M
ygrandmother metmy
grandfatherincollege,and
by1969,shewasmarried
with fourchildren.Her
marriagewashappy,butmygrand-
father’sjealousycontainedhercuri-
osityabouttheworld.Whentheyate
atrestaurants,shefacedthebackto
avoidotherpatrons’wanderingeyes.
Shortlyafterthewedding,they
movedthreehoursawayfromSão
Paulotoa towninsouthernBrazil.
Mygrandfatherenjoyedsmall-town
life,butmygrandmotherstruggled
toadjust.Afterhedied,shestart-
edspendinghalftheyearwithmy
motherinMiami.
Meanwhile,Aldostudiedengi-
neering.Formostofhiscareer,he
workedonurbanplanningforlocal
communities.In 1959 hemetBea-
triceataparty.Theymarriedand
hadtwochildren.
Beatricesufferedfromdepression,
andthemarriagewashardonAldo.
Theircircleoffriendswassmall,and
theyrarelytravelled.Afterhismother
diedin1995,hecameacrossa wed-
dingphotoofhisbelovedMarilena
amongherletters.Hergrandmother
musthavesentit.
“Ithought,Whereisshe?Howisher
life?” herecalls.“ThethoughtthatI
wouldneverhearfromthegirlwho
capturedmyboyhoodhearttorment-
edme.”Andsohebeganhissearch.
Aldotriedtoreachthewedding
photographer,buthewaslongdead.
Heemailedthemayor’s office of SãoPaulo,askingforinformationona
MarilenaLerario.“We’re acityof
12 millionpeople,”Aldowastold.“We
can’thelpyou.”
In2012,Beatricewasdiagnosed
withAlzheimer’sandParkinson’s.
Sheeventuallystoppedspeakingand
barelyrecognisedherchildren.She
refusedat-homecarefromnursesand
reliedonAldoforhereveryneed.
Finally,twodecadesafterhestarted
hissearch,Aldocontactedthedaugh-
terofa familyfriendwhoworkedat
theBraziliantaxauthority.Shefound
Marilena,andpassedhimherphone
number.
WhenAldophonedthatafternoon,
hetoldMarilena,“Ineverforgotyou.”
Mygrandmotherwasspeechless.T
henextday,Aldocalledagain.
Whatdidherchildrendo?he
asked.Whatwereherdays
like?
“Idon’tevenknowwhathelooks
like,andwetalkeveryday,”mygrand-
mothersaidtome.
“Let’slookhimuponFacebook,”
I suggested.
I pulledupAldo’sphoto.Hehad
whitehairbutthesamesadeyesand
shysmilehehadat17.“He’shand-
some,”mygrandmothersaid.
I suggestedtheycommunicateby
videochat.Thefollowingweekend
I wenttoherhouseandmessaged
Aldotoarrangethecall.Myfamilywas
eagertoseethemanmygrandmother
wouldn’t stop talking about.74 March 2020
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