The matuto and the candidates

The Matuto is not enthusiastic about politics. Let alone with politiques. The last time the Matuto felt the policy worm was with Professor Cavaco in the rallies of Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques. Today, all candidates seem to the Matuto like straw dolls, swollen with air and promises, but balk. Only themselves if someone pulls the strings. Rehearsed speeches, face of moms of mom, hypocrisy as it is enough. A parade of horrors.

The Belinha, the conservative visit of the ‘House of Bridges’ – the Matuto imagines that he would vote PSD or Il – says: “It is a dance and contradiction. Each one with his step, the same gestures, the same words, and at the end of the day, who remembers the choreography? The people, poor people, have forgotten the promises made in the last elections. Matuto finds a certain joke that a Brazilian is so accurate in Portuguese politics.

Marcello, the reactionary visit of the bridges – perhaps vote for PS – is more corrosive: “This Portuguese left is very ‘chic”. Concerned about bathrooms (bathroom in Portugal, please) inclusive. And wanting to create a SUS (National Health Service in Portugal, please) for animals! This is bullshit! Full silly! Before that you need to release the workers… ”Matuto finds a joke (today, the matuto finds it jokes everything. It must be time!) To these neo-Marxist races.

Verdadinha truth, is that the Matuto knows from a safe source that this theater has very old roots, more precisely in the time of the Romans – the ancient Italians. These privileged the use of the toga. The Roman people were proud to be called Gens Togata-the people of the toga-while the ‘barbarians’ laughed at this heavy clothing. What will it have to do with the elections!? For, estimated reader, the curious thing is that the togas were generally white… in fact bleached. They were black, clear, nive, snowy, candids, alabastrins. Alvas like snow, milk color. And here comes the irony: Matuto knows from a safe source that the modern word « candidate » comes from Latin candidate, which means « whitening ». That’s right, « bleached »! And who used especially white togas during the election campaigns? The candidates, of course. They were there, all white and bright, trying to impress voters with the perfection of their clothing. The white toga was almost a symbol of political purity, of virgin innocence. The Matuto does not resist considering that today’s candidates are « bleached ». Caiaed tombs.

However, the Matuto remembers a apocryphal history. Once, a candidate for Roman senator, he arrived at the square with an immaculate toga and that smile from those who promise this world and the other. The people, of course, applauded standing, eyes shining, imagining the promises to happen in the blink of an eye. However, when the candidate passed near a child, she said, « Oh, sir, your toga has a hole. » The ashamed candidate looked down and, not wanting to lose his composure, tried to cover the hole with his hands. Afternoon Piasses! The hole had already been seen. And the people, who once applauded, laughed softly, as if he says, « The king goes naked. » The hole always appears. No matter how bleached was the toga.

And to shot, the Matuto leaves a warning to navigation. Beware of candidates who challenge voters as “Portuguese”. In Stories of Anthony the Matuto even knows who these “Portuguese” were: Camões, Eça de Queiroz, Martim Moniz, Dom Diniz, Vergílio Ferreira, Eduardo Prado Coelho… There is a dust halo that nullifies imperfections and better the colors of these Portuguese. Today, that means nothing. A Portuguese will be a vulgar person who burns loudly, listens to music pimba and really walks training through the mall over the weekend. Seriously, they are endangered; There are people who live in Portugal.

That is why the Matuto doubts much of the intentions of the candidates. What would be good was that people would die gently and live worthy. May the small miseries were eradicated and there were fewer candidate people, and more sensible people. Fewer people given to the spathy, and more focused on quiet civility. Is it asking a lot!? – Matuta the Matuto.