Tall Stories (Uma Pedra no Bolso)

My name is Miguel.

When I was a kid I was good at school, until I hit the fourth grade.

Then I discovered there was a way of spending time without holding books.

My mom didn't like the idea.

My first punishment was to spend my vacation at Aunt Martha's hotel,

where nothing ever happens.

They thought that, with nothing to do, I'd realize the wonders of mathematics.

Getting past the village, came the smell of the sea.

The place seemed smaller.

I noticed I was not a child anymore,

so I could descend the stairs two steps at a time, if I wanted to.

How are you, little Miguel?

I'm fine, I'm fine, thanks. Can you summon my aunt, please?

- Definitely. - I'm coming!

Just wait a minute, dear.

Oh, thank god, you didn't get lost. Your mother has enough problems, already.

You grew up so fast since last year!

You're so tall now. You need to fatten up.

Get settled and let's put a telegram telling you arrived fine.

That we agreed with your mother.

I promised to call her, but she said it would be cheaper this way.

Look, you'll only be here for a few days.

- So why don't you take this as an oportunity to study?

- Yes... - Well, let's not talk about sad things.

- Are you hungry? - No, I'm not hungry...

- Not even after all this walking? - No.

Well, you have to eat. We need more personnel.

I'm taking care of everything, even the kitchen.

But sit down, the girl will bring you your lunch.

The dinner is served at 7:30pm. So, you know, we'll eat later.

- If you want me to heat it, just say it. -No, thank you.

If you want another blanket, there's one in the closet. I'll bring you your towels.

You look like in very good company, Mrs. Marta. Who is this young man?

- My nephew, my sister's son. - Oh, I see, I see...

- Sit down, Mrs. Camilla. - I'll, just for a bit, just for a bit...

Excuse me. - Want a smoke?

No, I'd rather have mine, thank you very much. Just light it.

- So, are you on vacation? - Yes.

- How were your grades? - Moderate.

"Moderate" in which way? Are they always "moderate"?

- They're all positive. - All positive? But is it a 3, a 4, a 5...?

-Three. -Three, that's your average?

So, are you mad at me? What do you want to be?

- S-- - Engineer? Doctor? Lawyer?

Nothing? Then you have no life plan?

I do.

- Don't you think about your future? - Sometimes.

Sometimes you think about it. And what is it that you think about?

It's none of your concern, alright?

Miguel, frankly. Is that how you address someone?

I just told her it's none of her concern. I'm fine.

But these are not proper ways to talk to a lady.

I'm so sorry, Mrs. Camila.

Oh, for Christ sakes, Mrs. Marta. Young people, new times.

- Want some chocolate? - Yes, thank you, I do.

- Of course he wants it. - He wants chocolate.

Here's your chocolate.

Save a bit for me.

At the first night, I thought a lot about studying.

I stayed in my room, so to avoid any suspicions.

Thought it would be better this way, so to avoid my aunt's rant.

Good morning. Sleep well?

Your aunt says you've been sleeping for too long.

Don't be a lazybones, get up. Breakfast is ready.

Don't take too long, morning goes by in a flash

and I still have to clean and aerate the rooms.

Your aunt also wants you to go and fetch more newspapers, they already sold out.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

Remember me, kid? In summer we shared a boat.

Are you Mrs. Marta's nephew? Where were you going?

I was going buy her some newspapers.

Buy newspapers? Then come through here with me, it's faster.

So, what have you been up to? You've grown up a lot!

- I've been studying. - Studying, huh?

They say the ground here is good for planting.

- Come and see Mr. Estevão's apples. - And where is he?

Throw that away, kid! The apples are great today.

Look, look at this. What a beautiful place.

- Want an apple? - Huh? Yes, give me that big one.

- Hey, Hang on, kid. That isn't ripe. - There's no problem, I'll eat it anyway.

You'll get sick. Let's go to the grapevine.

- And where is that? - It's around there.

-My father knew your aunt. -Where is he now?

He's somewhere, living. Like everyone.

- How old are you? - Me?

I'm old enough, kid. Already done my military service.

- How was that? - The military?

I slept at their truck going to their quarters,

when I came to I was already inside.

Four walls, everyone wearing the same colors. Everyone ordering everyone...

I wanted to go to the navy, see the world.

- And why didn't you go? - I did-- but I stayed in the kitchen.

I never left there. It was wonderful... Those motherfuckers.

What can you do...

Look, I want to show you something with a farmer.

- With a farmer? - Farm-- (gibberish)

It goes like this...

"Can you make this farmer sit without bending the paper?"

Sit the farmer without bending the paper?

- See? It's easy! - You bastard, where did you get this?

Look at Miguel. Playing with the six, seven year-olds.

He's going to be a beautiful young boy. Just wait until he's 15.

It's true, we look at his size and we forget that he's still a child.

We treat him like a grown up but he's nothing but a child.

Keep playing.

I had no adolescence.

I remember I went to sleep as a girl, and woken up as a woman.

I know what it feels like. To live adolescence, it's a luxury.

I'm from the time where people would send children

to the beach guarded by children of the same age.

Not me, though. I'll tell you about it one day.

Miguel, are you staying indoors all day? Come on!

I'm fixing the fan. Come, see.

So, Miguel. What are you doing with this?

I'm trying to salvage this, but I don't have any carbon brushes. Do you?

Brushes? These things needs a brush? I have no idea how...

- Look, I'm going fishing. - On a boat?

I can't stay here. Your aunt doesn't like me. Wanna come with me?

- Of course. - Cool.

Watch out for the rocks, be careful!

Oh my, shut it! Who's the fisherman here?

I can even tell you where the rocks are.

-Even I know. -I'd be surprised if you didn't.

Go on, then. Tell me how it is?

It's when the water is more wiggly and scrambled in a place.

Scrambled? Tsc, wiggle my scramble! You can scramble my eggs!

It's by their smell! Never heard you can smell the rocks?

We'll go out a bit; sit in the stern.

- There are waves today. - Eh?

- Today, there are waves. - That's how it is, around here.

There are lots of rocks here, too.

Alright, go to the other side, now.

Yeah, that's it. It's time you learned something.

It's the dead season now.

But come August, you don't even wanna know.

We get plenty of girls. Careful with the waves.

We get plenty of girls. If you stay I bet we'd have some fun.

Hey, watch the speed. Calm down,

I couldn't even get some rest. Change the motorboat's direction!

And how are the foreign girls?

Well, they just want to hang out, rest a bit,

they're the ones that comes looking for us.

You know you can't find people like us anywhere else in Europe.

They all come down here for a little trip.

Hey, I think here is far enough. There are already--

I can see them, there are tons of fish here.

Wow, The water looks great.

Hey! Are you crazy? You're scaring the fish.

What's gotten into you? Get out of there. For fuck sakes...

- Come! - Hold on..

Do you think you can?

Look at this big one!

Look, it's half dead. Ready for cooking.

Do you think you can do everything by yourself?

Look, isn't it gorgeous?

- Wanna learn how to do it? - Boating?

Boating? I'm talking about girls and he's thinking about something else.

Absent minded!

Who was talking about boating? You can learn boating on your own...

...for all that I care, a man has got to take risks.

See those rocks over there?

Forget the boat.

Once, over there, I saw a foreign girl sheltering from the cold.

It was windy, and there she was, watching the sun.

So I passed around, she liked what she saw...

I went over there, threw a bit of sand on her tasty legs.

She spoke on her funny language and I tried to follow-up.

I sang her a couple of fados, small talk... It was wonderful.

Go on.

- Go on? - You didn't tell me everything.

- I didn't tell you everything? - Nope...

But it went like this! You get there, and they like us.

It's not everyday you meet a gentleman.

Look, here it comes!

Want to clean it? Take a firm grip on it.

Come on now, hold it!

Go on, firmly grasp it.

Slit it here.

Come on, or it will get away.

Come on, slit it here. Be quick, the fish is suffering.

I don't want to.

Go on, now. Or I'll throw you in the water.

I thought you were asleep.

Nah, I'm just closing my eyes. Sit down, the dinner isn't ready yet.

I'll go back to the beach, the water is still warm.

Get out, you're blocking my sun.

I went fishing with João. Do you know him?

He got a full basket, can you believe that?

He told me about foreign girls. Were you here last Summer?

No, I came this year. What did he say?

Nothing. We went out a long way, we anchored the boat, we swam.

Have you looked at your face? You'll get home with your nose peeled.

Remind me to get you ointment.

You want to go out to the beach, sunbathe? Fine.

But you will have to take some time to study.

You disappeared the whole day, I didn't even see you up in your room.

I know what I'm doing.

As long as you're here, you're my responsability.

I won't allow it to happen again. If you leave, tell me where you're going.

I was fishing. We can't simply stop and turn back home.