Brandon Stanton's Blog, page 145

“He fell in love with me the first day he met me. He kept...

“He fell in love with me the first day he met me. He kept calling me princess. He said we were meant to be together because our feet were the same size. Look how embarrassed he’s getting!”

(São Paulo, Brazil)

“You found the right guy. I carried the Olympic torch through...

“You found the right guy. I carried the Olympic torch through this town. I had never even heard of a ‘torch’ before. I mean, I’m not stupid, I figured it out. But I was nervous when I saw it. I had to carry it up the hill. I’m eighty-eight. I thought I might fall down. And there were all these soldiers lined up with guns. Big guns. I thought one of them might shoot me by accident. Everyone was screaming while I ran. Nobody had ever seen anything like it. I was really scared, but I made it. And everybody started hugging me.”

(Lençóis, Brazil)

“My husband is ninety-two and he keeps trying to make love to...

“My husband is ninety-two and he keeps trying to make love to me. I have to swat him away. I had seventeen kids already. That’s all in the past. Whenever he gets out of the shower, he starts singing this song about a woman with long hair that he wants to kiss. He says the song is about me. I tell him: ‘Nope! Not me.’”

(Lençóis, Brazil)

“I grew up in a poor neighborhood on the north side of the...

“I grew up in a poor neighborhood on the north side of the city. There was a lot of violence. But I didn’t feel the color of my skin very much back then. Even the whites in my neighborhood were poor. We all lived in the same way and everyone seemed equal. My mother always encouraged me to study hard so I could leave the neighborhood. She worked as a maid for a rich family, and she wanted me to live a life like theirs. Eventually I graduated college, got a good job, and moved to a wealthier neighborhood in the south part of the city. I do feel safer— just like I imagined. But I never expected to feel so unwelcome. It can be hard to make friends. I’ve been called names. I’m made to feel the color of my skin more than I ever did growing up.”

(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

“When I tried to hug her, she’d tell me it was too hot for...

“When I tried to hug her, she’d tell me it was too hot for hugs. So I learned to stop trying. We never had conversations. I thought it was normal. It was all I knew. I always thought the relationship between a mother and a child was about giving and receiving orders. But when I was ten years old, I went to a friend’s house to do a school project. At first I remember feeling sorry for him. His family was so poor. There was almost nothing in the house. But when we walked inside, his mom gave him such a big hug. And she was so happy to see him. And that was the saddest moment of my life. Because I never knew that was something you could have. My mom still doesn’t hug me. But I think we’re on the way to that. I had an asthma attack recently, and I felt so weak, and she told me I could lay my head in her lap. I can’t explain how special that made me feel.”

(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

“My father never learned how to talk to people. Everything had...

“My father never learned how to talk to people. Everything had to be his way. He hit me a lot. It got really ugly sometimes. It really fucked me up, man. The whole time I thought it was my fault. Maybe it’s nobody fault. Maybe that’s all he knew. Maybe his dad did that. I don’t know. But he put me into some crazy shit. I never talked about it. I’ve spent my whole life pretending like I’m stronger than I am. But I’ve got to forgive him somehow. Because I deserve some peace.”

(Lençóis, Brazil)

“He had a heart attack two years ago. He knows he shouldn’t be...

“He had a heart attack two years ago. He knows he shouldn’t be drinking. He knows he should be eating better. He has a new granddaughter that he wants to see grow up. But every time I catch him eating something bad, and I try to yell at him, he gets so playful and tender. He calls me his ‘beautiful brunette,’ and he tells me that I’m the love of his life. He says that he’s searching for a giant smile that’s hidden inside me. And it pisses me off because it’s patronizing. And I try so hard to be mad at him. But in the end I always crack, and I end up laughing.”

(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

“I first started coming out here when I was thirteen years...

“I first started coming out here when I was thirteen years old. I was the only girl in the beginning. It was intimidating. The guys would try to make me angry. They’d call me ‘dyke.’ They’d roll their skateboards in front of me when I was skating. So I started coming out here every day right after school, when the sun was high, and the place was empty. I got better than a lot of them. I started beating them in elimination games. So they respect me now. A lot of girls used to watch from the edges because they were too intimidated to participate. But now that I’m out here every day, some of them have the courage to try.”

(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

“I’ve detached myself from everyone who tries to tell me what...

“I’ve detached myself from everyone who tries to tell me what to do.”

(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

“The one I loved most was my last son. My other children were...

“The one I loved most was my last son. My other children were even jealous of our attachment. When he was very young, he would hang out the window and call to me as I left for the office. And when I arrived, I would find his toys in my briefcase. We remained close as he grew older. He was the one who always called me. He was always checking on me. He was always taking me to lunch. But then one day I went to the bank, and a lot of my money was missing. He had been stealing from me. He was falsifying my signature. When I confronted him, he begged on his knees for forgiveness. Then I started getting phone calls. He owed money to people who were threatening to kill him. I went into the slums to find the loan sharks and pay off his debts. I paid them all, with interest. I used to wear nice clothes. I used to have a nice apartment. Now I’m left with nothing but my pension. And my credit is ruined. I sold all my belongings and I’m hiding from him. When I go to sleep at night, I wonder how he is doing. I wonder if he is safe. But I can’t see him. Because if I see him, I will help him again.”

(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)