beans and boys

´you like beans?´, she asks me as she sets down in front of me the lunch i have ordered.
i do not get a chance to answer.
´i like beans. love beans. always when i was in europe i miss beans. aaahhh, i think. beans beans beans. black beans. not european beans. they, well.. different, no? and this is quiabo. qui-a-bo. in the sauce of tomato. you see? vegetable. from africa, but now here.
after meal you can see the restaurant. rafael will show, ok?
i am manager assistent, valentina. enjoy the meal. so i hope you like the beans.´

so do i. and i hope i can now finally enjoy my meal.
nope. not yet.
a friendly looking guy with bambi eyes brings me salt and pepper and 3 bottles of identical looking sauces.
´my name rafael. ok?´
´ok!´
now will you please stop looking at me whilst i eat?

i am having lunch alone, as the boyfriend is away for a few days. he is tying up some loose ends of his life in curitiba. people in curitiba don´t like loose ends. here in rio, keeping loose ends loose is a way of life.

i choose this restuarant because from the outside it looked as if the airconditioning would be working well here. it does. the music system does not work well, which does not stop them from continuously trying, resulting in 5 second snippets of a song, followed by a random interval of silence.

just when normality seemed to have returned, the cook makes his entrance. broad smile. long explanation about the meal i would very much like to eat. very long explanation. in portuguese.
a girl appears behind the cook. not clear if she is working here. she smiles. points at the food.

...and there is rafael again.
´other drink?´
´no thanks´
´coffee now?`
´no, no coffee now.´ maybe friggin´ later if i can finish my meal.

these people circle me like flies trying to settle down on a cow!

some 15 minutes later i have won the battle. i managed to down my meal! i pay what i am due.
now comes the tour. in 3 minutes rafael shows me the rest of the recently renovated place. the 2nd floor is a lounge area. the top floor is reserved for special events - i think...
ah - and the place has a bathroom aswell. perfect.
after my short visit there, it is time to say our goodbyes.
no less than 5 people bring me to the door.
valentina seems to want to kiss me.
´so you like? you come back with friends?´
´sure´
´take this. is reduction next time.´
she gives me a leaflet: picture of the restaurant, address, menu, etc. wow! written in 6 different fonts. desktop publishing has reached brasil.

when i walk away from the restaurant i hear someone behind me. rafael!
did i forget something? no, just more leaflets.
´to share for your friends.´
´thanks and goodbye.´ i turn around and want to walk away.
then i see a different piece of paper in the little pile.
in huge letters and numbers:´RAFAEL TELEPHONE´ and then his number.
also to share with my friends?
i look back. rafael waves and gives me a fantastic smile.