Godspeed, Raymundinha…

Raymundinha, dear…

You worked in my house for thirty-three years. You started when I was still a child. You saw my suffering when I dated that ill-fated girlfriend from an American. You gave me affection, attention… You said I still had my whole life ahead, and many other loves to live.

You were right.

You were a great friend of my grandmother, one of the most friendship’s strict person I have ever met. How many times have I not heard you two laughing in the kitchen while preparing something delicious to eat? You mourned her death in 2002 and said her goodbye for me, as I was in Rio de Janeiro working and could not return to São Paulo.

To say that you are part of my family is not enough.

I still remember well when you said that you were no longer willing to work every day and that you retired. And, also, when you said, shortly afterward, that you couldn’t stand being at your home and needed to go back to work. We decided that you would come only a few days a week, and we were all happy. The family would remain together!

You were here, in your last days working with us when Zeca left us. One of the saddest days of my life. And then I became even more saddened because you stopped working with us. You were over seventy years old. Just kept working because you loved us.

I was fortunate to see you twice this year, once when you came to bring your wedding gift, another in the ceremony itself. You were so pleased to be part…