Near
here exist the ruins of what had once been a small square neighborhood whose
time and lack of zeal undertook to make it forgotten and neglected. Taken by
the tall grass and dirt, one day, a former resident of the neighborhood who was
working alongside the mayor, to prove his prestige with the mayor, got him to
renovate the square and become a useful space to the community. Bravo!
Completed the lengthy reconstruction services, this had put in the center of
the new square the bust of a man with glasses and heavy frown and baptized it
with the name of his late father, an illustrious unknown.
Now, who among us would
not like to pay tribute to the father with a monument in his name or a street
or avenue? Without wishing to belittle the parent of someone, there would be no
squares, bridges, viaducts, and public places in sufficient quantity to provide
such a distinction. Finally, the square was beautiful and peaceful. Besides the
unusual monument, won, too, wooden benches, slide, seesaw and swing for
children. The bust of the unknown gave up a certain charm to the place, which
went on to win life with the frequency of neighborhood residents day and night.
Maybe someone jealous
or protest for failing to also pay tribute to his own father, who was not
putting a sign with his name on one of the benches in the square, there was
snuck in and stole the glasses of the honoree, days after inauguration was a
bash with the right finger food, fanfare and fireworks.
The act of vandalism
was repudiated by all. Damn the square was so pretty, whoever did it did not
like to see the city tidy. But the son of the illustrious stranger had shown
that same prestige. Days later, the sculptor of the bust author was there and
put new pair of glasses on the monument.
In all, five times over
four years, they made disappear the glasses man. Thug was insistent in its
purpose and the son of the honoree in his determination to see his father
wearing glasses, as if at that time of life and in its current condition static
ones will be of some use optics.
One day, however, years
later, a renowned restorer of monuments with diploma courses in Europe appeared
in the square, hired by the city to clean and restore this bust and put him new
pair of glasses. When questioned by a senior resident of the neighborhood, an
old man from some end-of-world of Italy who sat on a bench, taking his usual
morning sunbathing, replied that would put again, the glasses in statue. The news
amused the Italian and who came up with the following brilliant idea: "Why
don´t you put contact lenses in the illustrious? He will look younger and, of
course, will be more difficult to steal them. "The restorer thought the
suggestion was a joke. Have you ever seen a statue wearing lenses? However, after
he completed his job after two days of work, the craftsman surrendered to the
wisdom of the old Italian and put on the monument, this time, a pair of contact
lenses brand new, the first of which ever known, used by a statue!
Rio Vermelho, August, 26th, 2013.
