Pedro Hallal: The meeting of Marília Mendonça and Paulo Gustavo

I wonder what the dialogue between these two Brazilian geniuses would be like, when they meet in paradise…

Paulo Gustavo: Welcome, Marília. I imagine you are still confused by all this, but I warn you that, in time, you will get used to it. How did you end up here so early?

Marilia: You can’t even imagine. I was going to do a show and the plane crashed, very close to the airstrip. Looks like we’ve hit a power cord.

Paulo Gustavo: Sorry to intrude, but I’ll have to ask, you know how I am, right; how old are you?

Marilia: 26 years. How old are you (or were you) when it happened?

Paulo Gustavo: 42 years old, but with a body of 41 and a mind of 30. Girl, tell how is Léo? He’s, like, 2 years old, right?

Marilia: Yes, it’s about to be 2 years old. I wonder if he will remember me.

Paulo Gustavo: Look honey, it’s obvious he’s going to remember you. In fact, the whole of Brazil will always remember you. It’s been a while since, from up here, I’ve seen such a big commotion in our country. Nobody is the most listened to in the country by chance, right?

Marilia: I hope he remembers. I will definitely remember him every day. I just hope I can keep up with his growth from here.

Paulo Gustavo: Well then, I follow Romeo and Gael every day… I spend hours and hours watching them grow. And, of course, I keep an eye on Thales too…you know, it must be hard for him, right?

Marilia: You know… following Leo’s growth will help pass the time. In fact, talking to you is already helping. Thank you. Tell me something: tell me better what happened to you, how you got here. I only found out through the media.

Paulo Gustavo: Well, I took Covid-19 and ended up not resisting in May of this year. I struggled a lot to survive, I tried in every way, but it didn’t work.

Marilia: But were you already vaccinated?

Paulo Gustavo: No, unfortunately it wasn’t my turn yet. At that time, Brazil vaccinated few people, because we had taken a long time to buy vaccines. You know, it seems like people didn’t believe in vaccines.

Marilia: Worse than until today it follows. A few days ago, the president related vaccines to HIV, the video was even deleted from YouTube. I, at least, had a chance to take both doses. I hope my photos of getting the vaccine helped encourage my fans to get vaccinated. You know, right, as public figures, our positions serve as an inspiration to others…

Paulo Gustavo: That’s right. If my turn had come, I would have posted photo, video, TikTok, Insta, Twitter, Whats, well my “I’ve arrived” type. How I wish I had the chance to get the vaccine.

Marilia: You have no idea how sad Brazil was with your departure. Dona Herminia was almost a family member of all of us.

Paulo Gustavo: I am happy to know that, at least for a few minutes, my work has helped people to have fun, especially in a country as sad as ours has become. I don’t know, how did we get so wrong?

Marilia: Do you know I thought the same thing? That my songs, at least, helped people to have a moment of fun, in the midst of a society so sick, so unfair, unequal.

Paulo Gustavo: But you know something, Marilia? With his arrival here, “the day dawned so beautiful; I sleep and wake up smiling”.

Marilia: So you make me cry, or laugh, I don’t know: and “laughing is an act of resistance.”

[Ambos se abraçam…]