Zeze's Childhood: Mischief, Learning, and Life's Hard Lessons

Zeze's Early Life: Mischief, School, and First Lessons

The family finally moved into their new house. Young Zeze is often found talking to his plant, Minguito, though not enough to keep him entirely out of trouble. Despite his efforts to be good, Zeze cannot help but do something mischievous, which scares a pregnant woman half to death. This incident earns him a severe beating.

A few days later, Zeze's school starts. The teacher immediately feels a great affection for Zeze (and vice versa), recognizing him as a brilliant and loving student, despite the difficulties he must overcome. Once again, Zeze demonstrates his honesty when the teacher offers him financial help, and he refuses, stating there is a girl poorer than him. He also draws a flower as a gift for his teacher. When he learns this is wrong, it creates such a guilty conscience that the child becomes convinced he is a bad person. In reality, the overwhelmed teacher believes she explained the opposite of what Zeze understood.

Zeze tells Minguito (his plant) about a new trick, one that is the biggest challenge yet, but which he proposes to overcome. This trick involves holding onto moving cars. While all the kids do it, no one has ever managed to perform this daring feat on the best car in the neighborhood: the Portuguese man's luxury vehicle.

Chapter V

Zeze's Encounter with the Street Musician

Zeze skips class to go see someone he admires: a street musician whose songs fascinate him. On the way, he encounters a setback, but he finally finds the musician, Ariovaldo. Zeze asks to sing with him, stating his reason is to learn songs for his sister. However, his true desire is to learn to sing from Ariovaldo himself.

Thus, after convincing his sister, young Zeze becomes the musician's constant companion once a week. Ariovaldo quickly develops a deep affection for the boy.

Unfortunately, one day, while Zeze sings his favorite song, which he calls "Fanny" (a song with somewhat strong lyrics for a child his age), a woman accuses Ariovaldo of child exploitation. Zeze denies the accusation, but his word, as just a child, holds no weight.

Ariovaldo resolves the situation, and they part ways, saying goodbye until their next meeting.

The 'Bat' Trick and Its Consequences

Zeze tells Minguito his fabulous plan: he will perform the "bat" trick on the Portuguese man's car. He believes that when everyone sees him arrive at school, they will be impressed. He meticulously plans everything and watches the car for several days. However, when the moment arrives, his plan falls apart.

The Portuguese man is aware and catches him as he climbs onto the car. A severe reprimand begins. Zeze feels deeply humiliated because the Portuguese man scolds him in front of everyone. In a fit of giant rage, Zeze swears that when he is older, he will kill the man who humiliated him.

Upon arriving at school, he meets his brother Totoca, who, through deception, convinces him to fight against an older, larger boy. Naturally, this results in yet another beating for poor Zeze. Gradually, Zeze grows older and becomes a bit disillusioned, learning that life is not as it appears from within. Life is hard, and he is learning this the hard way.