Another Thing I Should Stop Doing

Talking to myself, aloud, in public. At least in South America, I do that mostly in English. Crossing downtown Florianópolis from my hotel to the bus terminal, I saw a girl walking in the opposite direction. She had a tattoo on her throat. I said, "Bad choice." Then I passed an office of Banco do Brasil. I said, or rather intoned, "The full faith and credit of." Luckily no one was there to hear that.

(And I do mean that was lucky. Brazil's national banks - this one, Itaú, Bradesco, Caixa Econômica - all have the magic Soviet power to cause citizens to stand in very long lines for very long times. Even before they actually open in the morning.)

On the bus down to Porto Alegre, I resolved to mind my manners. But once arrived, I was right back at the bad ones. Walking to my hotel, I passed a guy whose sweatshirt read Gangster. I said, "Gangster."

(The guy did not react. I knew from very long experience that Brazilians have no idea what's written on their chests. Over the decades, though, there has been some change in, how shall I call it, context. Here, Gangster had other words and ornamentation around it. It could have been a brand of leisurewear, or of liquor. But back in the 80s, I'd've seen just the English word, or words. Nothing else. Nothing was being advertised at that time. "Skate Or Die" - huh? "John: you should eat more. Then there'd be more of you for more of us" - it actually said that. "Seductive Realty Girl" - that one was on a guy.)
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Later in Porto Alegre, this time hunting supper, I passed a dog-walking couple talking to another person, and I said, or rather exclaimed, "Beautiful dog!" It really was. Arguably, I wasn't talking to myself: I was actually looking at the dog. Which did not look back.

And later still, in Montevideo, I came upon a cat. I said, "What an excellent cat! And one wearing a collar!" Latin America really has changed for the better, if caring for animals is any indication. Even just having 'em, cats or dogs. That used to be very rare. Further on this same downtown walk, I saw two more kitties, both with collars. Uruguay 3, Honduras 1! And all the Uruguayan ones even had tags too. Metal discs. I have to presume these had My-name-is-and-my-owner-is ID stamped on 'em.

Speaking of pets, I note only now that Portuguese itself has got the word for 'em. True, pet is pronounced "petchee" - Brazil adores and elaborates two things, vowels and consonants - but this is shorter than animal de estimação. If I'm going to keep talking to myself, I should turn it into a foreign-language drill, and say THAT over and over. Brazilians themselves did for years!