We were having a great time. We had taken Gary, Diane, Grant and Heather to Partity to soak in some of the most beautiful country on God's earth. After a day at the beach in Ubatuba, a day of snorkeling in the Atlantic and a morning of literally sliding down a waterfall we decided to go to Trinidade. Trinidad
e has been the host of several international surfing competitions because when the surf is up you can grab some of the best waves in the world.
We arrive at Trinidade with our beach umbrella, beach chairs, and all the sunscreen and food that Denice can stuff in a bag. After deciding to set up camp over by some huge rocks that were on one end of the beach Grant and Timmy decides to test the waters. They enter the water between these huge rocks and find that when they do powerful waves hit you from all directions. As the surf comes in the waves knock you to shore, as they recede they pummel you left and then right and then toward the shore again. This looked like great fun to two aging men and so Gary and I quickly apply the sunscreen and hit the waves.
While the girls were laying their beach towels out and getting prim and proper to enter the water they suddenly felt a deluge of water attack their camp. Because of their fear of their beech towels getting soaked they yelled at us to move camp. While moving camp I suddenly remembered that I had tucked $40 Reais in my swimming trunk pocket. I felt for the money. It was there. Then I
realized that I had also put the car key in the same pocket. It was conspicuously absent. I shared this good news with Gary. He sheepishly stuck his hand in his pocket, the key to his car was still there.
After searching all of the bags, the beech and the waterfront and conversing with God we decided that apart from a miracle, the key was gone. What to do? While I kicked myself some more hoping that God would do a miracle and wash the key up on shore Gary went to the car to see if he could get in. Eureka, the hatchback had not been locked properly and Gary climbed in through the back of the little Volkswagen Gol that the school let us borrow. As I approached the car Gary was looking under the floor mats, the wheel wells, in the engine compartment in hopes that he might locate a spare key. I decide to go to the owner of the bar/concession stand on the beech and explain to her our predicament. But wait, I don't speak Portuguese. After many single word explanations and a lot of hand motions this lady understood and gave me the phone number of a locksmith. But wait, I still can't speak Portuguese. I handed her my cell phone and urged her to call him. She did and, as close as I could tell, she said that he would be here in about 15 minutes. I reported the news to Gary and Heather and we waited in the hot sun. 15 minutes elapsed and no locksmith and so Heather and I went back to the bar owner with our Portuguese - English dictionary. We showed her a phrase that read "I lost my car key
s." She nodded yes and assured us that the locksmith would arrive anytime.
Suddenly, a barefoot man with soil soaked shorts was asking which car was ours. Because of the revelation of buttocks above his shorts he would have qualified as a plumber in the states, but no, in Brazil he is a locksmith. We can only assume that he arrived on the bus that went by moments before. He gets in the Gol and sticks a make shift key in the ignition. He turns the steering wheel while wiggling the key. He shakes his head and tries again. After a few minutes he gets out of the car and explains something in Portuguese. Because of Heather's proficiency in Spanish she could make out parts of what he was saying. He was telling us that he will have to dismantle the steering column, but that he can get the car started. Should we allow this on the schools car? We had no other option. He then explains that he will need to go get some tools to do this with. We said OK and he crossed the road and stood there. We soon figured out that he needed a ride back into the town of Trinadade, about 10 minutes away.
Heather and I loaded up in the other car and told him to jump in. After a short drive we arrived in Trinadade and he directed us to his place of business. As he returned to the car I noticed that he had a small plastic box with him not much bigger than your wallet. This is all he needed? Upon returning to the car I realized that all he needed was a screw driver set. (I had screw drivers in my car.)
After removing the steering wheel cover he starts tugging and prying under the steering column. I just knew that he was going to break something and that I would be liable for its replacement. He then takes a paper clip out of his pocket and twists and breaks it. Because it did not break cleanly he asks me for a wire cutter. The best I have is a screw driver and a hammer. He takes them, finds a rock, and chopped the paper clip off cleanly. Then out of the blue he tells Heather to go sit in the passengers seat. He then explains to her in Portuguese how to reassemble the steering column while I was looking over her shoulder. He then takes 1/2 of the paper clip and sticks it in the harness to the ignition. No sound. Then he takes the other 1/2 of the paper clip and touches the right spots on the harness. The engine turns over and starts.
When we asked him "Quantos custo" or how much do we owe you he said 50 Reais or about $27. I wondered if that was for parts (the paperclip) or just the labor.
We drove the four hour trip back to Sao Paulo with a paper clip for a key. When we stopped for gas I simply pulled the paper clip out of the harness. When we wanted to start the car again, I simply did as the locksmith showed me, touching the paperclip in the right spots.
Even though we were without an air conditioner we thanked the Lord all the way home that he protected us and provided for us in one more predicament.
e has been the host of several international surfing competitions because when the surf is up you can grab some of the best waves in the world.We arrive at Trinidade with our beach umbrella, beach chairs, and all the sunscreen and food that Denice can stuff in a bag. After deciding to set up camp over by some huge rocks that were on one end of the beach Grant and Timmy decides to test the waters. They enter the water between these huge rocks and find that when they do powerful waves hit you from all directions. As the surf comes in the waves knock you to shore, as they recede they pummel you left and then right and then toward the shore again. This looked like great fun to two aging men and so Gary and I quickly apply the sunscreen and hit the waves.
While the girls were laying their beach towels out and getting prim and proper to enter the water they suddenly felt a deluge of water attack their camp. Because of their fear of their beech towels getting soaked they yelled at us to move camp. While moving camp I suddenly remembered that I had tucked $40 Reais in my swimming trunk pocket. I felt for the money. It was there. Then I
realized that I had also put the car key in the same pocket. It was conspicuously absent. I shared this good news with Gary. He sheepishly stuck his hand in his pocket, the key to his car was still there.After searching all of the bags, the beech and the waterfront and conversing with God we decided that apart from a miracle, the key was gone. What to do? While I kicked myself some more hoping that God would do a miracle and wash the key up on shore Gary went to the car to see if he could get in. Eureka, the hatchback had not been locked properly and Gary climbed in through the back of the little Volkswagen Gol that the school let us borrow. As I approached the car Gary was looking under the floor mats, the wheel wells, in the engine compartment in hopes that he might locate a spare key. I decide to go to the owner of the bar/concession stand on the beech and explain to her our predicament. But wait, I don't speak Portuguese. After many single word explanations and a lot of hand motions this lady understood and gave me the phone number of a locksmith. But wait, I still can't speak Portuguese. I handed her my cell phone and urged her to call him. She did and, as close as I could tell, she said that he would be here in about 15 minutes. I reported the news to Gary and Heather and we waited in the hot sun. 15 minutes elapsed and no locksmith and so Heather and I went back to the bar owner with our Portuguese - English dictionary. We showed her a phrase that read "I lost my car key
s." She nodded yes and assured us that the locksmith would arrive anytime.Suddenly, a barefoot man with soil soaked shorts was asking which car was ours. Because of the revelation of buttocks above his shorts he would have qualified as a plumber in the states, but no, in Brazil he is a locksmith. We can only assume that he arrived on the bus that went by moments before. He gets in the Gol and sticks a make shift key in the ignition. He turns the steering wheel while wiggling the key. He shakes his head and tries again. After a few minutes he gets out of the car and explains something in Portuguese. Because of Heather's proficiency in Spanish she could make out parts of what he was saying. He was telling us that he will have to dismantle the steering column, but that he can get the car started. Should we allow this on the schools car? We had no other option. He then explains that he will need to go get some tools to do this with. We said OK and he crossed the road and stood there. We soon figured out that he needed a ride back into the town of Trinadade, about 10 minutes away.
Heather and I loaded up in the other car and told him to jump in. After a short drive we arrived in Trinadade and he directed us to his place of business. As he returned to the car I noticed that he had a small plastic box with him not much bigger than your wallet. This is all he needed? Upon returning to the car I realized that all he needed was a screw driver set. (I had screw drivers in my car.)
After removing the steering wheel cover he starts tugging and prying under the steering column. I just knew that he was going to break something and that I would be liable for its replacement. He then takes a paper clip out of his pocket and twists and breaks it. Because it did not break cleanly he asks me for a wire cutter. The best I have is a screw driver and a hammer. He takes them, finds a rock, and chopped the paper clip off cleanly. Then out of the blue he tells Heather to go sit in the passengers seat. He then explains to her in Portuguese how to reassemble the steering column while I was looking over her shoulder. He then takes 1/2 of the paper clip and sticks it in the harness to the ignition. No sound. Then he takes the other 1/2 of the paper clip and touches the right spots on the harness. The engine turns over and starts.
When we asked him "Quantos custo" or how much do we owe you he said 50 Reais or about $27. I wondered if that was for parts (the paperclip) or just the labor.
We drove the four hour trip back to Sao Paulo with a paper clip for a key. When we stopped for gas I simply pulled the paper clip out of the harness. When we wanted to start the car again, I simply did as the locksmith showed me, touching the paperclip in the right spots.
Even though we were without an air conditioner we thanked the Lord all the way home that he protected us and provided for us in one more predicament.
2 comments:
Nice pictures. Lost a key in another country is very uncomfortable, especially if you don't know local language. Anyway lose a key is always uncomfortable, also hiring a good locksmith is never cheap. But hiring a dishonest or incompetent one is always expensive. I also once forgot keys inside the car. And I also called a locksmith and he is also said that will come in 30 minutes, but he came in 25 minutes. And I was surprised, because I thought that he will come after one hour, cause locksmith usually have a lot of work. He opened the car in 5 minutes. So, the locksmith was very handy for me in this tight situation.
I love this entry! Good memories :) We had such a great time with you guys. That is a road trip we will never forget.
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