Abraham's Son, Chapter 18

 INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - DAY

ABRAHAM and SARA are in doctor's (OB-GYN) office after she has been examined by doctor.

DOCTOR:  Well, as you already know, SARA, you are pregnant, very early stages.  Congratulations to you both.  Based upon my examination today, all is well.  For the time being, I'll want to see you once a month.  Please read this pamphlet with all my recommendations.    

Doctor hands copy of pamphlet to both.

DOCTOR:  Any questions?

ABRAHAM and SARA shake their heads no.

DOCTOR:  You can schedule your future appointments with my receptionist. 

INT. BLUE BAY DINER - DAY

ABRAHAM enters diner the following Saturday morning.  SARA works at the counter.  ABRAHAM sits down in front of her.

SARA:  Morning, ABRAHAM.  How are ya?

ABRAHAM:  More important, how are you?

SARA:  Good...good.  What can I get ya?

ABRAHAM:  Bacon and eggs, toast and OJ.

SARA:  Coming right up.

SARA head into kitchen and passes her friend, MARIA.  SARA whispers in her ear.

SARA:  I'm pregnant.

MARIA:  (whispering back) Wow!  What are ya gonna do?

SARA:  (whispering) I'm gonna have it.

MARIA smiles and gives SARA a hug.  Then MARIA shrugs her shoulders.

MARIA:  (whispering) Who's the guy?

SARA points at ABRAHAM.  MARIA walks towards ABRAHAM, leans across counter and gives him a kiss before returning to work.  ABRAHAM is surprised.

SUPERIMPOSE:  WEEKS LATER

Weeks later, at the diner, RESTAURANT MANAGER approaches SARA, who is beginning to show, while she is on a break.

RESTAURANT MANAGER:  SARA, I apologize, but I need to ask you a personal question.

SARA:  Yeah, I'm pregnant.  I wanna keep my job until I can't do it no more.  Then I'll quit.  Okay?

He nods his approval.

INT. EXAMINING ROOM AT DOCTOR'S OFFICE - DAY

SARA is undergoing ultrasound.  ABRAHAM is there as well.  Doctor points to the monitor for them to see fetus.

DOCTOR:  Well, as you can see, you have a son.  Congratulations.

SARA and ABRAHAM look at each other.

SARA:  I'm sure that's what you wanted all along.

ABRAHAM:  I'm very happy we're gonna have a boy.

He kisses her on the forehead.

FHC

Fernando Henrique Cardoso (FHC) was born June 18, 1931 (92 years ago) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  He is descended from wealthy Portuguese immigrants.  Cardoso has lived most of his life in Sao Paulo (where I also live).

Cardoso studied sociology at the prestigious University of Sao Paulo (USP), earning a bachelor's degree plus a Master's and Doctorate in sociology.  He became a professor of both sociology and political science also at USP.  Cardoso is fluent in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish.

In 1994, Cardoso, as a member of the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), was elected President of the Federative Republic of Brazil with 54% of the votes in the first round of voting (with multiple candidates).  This still the highest percentage ever recorded in Brazilian history.  

In 1998, Cardoso was re-elected to a second four year term as president with 53% of the votes.  He stepped down from the presidency on January 1, 2003.

In March 2007, I moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located.  After checking into a local Days Inn, I toured the campus.  I noticed  an advertisement promoting a speech (about the economy of South America) that would be given that night on campus by the former president of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

I attended the speech along with every Brazilian who lived in the area.  It was an overflow crowd.  After the speech, there was a reception in which many Brazilians wanted to get a photo of themselves along with Cardoso.

At one point, I found myself standing near him.  I shook his hand and said in Portuguese, "Voce e muito popular (You are very popular)."  He looked at me with a quizzical expression on his face.  He did not respond to me and others soon crowded around him.  I learned later that I should have referred to him as "o senhor (mister or sir)" instead of voce.

Happy birthday Fernando Henrique Cardoso.   

 

Wait Until Dark

 Wait Until Dark is a 1967 psychological thriller film starring Audrey Hepburn (in a much different role than what I wrote about last month), Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna and Jack Weston.  It was produced by Mel Ferrer, Hepburn's husband.

Hepburn was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress (but lost to Katherine Hepburn in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner).  Wait Until Dark grossed over $17 million dollars on a budget of only $3 million.

In the film, a woman arrives at a New York airport with a doll stuffed with illegal drugs.  She persuades a fellow passenger to take the doll without telling him what is inside it.

The fellow passenger is the husband of a blind lady (Hepburn) and they live in a small apartment in the city.  The husband goes away on business.

Two criminals (Crenna and Weston) arrive at the apartment, posing as policemen, and try to persuade the blind lady to give them the doll.  But, she doesn't know where it is.  An adolescent neighbor girl took the doll not realizing drugs were inside.

The two criminals try to act tough with the blind lady, using intimidation to get what they want.  Realizing they are not police and acting very brave, the blind lady continues to resist.

A third criminal (Arkin) kills the first two and will kill the blind lady, too if he doesn't get what he wants.  As day turns to night (Wait Until Dark), the blind lady breaks all the lights in the apartment in order to equal the playing field.  Neither she nor the criminal can see the other.  She spills broken glass on the floor so she can hear him.  

The blind lady stabs the criminal with a kitchen knife and the audience believes her to be free from danger.  However, he suddenly leaps across the room and grabs her leg.  

This cinematic trick (the villain reappearing suddenly when you believe he/she has been mortally wounded) has been repeated often, such as in 1987 with Fatal Attraction and in 1990 with Misery.  But, I believe Wait Until Dark was the first.       

Wedding

 It started on June 3, 2022, the birthday of Pam (now) Lasky.  She agreed to marry my son Bret while they were on vacation.  It was recorded by The Weather Channel because Bret and Pam were on a beach during an approaching storm.  

Flash forward to May 22, 2023 when our taxi driver Ademar picked Cristina and me up at our home in Sao Paulo at 4:30 PM.  He delivered us to Guarulhos Airport in less than an hour, the fastest time in recorded history.

Our flight to Miami (saw A Man Called Otto with Tom Hanks) was only eight hours arriving at 4:30 AM Tuesday the 23rd.  We had to wait 5 1/2 hours for our flight to Jacksonville (JAX).  That allowed us to have both breakfast and lunch at Miami International.  It also gave me time to buy and start reading Tom Hanks's new novel, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece.

Our taxi driver for the trip from JAX to our hotel in St. Augustine (Homewood Suites by Hilton) was originally from South Sudan, the youngest new country in the world.  Very educational ride.

On Tuesday night, Bret joined Cristina and me for dinner at Hurricane Patty's.  I enjoyed a delicious meatloaf and discussed our upcoming celebration dinner (Saturday night) with one of the managers.

On Wednesday the 24th, we took an Uber to the Men's Wearhouse at the St. John's Town Center in Jacksonville to pick up my tuxedo.  I must comment on their lack of good customer service.  They refused to let me use their bathroom.  Claimed they didn't have one.  I don't believe that.

We also shopped at Target (which was so freezing I bought a sweatshirt) and Barnes and Noble.  We lunched at Panera Bread.  

That night our hotel had a reception offering some tasty snacks and beverages.  Then began my series of surreal experiences.  A young woman waved at me.  Who was she?  As she got nearer I recognized my niece Lauren (whom I hadn't seen in perhaps twenty years) followed by her husband Alex (whom I had dinner with in Sao Paulo about five years ago).  

On Thursday the 25th, Cristina and I attended the wedding rehearsal followed by a dinner and then a cocktail party at Sangrias.  We happily saw my sister in law Janet, then the bride to be Pam (Mrs Lasky) and her family Ron, Janet, Becki and David.  On the street near Sangrias, we ran into Varun, Joe and Eddie, three of Bret's childhood friends from Queens whom I hadn't seen since they were in high school.

On Friday the 26th was the wedding.  Cristina (in her beautiful green dress) and I arrived by shuttle at the White Room at 3:30 PM for photographs.  The ceremony started at 4:30.  Bonita and I escorted Bret down the aisle.  My job then was to give Pam Bret's wedding band.  I "done good."  Also standing up for the bride and groom were my daughter Rachel, my son in law Mike and my grandsons Nate and Leo.  

Following the ceremony was a dinner also at the White Room.  I made a speech toasting Bret and Pam which was well received.

The next morning I returned my tuxedo.  We then walked to the Apple Store where Cristina bought a new cell phone.  We lunched at Panera Bread again.  Our Uber driver both ways was from Ethiopia.  

On Saturday the 27th was the celebration dinner at Hurricane Patty's, hosted by Rachel, Mike, Cristina and me.  I had done the work, along with the restaurant's management, of arranging the dinner.  All, especially Rachel, said it was a success.

On Sunday the 28th was the brunch at the Chatsworth Pub and Tea Room.  On our way back to the hotel, I had a chocolate ice cream cone at Kilwin's on St. George's Street.

On Monday the 29th Cristina and I shopped at Publix supermarket where we bought things difficult to find or not available in Brazil: Coffeemate, cans of tuna chunks packed in water, Paul Newman's salad dressing, Kraft Parmesan Cheese, Jello pudding, Crest toothpaste and Ghirardelli's chocolates.  I also bought a small apple pie, which turned out to be cherry.  Better luck next time.

Cristina and I had lunch at Panera Bread for the third time.  We had dinner at Harry's Seafood, Bar and Grille, where I ate shrimp and grits.

On Tuesday the 30th, we checked out of our hotel, had lunch at the St. Augustine Fish Camp and took an Uber to JAX.  Our flight to Miami was delayed so when we arrived we had to walk fast to get to our flight to Sao Paulo.  

On Wednesday the 31st, Ademar was waiting at Terminal 3 and delivered us safely home.  It was my tenth anniversary of arriving in Sao Paulo to live permanently.  

I must also mention others whom I enjoyed being with: Adam and Mary, Karen and Bill, Elyse and Talia, Cindy and Robert, Torie and Daniel and Grey plus Taylor, Matthew, Helaine, Andrea and Dani, Robbie and granddaughter Adeline, Leslie plus her sons Derek and Jered, and finally Ted and Barbara.  The week exceeded my high expectations.