Reflexões de um Liquidificador

REFLECTIONS OF A BLENDER

I can't stay silent like I used to.

Damned fever that keeps me away from the fridge...

the stove, the sink, the clock...

from all these objects that work machine-like...

as men like to say.

And don't care or even know that...

they are called objects, stuff, kitchen appliances.

And what about me? Appliance and what else?

Still blades...

but inside me, a flow of ideas, thoughts...

sensations, grinding and tearing at my silence...

spinning and crushing like sharp edges.

Blender and witness...

grinding machine and accomplice...

to all the events that altered the life...

of the owners of this house...

and my condition as object.

- I'm leaving. - Good luck.

- God's will be done. - Amen.

My husband's been missing eight days.

He left one morning to go to the market...

and never came back.

Does your husband have any mental problems?

No, sir. Onofre is a normal man...

Healthy, hardworking.

He's never been gone for so long.

- How old is your husband? - 67.

- Any children? - No, sir.

Has he had any disagreements...

With anyone in the past few days?

No, thank God.

The whole neighborhood was fond of him...

He was respected at work.

Everyone's worried about his disappearance.

- Ms... - Elvira.

Ms. Elvira. Have you considered the possibility that he has left?

Left how?

You mean to say that he abandoned me?

Unfortunately, it is not altogether impossible.

I have seen a number of such cases.

Lieutenant, we've been married for over 4O years.

Lots of harmony and tenderness between us.

Why would Onofre leave me?

Another woman, for instance.

No! The police can't even think that.

Onofre is a faithful husband.

He's not that kind of man, thank God!

Well, Ms. Elvira, I'll file a report...

and assign a detective to the case.

But I can tell you this:

The first suspect on his disappearance...

is you.

I wonder what happened.

The hand on the clock has turned a few times...

and she hasn't come back yet.

Maybe she can deceive the police...

and calm herself down.

What happened?

The worst.

Did you go to the station?

Yes.

They suspected me.

How come?

Fuinha!

I didn't like that Fuinha character.

- Why not? - I didn't like his nose.

He looks like a snoop. With a thin nose.

Dangerous.

Once I left, he followed me around.

Is it normal to follow a person right away...

Who knows...

or did he suspect me from beginning?

Where did you go?

First I went to the church.

Didn't you say you couldn't face the image of Christ?

I prayed with closed eyes.

But I thought God could see inside people.

Shut up.

What do you know about religion? Shut up.

We all pray any way we can.

And then I went shopping for these fruit.

You made thing too easy for him.

You could buy fruit some other day!

Why didn't you come straight home?

Enough talking, you're too nosy.

Get to work!

What are you doing?

It's been days since I've had an avocado shake.

Elvira.

I don't feel like blending now.

Why not?

I don't feel well.

Leave the avocado for some other time.

They might see your blade.

You look like a weapon, not a blender.

You're the one who made a weapon of me.

And now, they'll blame me.

Don't be afraid. Just help me.

- Haven't I done all I can? - Yes, but I need a bit more.

- And then, Elvira? - Then what?

When it's over, what will you do with me?

Nothing; you'll go on working as a blender.

I don't want you to break me.

I won't break you, silly!

Nutty blender!

Let's grind!

Get to work! Quit snarling.

Bastard!

You're no good anymore. Too noisy.

Watch it, you, bastard.

Ok. Now you're singing, aren't you?

That's it. I like that. Sing my little bird.

Why can't you always work like this?

Bastard.

You sing when you want to...

and when you don't, you snarl!

And when you're up to it, you can grind perfectly.

That I do well; shakes are my specialty.

You've gotta grind whatever I put in there, got it?

I did, Elvira. I ground what you asked me.

But you neighed like a horse. The neighbors must have heard you.

- It wasn't easy, Elvira. - Stop yelling.

Then stop pointing fingers. I did my best.

I'll die repeating that. I did my best.

You find it disgusting?

Doesn't the shake look tasty?

Your stomach's been empty for too long.

Go on. Drink a little.

Elvira. Take a sip. Go on.

That's it. Drink up.

What's the matter?

What's this taste you put in the shake?

I put the taste you gave me.

I put in avocado, milk and sugar.

You gave me something rotten.

You taste that in everything.

The water doesn't taste like this.

Yesterday you said the banana and the orange had it.

And the bread, too.

So, it's not me, you're the one tasting it everywhere.

Don't you try to trick me, when you least expect it, I'll...

- What? - Watch it.

It's Fuinha!

Don't panic. It may be a neighbor.

I'll throw it away.

No, Elvira, don't do that.

What about the taste of death?

There's no such taste.

What if it's Fuinha?

Elvira, the house is clean and you're alone. Go on!

- Elvira! - May Jesus be with me.

- Amen. - I'm coming.

Go, Elvira. Go!

Hi, Ms. Elvira.

Long time no see.

Has the old man come back?

Nothing so far.

- I have news. - A letter?

No. May I come in?

It won't take long.

I need to tell you something.

Oh, I miss Mr. Onofre.

So, you fixed the blender?

Avocado, yum!

I don't know it's ok, the avocado might be spoiled.

Let's have a taste of it, so we know for sure.

Your shakes are delicious.

You mind if I sit? I've been walking.

Drink it slowly, it's the only glass.

The best shake in town.

What do you have to tell me?

I don't mean to snoop into other people's lives...

Mr. Onofre was such a good man, wasn't he?

Despite his favorite soccer team.

Cut to the chase.

I'd rather deliver one thousand letters than tell you this.

Do you really have something to say?

I do.

Mr. Onofre...

He has... or had...

An affair.

- What? - An affair.

Another woman, you understand? I saw it.

What did you see? What other woman?

It's not like me to meddle in people's lives.

I was passing by the hospital and saw him.

That's a lie.

0nofre wasn't that kind of man!

I saw how anguished you were and decided to tell you.

She's a nurse...

I shouldn't even have said that...

So I talked to her...

and she hadn't heard from him in two weeks.

So I decided to come here...

The old man has vanished, he's really gone.

- Get out! - I only wanted to help.

I'll file a complaint at the postal company!

Go to the police before it's too late!

What the heck?!