I walk back to my computer, but before I can reach it, I’m interrupted by the HR lady. Is this about the rice in the sink? She leads me to her room, closes the door. We sit. I place my empty marmita and my coffee on the table. I take a sip. She explains in so many words that I am being fired. I almost spit out the coffee. Fired? Why? I hear myself asking. You were late again this morning, second time this week. But Monday I was late because the bus drivers were striking, everybody who depends on the buses was late, don’t you remember? Right, but what is your excuse today? Is this your grandma again, you’ve used that excuse a few times. I sigh. I wonder if I should mention the poop, but that seems gross, so I remain silent. I start crying. She says that maybe it’s for the better; I’ll have more time to take care of my grandma; that I’m not meeting the expectations of the office, I don’t take care of my hair, my appearance – look at my shoes. I’m speechless. After she’s done explaining their decision to fire me, I walk – eyes burning from tears and makeup – to the kitchen sink to get a paper towel. I dry my eyes; the mascara comes off – I must look like a real mess. Then I see the rice in the drain. Weirdly enough, that makes me smile.

I wash my face in the bathroom, pack my things, and say good-bye to everyone. No one seems particularly phased by my departure, but that’s alright, tudo bem!²⁸ I am not there for chitchat and making friends. I noticed them talking behind my back long ago, about my clothes, my nails, my hair. Even Pamela, who just fired me, compared me with a meme she was showing to everyone – a person coming out of a cave after what looks like a very long time. The caption reads, “Friends, family, where are you guys?” I’m allegedly like this meme, because I bury myself in my work, my cave, and I forget about everything else. I did not take the cartoon personally at all and forgave everybody who happened to be around the table laughing at my expense. Of course they stopped immediately when they saw me. But to be honest, I took this meme as a compliment. That’s right, I’m a hard worker, I need to be. I don’t have anyone but my grandma who is too old and sick to look after me. Or me after her over the last couple months, now that her asthma seems to be getting worse. My aunt is envious of me because of all the attention my grandma has given me, especially after my mom died. So yes, I’m pretty lonely, but that’s life. It’s better to be alone than in bad company.

I hand over the keys and leave the office. It’s strange to leave so early – the sun is still up! I usually stay until 8 pm, after the horario de pico.²⁹ The trip home passes quickly. I notice how people are a lot happier at this hour, or at least look less miserable. I must be the only miserable person at this time of the day. Everybody has their nails done and their hair styled, makeup applied perfectly, looking healthy, as if they just had a nice vacation on the beach. They must be rich, I imagine.

(…to be continued…)

Footnotes

28. All is well

29. Rush hour

Transadaptation Volume 6 – Meaning? – Uncertainty, Instability and Extremes Transadapted

January: A Regular Train Trip – Mateusz Tymoszewski (Poland)

February: Growing Up – Adriana Uribe (Columbia)

March: Mess – Veronika Groke (Austria)

April: The Roads We Take – Svetlana Molchanova (Russia)

May: Need – Nadia Silva Castro (Brazil)

June: “Next Sunshine” – Jonay Quintero Hernandez (Spain)

July: Intentions – Narantsogt Baatarkhuu (Mongolia)

August: Planet Kyiv – Anastasiia Leonova (Ukraine)

September: Feeling like a Fool – Ulrike Bergmeister (Germany)

October: Stories of Outcast Souls – Armine Asryan (Armenia)

November: Ronaldinha – Alejandra Baccino (Uruguay)

December: Aimlessly – Krisztina Janosi (Hungary)

Background – Context

Transadaptation Volume 5: Of Flowing Vicissitudes – Life Transadapted, (eds.) Angelika Friedrich, Yuri Smirnov and Henry Whittlesey (2024)

Transadaptation Volume 4: Material Dissent – Adulthood Transadapted, (eds.) Angelika Friedrich, Yuri Smirnov and Henry Whittlesey (2023)

Transadaptation Volume 3: Evanescent – Young Adulthood Transadapted, (eds.) Angelika Friedrich, Yuri Smirnov and Henry Whittlesey (2022)

Transadaptation Volume 2: Conceived – Childhood Transadapted, (eds.) Angelika Friedrich, Yuri Smirnov and Henry Whittlesey (2021)

Transadaptation Volume 1: In the Middle – Prelude to a Contemporary Transadaptation, (eds.) Angelika Friedrich, Yuri Smirnov and Henry Whittlesey (2020)

Peripatetic Alterity: A Philosophical Treatise on the Spectrum of Being – Romantics and Pragmatists by Angelika Friedrich, Yuri Smirnov and Henry Whittlesey (2019)

La Syncrétion of Polarization and Extremes Transposée, (eds.) Angelika Friedrich, Yuri Smirnov and Henry Whittlesey (2019)

The Codex of Uncertainty Transposed, (eds.) Angelika Friedrich, Yuri Smirnov and Henry Whittlesey (2018)

L’anthologie of Global Instability Transpuesta, (eds.) Angelika Friedrich, Yuri Smirnov and Henry Whittlesey (2017)

From Wahnsinnig to the Loony Bin: German and Russian Stories Transposed to Modern-day America, (eds.) Angelika Friedrich, Yuri Smirnov and Henry Whittlesey (2013)

Emblems and stories on the international community

Perception by country – Transposing emblems, articles, short stories and reports from around the world

Credits

Background photo: Sao Paulo, Brazil – Rua Alvaro – Diego Carneiro (Unsplash)

Left to right at top: 1. Sao Paulo, Brazil – The street – Carlos Kenobi (Unsplash); 2. Sao Paulo, Brazil – The lamppost – Gabriel Cattaruzzi (Unsplash); 3. Sao Paulo, Brazil – Cityscape – Ian Talmacs (Unsplash); 4. Sao Paulo, Brazil – Estação da Luz – Vinicus Löw (Unsplash); 5. Sao Paulo, Brazil – The intersection – Bianca Neves (Unsplash)

Left to right on bottom: 1. Sao Paulo, Brazil – Traffic Jam – Hans Elmo (Shutterstock); 2. Sao Paulo, Brazil – Another street – Cris Faga (Shutterstock); 3. Sao Paulo, Brazil – On the street – Cris Faga (Shutterstock)

Source: The Codex of Uncertainty Transposed