Barnacle Love

Barnacle love is the short story I read outside of class. It was more like a novel as it was only two stories. The first part of the book is about Manuel Rebelo's childhood and his growing up to become a fisherman. The first part I read was Of God and Cod and then I read Reason to blame. Then I skipped some of Manuel's other chapters and started reading the second part of this book. This part of the book is told by Manuel's son Antonio. I first read Urban Angel and then I read Shoeshine boy. Although it seemed like a chapter book each part was a new event or journey for the Rebelo family.

Shoeshine Boy

In this short story Antonio describes his life growing up in his little Portuguese neighbourhood in Toronto. The story begins with Antonio at the age of six when he is learning to ride a bike. As he grows older his bike becomes a necessity in his life. It is his only way to venture off from his little predictable area. Antonio has an older sister named Terri and now has two new friends- Manny and Dennis.

Antonio felt safe growing up as everything became familiar, the only down side of growing up in the Portuguese neighbourhood was the teasing he and his friends endured. All the other kids at school were Canadian. Antonio and his friends wanted for their mothers like other Canadian mothers to buy peanut butter, Swanson dinners and mac and cheese. They wished that one day their mother would drive them to the Eaton center or to summer camp. They wanted for their fathers to wear a shirt and tie to work and to have some time to spend with them. Unfortunately riding bikes was the only entertainment for the young boys.

By the age of ten Antonio knew his entire neighbourhood. Everything about the neighbourhood felt safe and comforting until one boy Emanuel Jaques- who they called the Shoeshine boy- went missing. He had worked on Yonge Street shinning shoes, and doing other thing (not good things), for money. Antonio believed he ran away to escape the little neighbourhood they lived in. After days of looking for Emanuel he showed up on a rooftop or a massage parlour on Yonge street, dead.

Antonio turned on the news to hear the story. The news reporter calls Yonge street a filthy place. It news says reports suggest that Emmanuel and his brother and a friend were approached by a man. The man offered the boys money to go with him to do some chores for him and they accepted.

After hearing this story Antonio rides off, he passes Queen street, city hall and then Yonge street. He rides up Yonge street stopping just above Dundas street, at a place called Charlie's Angels- that was cronered off with yellow tape. The place where Emanuel had been found, where news teams, reporters and Manuel gathered. It was silent and Manuel felt alone, in a city he did not recognize. Antonio quickly rode home to find his neighbourhood, that was always filled with people on the streets, empty and his parents worried sick. Antonio no longer felt safe in the place he knew so well.

Urban Angel

In this short story Manuel's son, Antonio, is the narrator. Manuel's family now lives in Canada as he had always wished. Manuel wants to leave his old Portuguese ways behind and move on with the Canadian culture. Although in this story he finds this difficult as his wife does not always agree with his decisions.

Manuel and his wife both worked at St. Michael's Hospital where Antonio would always go directly to the archangel statue of Michael and sit under its large wings. Antonio also liked to talk to the angel. He would pray to the angel for many things but the position of Michael in the festa was Antonio's biggest wish.

Antonio went to church every Saturday morning to learn the Christian religion. His mother thought he was a proper soldier of god but Manuel did not want his son bowing at the feet of a priest. Manuel resented priest since he was a young. At church Antonio met a young boy named Ricky. They became friend until Sister Pedrosa announced that Ricky would be playing the part of Archangel Michael in the festa. Antonio was given the part of a lesser angel and he was so upset the two boys get in a fight. Antonio only wished to wear the large wings and the sparkling halo. The brawl is ended when Antonio's smaller wing are ruined by a passing train.

The festa came round and Antonio wanted nothing to do with it. He wished to stay in his room all day but had to first go down to the refrigerator to get some food for the day and that is when he saw them. Massive wings were set on the dining room table, so high the almost reached the ceiling. Manuel had built a huge pair of wings for Antonio to wear. All Antonio could think about was how annoyed Ricky would be.

Arriving at the festa Sister Pedrosa refused to let Antonio wear the wings but Manuel would not accept this. He shouted that Antonio would wear the wings and indeed he did. Ricky went over to Antonio and said he should be Michael but Antonio wanted Ricky to be Michael- all Antonio really wanted was the large wings.

Also, in this story Manuel and his wife have many arguments. Manuel wants his son to be Canadian, to speak English and he does not want him to attend church whereas his wife wants Antonio to attend church as she does. Manuel is still a dreamer whereas his wife just wants to settle down and for things to be stable; because of this Manuel feels his wife is the reason why he has gone no where. His attempts at things such as a home cleaning business, salesman and pigeon breeding all ended the same, in failure, and he blames it all on his wife's lack of support.

Reason to Blame

(Continuation from Of God and Cod)

After Manuel is brought back to the Nova Scotian's house Pepsi begins nurturing Manuel back to health giving him water, brushing his hair, shaving him and clothing him with her fathers warmest pieces. Once Manuel is able to write he begins sending letter to his Mae (Mother). The first letter Manuel sends he tells his mother he is alive and safe under the watch of Pepsi and her father Andrew. He tells his mother that St. John's, he is certain, is where he belongs. He asks for her to understand and forgive him.

Manuel asks for Pepsi to take care of his letters for him and she agrees. Although she wonders who he is writing to and is glad to know that he is writing to his mother.

After writing his letter Manuel hears Andrew call out to Pepsi, calling her ugly girl. Andrew calls her ugly girl and stupid girl a lot. He calls her this because she has a wooden leg. This does not get to Pepsi, she knows that her father is just a drunk who's opinion doesn't mean much. Although Manuel's opinion means everything to Pepsi. Manuel finds Pepsi intriguing-he does not care about her leg. She is fragile and he feels she needs his tending.

Andrew walks in drunk and Pepsi begins taking care of him. Manuel watches from the room across realizing that this is a typical day to Pepsi. Manuel wishes to help Pepsi but she tells him she will manage on her own.

Manuel's next letter talks more about Pepsi and Andrew. Manuel tells his Mae that he feels stronger and that Pepsi and Andrew are taking good care of him.

Manuel now begins to feel strong enough to help out Andrew with some of his chores- like skinning the animals he has caught. In fact Manuel helps Andrew with an easier way to skin the animals than he was previously doing. Pepsi watches as Manuel skins the animals but as he looks toward her she looks away. This playful game makes Manuel want Pepsi even more but Andrew warns Pepsi to stay away from Manuel. He believes that a strong man like Manuel need a strong woman to take care of him. Pepsi explains that she prayed for him, and god intended for him to be with her. Although Pepsi feels Manuel was sent to her by god Andrew feels she does not deserve him.

In Manuel's next letter he begins to plead with his mother to write back to him, to let him know that she has received his letters and knows that he is alive. He finally tells his mother he is beginning to fall for Pepsi. He says that Pepsi makes his dream of staying in St. Johns and beginning a new life more real.

Pepsi and Manuel begin to come closer and closer with each other. Pepsi shares her memories of her mother, who had abandoned her as a child and Manuel gives Pepsi a sign that he is interested in her.

Christmas time begins to come around and Manuel still had not received a letter back from his mother. He writes to her again and again hoping for something in return. Manuel sent out a letter saying how much he misses home and he hopes for the family to have a wonderful Christmas.

More and more Manuel begins to feel that it was fate that he ended up caught by Andrew and found Pepsi. Pepsi shares her story with Manuel of the day they found him. For weeks Pepsi had been praying for two thing: a real leg and a man, a family to take care of. One morning he father came rowing in with a gift for her, Manuel.

It had been two months Manuel had stayed with Andrew and Pepsi. He had not heard from his mother and on Christmas eve in his last attempt to connect with her he wrote for forgiveness. Walking up on Christmas Manuel smelled the stuffed chicken and the rest of the Christmas meal Pepsi got up early to make. Although Pepsi did not know where her father was and asked Manuel to go find him. It turned out that Andrew passed out in the shed. When Manuel brings back Andrew to the house he is still in a poor mood and says he has a gift for Manuel. Andrew grabs Pepsi as she begs him not to embarrass her. Andrew says that he be lives it is time for Manuel to leave for they have taken good care of him and it is time for him to make plans. Before Manuel is able to say anything Andrew stumbles toward the Christmas tree and picks up a gift for Manuel. Manuel unwraps the gift to find all of his letters to his mother. He begins to feel the room spin and a sudden feeling of illness. Pepsi quickly limps off to her room as her father stands there laughing.

Why do you think Pepsi never sent the letters?

A Television Drama

Carolee Mitchell began her day, cleaning her house, vacuuming. Although she was unaware of the sirens going off just outside her home. There were voices, dogs barking and car doors being slammed. If it weren't for the the flight of a bird across her front lawn Carolee might have missed the action occurring on her street.

There were police cars parked out side her house, neighbours gathered outside trying to see what was going on and a motorcycle in the middle of the intersection. Carolee could see half a dozen more police cars down the block and police with dogs searching the area. Reporters began to arrive along with many more police, people and cars.

Carolee heard a loud voice calling for all people to clear the street and all householders to go back inside. None of Carolee's neighbours listened and Carolee wondered if she should go out and join the others. She quickly begins thinking of different scenarios that could be occurring. She rules out a gas main, and a murder is out of question as no one on her street would ever kill someone.

Carolee sees nothing from her window and thinks about emptying the dishwasher. Later she walks over to her husband Pete's study and looks out the window where she can now see much more. She sees an ambulance and more police men. Uninterested in this she begins to redirect her gaze but it is caught be the sight of a man laying by her hedge.

Carolee's instinct is that the young man is rather hurt, or dead, or not really there at all. The man raised his head slightly, just enough for Carolee to see his blood stained shirt and bottoms.

Carolee became very unsure of what to do. She first thought to call the police, but they were already there, then she thought she should call someone, but there was no one to call. Although she did not know who he was she wanted to help him but did not want to risk being seen. The man began to get up and walk slowly across her front lawn toward the parking strip.

Carolee did not hear the shot but the man dropped to the ground as police voice called- suspect apprehended. Wondering what he had done Carolee immediately turned on the radio. The man had robbed a bank, run a car into a tree and shot a police man. Finally to be shot himself and near death. Reporters came around but Carolee decided she would not talk to them, she just went to the kitchen to unload the dishwasher.

When her husband came home he wanted to discuss the event with Carolee but she says she is fine and she would like to know what the news has to say. Pete's voice tells Carolee he is frightened much more than she was. She tries to describe what she saw to Pete but leaved much of the story out. Watching the news Carolee wonders if she had talking to the reporter would the story be different? She wonders if seeing it the news would make her believe she saw man dying in her garden?

Why do you think Carolee left out a lot of what she saw when telling her husband about the event?

A Handful of Dates

The narrator begins the story reminiscing about his grandfather. He describes his grandfather as tall and thin with a white beard. More descriptive, he compares his beard to white cotton wood- pure white and of great beauty. He says how he walks with great strides and that everyone in the whole area must look up to see him- the narrator looks up to him, like a godly figure. He also talks about how he loved the mosque and he loves the river and the land.

One day the narrator asks about his grandfathers neighbour Masood. He wonders why his grandfather is not fond of him. His grandfather explains that he feels Masood has made poor choices in life for at one time he owned all the land but he sold it all when he had married. The narrator is very upset that his grandfather is talking about Masood so rudely and about the land as if it is just property. To the young boy the land is his playground and a place for his dreams.

After his grandfather finishes explaining why he does not respect his neighbour, Masood asks the grandfather to join him in the harvesting of his dates. Although the young boy knows his grandfather does not really want to go they went off with Masood.

While the boy hacking at the date palm worked Masood asked for him to be careful not to cut the heart of the palm. Although no one listened to him the narrator began to process what he had said. At this time he begins to feel bad for Masood and begins to recognize that Masood cares for the land much like he does.

When everyone had finally left, except for Hussein the merchant, Mousa the owner of the land next to the narrators and two complete strangers to the young boy, his grandfather jumped to his feet to collect dates. His grandfather gave him a handful as the other men grabbed a bag for themselves. They left Masood with none; in fact the narrator’s grandfather explained how Masood still owed him 50 pounds.

Seeing this, the young boy became very disappointed in his grandfather. It seemed that all he cared about was power and wealth. He cared not about others and not about the land. All the events following make the narrator become ill. He ran off toward the river and threw up all the dates his grandfather had given him. The once pure river was now full of the narrator’s feelings toward his grandfather.

Of God and Cod

Manuel Antonio Rebelo, who had the brightest blue eyes and doll like features, grew up a privileged child. He attended a nicer school than his siblings, he had nicer clothes and his mother treated him better than any of the other children. Although Manuel has many more perks than his brothers and sister they do not resent him. Manuel is ashamed of the advantages he has, that his siblings do not receive, which makes his brothers and sisters appreciate him.

Manuel's mother tries to lead Manuel’s life in a different direction than he wants to take. Maria wants for her son to be a man of importance, respected by the entire village but her attempts at giving Manuel the best of life (in her mind) are crushed as like his father, Manuel want to go to sea, see the world and create a life larger than he has in his little town. Manuel wants to be a cod fisherman.

Telling his mother that he is leaving is difficult for him as he knows his mother is still in pain over the loss of Manuel's father- who incidentally died at sea. Although Manuel's mother wishes him not to go to sea she reluctantly gives Manuel his father’s old yellow fisherman jacket and his crucifix necklace for his journey.

Arriving at the docks Manuel knew he would have no family to say goodbye to before his departure. Boarding the Argus Manuel new that he would be risking his life and that was okay because he was following his dream for a new beginning.

Once at sea Manuel begins to learn the hardships of being a fisherman. The brutal sea, motion sickness, the horrible odours and noise and the constant work are just few of the sufferings the men must endure. The only thing keeping most men content is writing home to their families (That and their cigarettes). The worst part of this entire journey was the individual wooden dory's each man was assigned. Each man would be lowered down from the Argus in the morning (a daunting and sometimes even fatal task) to be sent out alone, only cod coming onto their boats. It was a lonesome and dangerous job but Manuel stayed optimistic for one day, after months of being on the ship, the fisherman would break at St. Johns, where Manuel felt his new beginning existed.

After waiting and waiting the ship finally stopped at St.John's. Upon arriving, Manuel knew that that was where he belonged. He was stunned by the amounts of food, clothes and other things to purchase, the shelves of stores packed as full as possible and the display of things he had never seen before. Manuel's excited day filled with many meals, site seeing and a peaceful nap soon came to an end as it was time to aboard the Argus and set off for home.

Unfortunately on Manuel's final day fishing a large wave knocked Manuel off his boat and into the powerful ocean. Gasping for air and hoping for the best Manuel tried to stay calm but he slowly dropped further and further below, no longer attempting to push up through the water.

Just in time, Manuel is dragged up toward the surface caught in a fisherman's net. Manuel hit a hard wooden boat floor to see a toothless man with uneven stubble and his daughter standing next to him. The man’s daughter, Pepsi, is delighted to see Manuel and thanks the lord for her father's catch.