My Sweet Orange Tree (Meu Pé de Laranja Lima)

It's almost your birthday, isn't it?

Everybody celebrates your birthday

but nobody ever gives you a present.

It's the same in my house:

there will be no gifts.

I don't even think we'll throw you a Christmas party.

I was also told you were poor.

Your father didn't hit you, he had a job, didn't he?

But I have nothing.

I'm poor. I'm a child.

My daddy has been unemployed for a long time.

My family has nothing.

I mean, my mother has a job far away.

She's always tired.

She also has a hernia.

It really hurts her.

People say I have the devil inside.

That's what they tell me.

I know I don't deserve it.

But help me, Jesus.

Things are really bad for me.

Do you know my brother, Luis?

He cares a lot about this Christmas stuff.

Shall we make a deal?

If you get a beautiful Christmas gift for my brother,

I promise to be nice the entire year.

Deal?

Deal.

Now, you walk a little.

Will you sing to me, Zezé?

I am singing.

I can't hear anything.

I'm singing inside myself.

Are you?

Yes.

I've got a little bird inside of me.

Swear to God?

I swear.

One day I can even give it to you.

This Christmas night

I'll just look at the sky

Santa Claus will climb down from the star

I'll ask for a gift

I don't know if he'll give it to me

I've already put my Christmas sock

in the window

Everyone has asked for something

but I'm afraid

if Santa Claus is sleeping...

You'll get a Christmas present, I promise.

Aren't you sad, Zezé?

You don't need to cry when you're sad.

Buy Ariovaldo's CDs! Only original songs!

Just listen to this song:

Someday, I'll buy a car just like that.

Uncle Edmundo got sicker.

He'll move to the big city for treatment tomorrow.

We'll have to move from this house next month.

Totoca, do you think Santa has put Luis's gift inside the shoe?

It sucks to have a poor dad.

Darn it!

You're really mean. You're the devil!

I didn't see him...

He's not poor, just unemployed.

Get out of my sight, you devil!

- Mr. Ladislau. - Hi, Zezé.

Are you spending your Christmas money?

I came to shine shoes in front of your store.

Can I?

Sure.

Zezé.

Here.

Thank you.

This street's so damn dusty!

Come on, Zezé. Rub that rag.

Dad...

I bought this imported box of cigarettes for you.

There you go, dad.

It was the most beautiful cigarette box in the store.

Smoke one.

It's really fine.

Dad, I didn't mean...

Don't cry, Zezé.

It really sucks to have a poor dad.

Come here.

Sit here.

I'm going to finish smoking the cigarette, okay?

Uncle!

Uncle Edmundo? Uncle?

Why didn't you come to my house?

I did, it's just that I was looking for something.

Yeah, looking for something...

- Ouch, ouch! - What is it?

It's just that... I got beaten.

I'm so glad you came.

The bus will come soon.

If it hasn't broken down halfway, you know.

- Are you taking just that? - Yup.

What I didn't sell, I gave away.

I left some comic books for you at our hiding place.

Why are you going away forever?

We have doctors here, too.

Yes, but your uncle needs several doctors.

A hospital nearby. I'm old, right?

And who likes old people? Medicine. Right?

This joke is so-so...

Can I go there someday so you can tell me a story?

Of course.

And I promise to always visit your mother

at her job in the city.

A secret.

One day, I'll go away too, but I won't be as old as you.

I'll leave to see the ocean.

So we have a deal.

Then you tell me your adventures around the world.

I'm going to miss you.

I'll miss you a lot.

You are my favorite relative.

Goodbye, uncle.

Aren't you waiting for the bus to arrive?

I have stuff to do.

And I don't want to see you cry.

COWBOY

CHEEKY

UNCLE EDMUNDO

Come, Luis. Come say goodbye to the Zoo.

Look at the birds, Luis.

Look at the lion!

Are you scared, Zezé?

No, the lion is the king of the animals.

- He takes care of everyone. - He's daddy lion, right?

Yes! But he nearly ate my super cowboy

stuck in quicksand, remember?

Luis, come on, the zoo will close.

The animals have to eat.

Let's go to our airplane.

Come!

Turn on the plane...

Turbines.

Taking off... Say goodbye to Europe!

Bye, Europe!

It's a thunderstorm, beware!

Come on, come on. Attack the thunders.

We are landing, Luis. Are you ready?

Come on, Luis.

Mission accomplished! Come on, come on!

Bye, old home.

Come!

Don't ever set other people's fences on fire again, okay?

I'm keeping an eye on you!

What are you daydreaming about?

I wanted to go to the capital to see uncle Edmundo.

Like the Mangaratiba train.

It's useless to go to town. He'll come back when he's better.

Uncle Edmundo won't get better, he's going to die.

Of course. People die every day in the big city.

Don't you see it on TV?

- And don't they die here? - Never.

It's better to be poor here than there.

Check out Portuga's car.

Look! The train!

What a car, huh? Portuga is a real macho man.

One day I will ride on that car's rear bumper.

- Come on, Zezé! - Wait for me, Totoca!

That tree is mine.

And this one is mine.

This one is yours and mine too!

What about me, Godoia?

There's that one.

I don't want this one.

Look... It's a sweet orange tree.

And if you take good care of it, it'll look amazing.

I wanted a big one, this one is too weak.

It's a "pinky" just like you.

And it'll become a big tree.

"Your sister is right."

Everybody is always right.

"If you take a better look, you'll believe her."

"It's not your bird, it's me 'Pinky'.

your sweet orange tree".

- Where do you speak from? - "From everywhere!

Lean your head on me and you'll hear my heart."

"Climb up. I'll show you something."

Isn't your branch too thin? Won't it break?

"Not if you're careful."

Godoia, what is "pinky"?

That's a pinky.

Look, Pinky, one day I'll leave this place.

I'll go to the big city.

Pin-ky...

I kicked him, I did!

- I'd get him. - At school...

Who has the guts to ride on Portuga's car bumper?

Yourself! The car is in front of Ladislau's!

He said he'll cut the dick off anyone who does it!

He'll have a hard time finding it.

He's going to ride the bumper!

Let's go!

You little worm. Trying to fool me.

Naughty brat!