Rhodia River - In the stream of love

1998In the reign of Royal Hill, the sun shines in a cloudless sky, on another beautiful morning in the Rhodia River neighborhood. It’s a housing district for working-class families but non-slum, well-presentable, mostly quiet, and decent residents. We have the main square called Praça da Granja, the church, tree-lined and paved streets, houses with minimal fences or walls, buses traveling, and finally, the main avenue. This one is busier, with small and varied shops, and people traveling on the sidewalk. We have a facade of Cascais Bakery, Cor-de-Rosa Stationery Store, and Malthus Snack Bar.Near the snack bar, Monica Silva, 19, light-brown, serious, and responsible, dressed socially in a woolen coat, is walking hurriedly to the local.AT THE MALTHUS SNACK BARMonica enters and takes a look. The cafeteria is in normal activity. It’s a rectangular enclosure, with plastic tables, and a marble counter for cash and orders. Monica smiles, she likes the place. Aurélio Malthus, 42, is the ow

AT THE POLICE STATION - NIGHTChief Carlos pins the thief on the wall; he wants to know if there is a gang forming in the neighborhood. There's tension and suspense. The thug starts to stutter and doesn’t look straight in the eye."Y-you are going crazy, man! T-there are no gangs forming here, no. I did it on my own!""What's your name?""Uélton!""Well, Uélton, I think I'm going to let you spend the night here to let you reflect on what you've done. If there's no one behind you, then you're just an inexperienced person. Think, reflect on what you want in your life."Uélton is almost crying, "Okay, "cop", it was my bad..."Carlos looks almost fraternally at Uélton; he could be his little brother.Carlos straightens up and leaves the cell, letting Uélton let out a sigh of relief.At the reception, Carlos walks slowly, going to his desk. It’s a small neighborhood police station, just for cases like these of minor importance. Some policemen are doing other things, answering the phone, and

MALTHUS SNACK BAR - DAYMonica and Célio are sitting at the table, which has already been served. They eat and talk.Célio begins, "Monica, I understand that you have been brave since we met, but... Now we are in other domains. We left our parents' skirts. So I ask you to be careful when facing certain people.""Oh, are you worried about me, Célio?" Monica reacts with emotion.Célio reacts by shaking his head, "N-no, Monica, what’s is it? Your father will be here shortly after, knocking me down. I respect you, I'm not flirting with you."Monica launches a joke, "Especially because in flirting you are not very good."Célio did not catch, "Anyway, that Ricardo worries me. Mysterious, creepy, alone... He has already got into some trouble and you know that he cannot be trusted. Today you were with Carina and Fábia, but... Imagine, one day you’ll go there alone, at night..."Monica says thankfully, "I appreciate the concern, Célio, but I'm not that careless. I’ll never be alone with him at

POLICE STATION - DAYWednesday, the routine begins. Casual amount of residents and policemen. Among them, Ricardo smiles silly, he seeks with his eyes until he finds Carlos's desk.He goes to him and sits down, "Here I am. What do you want to know?"Carlos doesn't like Ricardo's stance, "You know that our neighborhood is relatively new, Mr. Oliveira.""I know. I came here in 1997. There was almost no one on my street. It looked like a ghost town. Now that it's getting fun.""Yes, and unfortunately there is a resident who is not having any sense of fun. On Monday, I had to intervene in an armed robbery. You must have heard of it.""No, our neighborhood still doesn't have a radio or a newspaper." Ricardo's tone is always jibing and mocking."Well, that's what happened. And yesterday, I receive an anonymous tip about clandestine electrical connections, what people call a ‘cat’.""Okay, and what do I have to do with it?""They mentioned your address, Mr. Oliveira."Ricardo looks thoughtful

MONICA’S LIVING ROOM - DAYAnnie confronts Monica for having argued and beaten up Jonas. Carina inadvertently ends up witnessing."Annie, calm down..."Annie is hurt, "How could you, Monica? I trusted you. I asked you not to get involved!"Monica gets supplicant, "Annie, don't you see that this story is a little weird? Jonas's family is taking this competition talk too seriously. The neighborhood is starting; we still have little shops... Try to open a bakery Downtown, or even in Tangamandápio! There they will see competition. Although it was not the case, I think it’s unfair to involve his girlfriend and future daughter-in-law.""Will we have a wedding after that?"Carina respectfully opines, "If he stops loving you because of that, then he is the fool, dear.""Annie, sit down, and let's talk calmly—" Monica gets up and tries to lead Annie to the sofa, but she dodges the other."I don't want to talk anymore, Monica. I just came to check it out of your mouth. Now I have to go home and