing. I had to smile… “So actually you do need the society?”. He looked at me as if he didn’t understand what I mean. Another silence for a couple of minutes…
“How do you ask for food?”, I asked. “Acting”, he said and stopped to show me: His face became a mix of sadness, bitterness and another expression I couldn’t classify. “Oh pleaaase… I’m staaarving.” He put his hands on his stomach, demonstrating, that he’s dying. “They robbed me, they beat me, I don’t have anything to eat and drink. Please help me, pleaase!”… “Does it work?”, I asked. “Sometimes”, he answered. “You just have to keep begging. After some minutes they give you a piece of bread just to get rid of you”, he said an laughed again. I looked at him: “Can you do me a favor? At the next bar… let me ask for food”. And 5 minutes later we reached the next bar. Actually it was a restaurant. One of the waiters was standing outside at the entrance, enjoying the sun. We stopped in front of him. My “comrade” behind me. I smiled at the waiter, nodding my head, greeting him. He smiled back: “Travelers?” He asked. I nod. “Hungry?”. I nod again, keeping smiling. The waiter went inside and came back with 2 plates of pasta, meat and rice. I thanked and went aside with the plates. I gave José (that was his name) one plate. He started eating as if someone told him <you have 5 seconds to finish it>.
We kept on walking and talking. After another 5 km I felt sleepy. I needed a coffee. I was lucky, the next bar was close. Many bars on that part of the road. We entered the bar. José was standing behind me, observing curious what I am going to do… I talked to the bar-tender-girl. Explained that I am walking for peace and feeling a bit tired. Asked if it was ok to drink a coffee here (I just can’t pay). “Wow!”, she said. “Of course. What do you want to eat? You must be hungry”. “Oh, thanks a lot. I don’t need much. Just a coffee, please”. She prepared a coffee for me, asking me more about my project. Suddenly José appeared: “Yeah! We are walking for peace. We are walking around the planet! We are very famous guys!”… “You want a coffee, too?”, the girl asked him without smiling. “Sure!”, he said and got his coffee…
We kept on walking. I gave José a skeptik look. He ignored it. “Now I know your secret.” He said and laughed again. “I will ask at the next bar”. “Ok”, I said…
And he did: He entered the bar, walked fast towards the bar-tender and looked at him as if he is ready to kill him: “Excuse me, I am walking for peace!! It’s a big project. And I need food! I am hungry!”… Silence…
The bar-tender (probably scared like hell) gave him two rolls and José left the bar.
“Well, that’s not the secret”, I said. “No?”, he asked. I shacked my head. “No, it’s much easier. Just smile and be friendly… And always say the truth”. Surprised he stared at me: “But I said the truth. We are going together around the planet”… I took a deep breath: “You know… we can walk together for one or two days… But then I’d like to walk alone again”. Suddenly there was a mix of aggression and fear in his voice: “No way, man! We are going together. We are a team, now! I gonna follow you wherever you go!!!”
“Wonderful“, I thought…
I had to get rid of him. In this situation, I knew, talking is no solution. “Alright!”, I said, “So, let´s go”. I speeded up. I walked very fast and didn´t make any breaks anymore. After hours my legs started hurting, but I didn´t slow down. He still followed me but I could see that he was tired. Another hour… He started to hobble. “Are you ok?”, I asked him, keeping walking as fast as I can. “Sure!”, he lied. The sun set and we arrived in Cajati, a small town with maybe 5.000 citysens. We walked 44 Km. I was dead, but I didn´t show it. We sat down in a bar and I bought a beer for me and one for him from my 50 Reais emergency money. ”Are you sure you want to go with me every day? You look quite tired. I walk every day at least 45 Km… If you want, we can meet in Curitiba. I go ahead and you, take your time”.
“No! I am going with you!”. I couldn´t believe it. I knew, he couldn´t walk 45 Km a day frequently. But I couldn´t do so neither. “Alright”, I said, “I need to go to a Lan-House. I have to write some mails”. “I´m coming with you”, he said (of course). We arrived and I sat down at a computer. He was watching, what I was doing. So I started to make things, he didn´t understand. It didn´t take me long to bore him. “You look bored. You can have another computer if you want. I pay for you”. “ok”, he said. He sat down at another computer and started to play Counterstrike…
After ten minutes he was completely in the game and almost leaned his head on the monitor. I finished my things at my computer. I stood up, took some money and put it onto his table, so that he could pay the computers and maybe have a coffee next day. I took my backpack and got out of there. He was too busy with shooting people in the game to note something. I went to the police-station and explained them my situation.
“Alright, you can sleep here”. I was safe. I took a shower. The blend of the hot water and the blood, coming from my feet, reminded me of a horror-movie I have seen some years ago. But the horror was over for me, now. I was safe.
The next morning started. I had to leave at 7 am. To get back to the road I had to walk through the whole town again. It happened anywhere in the middle of the way: I walked round the corner and my body and mind froze for some seconds. There he was again. On the other side of the alley, searching for me. Even asking people if they have seen me. I couldn´t believe it. He looked very, very angry. I was lucky, he didn´t see me. I turned around, walked back and hid behind some old houses. In that moment I realized that I couldn´t go on walking anymore. The guy would find me. Because I (fool) told him my destination and my way. He would hitch-hike on the road to find me. And there is no other way to Curitiba. Of course there isn´t. If there was another way I wouldn´t walk this cursed highway. In this case I had no other choice than to take the bus. I went to the bus station and payed the ticked. Suddenly I was wondering “What if I didn´t have that money?”. It was the first time on my trip, that I felt really really relieved, having some money.
Until 1 pm I was hiding in the town, trying not to be found by the guy. Succesfully. The bus brought me to Curitiba at 4 pm. I felt relieved. It would take some time to find someone in a city with 2 million habitants. I took my last 10 Reais and went to a Lan-House, to explain to my couch-surfing-contact (who was Juliana), that I arrived in Curitiba.
One hour later I was picked up and felt safe and secured for the first time since Sao Paulo.
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5 Responses to “An undesirable comrade (Registro – Curitiba)”
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June 25th, 2009 @ %H:%M
I’ve heard about your project. I wish you luck and that everything goes fine on your journey.
I admire your courage.
Good luck.
June 25th, 2009 @ %H:%M
Started reading your blog since last post and really enjoyed it. Keep on posting and keep on walking
P.S: already curious about the next post!
July 2nd, 2009 @ %H:%M
Hello Andrej.
You do not called us……
wish you all the best.
warmest ecological regards,
wilson baltazar
July 4th, 2009 @ %H:%M
Hi, Andrej… tell us what happenned later, I am curious how you deal with this new situation.
July 12th, 2009 @ %H:%M
hallo andrej, surprise, surprise. Your ole teacher hat dich im netz aufgestöbert und ich sehe, dass du es bisher noch nicht geschafft hast , dich von Licht zu ernähren!!!! Aber mit blutigen Füßen weiter um die Welt zu wandern ist schon eine reife Leistung, vielleicht wird’s auch mit dem Licht noch was. Toll, was du dich traust, davon werden noch deine Urenkel erzählen.
Mich begeistern auch deine Fortschritte im Englischen, besser als auf so einer reise kann fremde sprachen nicht lernen. Ich wünsche dir viele neue Freunde, immer was zu essen und gesunde Füße. Mach’s gut, peacewalker.
F.Schröder