My co-worker, Sarah, discovered a freaky, dark yet not so sinister story scrawled inside the library’s copy of McKay’s Modern Portuguese-English English-Portuguese Dictionary by E. L. Richardson, M. de Lourdes Sa Pereira and Milton Sa Pereira, 1943, Reprinted March 1958. The story is an examination of a young anonymous girl’s infatuation with her Brazilian cousin, his reckless driving and the social constructs of ethnocentricity. It’s really not great writing but it is written across dozens of pages in the margins and whitespace of the letter headings. She deciphered most the handwriting. Page numbers and word entries are included in case there is some significance.
Story from the Portugese Dictionary
P.53 Brônquios to Cabeça
I’m afraid of speeding. A while ago in Brazil, specifically in 1990, I was with my cousin. We had just left from a birth day party and he
P.74 Cubatura to Dalém
was drinking but I didn’t know that.
P.107 Guarda-Vista to Heróico
I could see the clear blue ocean, shinning like an amethyst and emerald green trees lining the shores.
P.109 I to Impagável
I was sure that God was blessing us by creating such a picturesque place. I was feeling a good energy
going through my
body, as
If I were
cleaning
everything
inside
of me and
only living a
jubilant
feeling.
P.114 Intrasitável to Itinerário
We had that special bond that people sometimes have. His hair was black as raven, and his eyes were dark brown, which contrasted beautifully with his long black eyelashes and eyebrows. His wide, angular nose was the perfect compliment to his thin soft lips, which were always
P. 115 J to Jurar
red
P.116 Juri to Lamaceira
His skin was naturally tan.
When he walked he left behind a delicate and pleasant smell, which was just like a fish flower.
That smell always invigorated me, energizing every cell in my body.
P. 147 PudicÃcia to Qualidade
We started to drive very fast, at that time I was only 15 y.o. but I’ll never forget how scare he made me feel. I cried. Ask to please stop the car but he just
P.149 Quotizar to Rapaziada
turn the music loud and drove even faster. I think I had my eyes close most of the time but I clearly
remember that big truck coming towards our
car.
P. 156 Roseta to Sacudir
He had no choice but step hard on the brakes which made the car turn a couple of times around. Looking back at that moment I realized that was probably the luckiest
P.163 Supérfluo to TangÃvel
day of our lives. No one got hurt but until now I can fully say that was my biggest fear.
P.170 Urubú to VarÃola
I learned that no one for any reason should drink and rive because driving is not just a privilege but also a responsibility you have to be mature when you go behind a
steering
wheel.
P.174 Z to Zurzir
Culture for me is everything that people acquire as member of society. Beliefs, ideas, custom, law, traditions
Sometimes culture is transmitted through observation (consciously) and sometimes we acquire it unconsciously.
I think everyone is Ethnocentric in some point because we always think that our way is better than the others of ???. Language, kinds of food and drink. Chinese people eat dog’s meat. American keep dogs as pets.
When we learn about other cultures we see that our way is not the only way. There is others and we should
P.175 Regular Verbs
respect all
