The Complete Men School. Herlander Elias

Also, because the software I have at home for image processing performs more complex tasks and gets near what you are expecting. Anyway, it takes all night to perform the examination.

      — Ok, I will call you on Friday. — Rafael answered, as if he was losing his drive.

      After the meeting with Paulo Renato, he went home, called Sylvie and they cooked the dinner together. However, no matter how much Sylvie would talk, Rafael’s mind was elsewhere. He stood now watching groups of aesthetic soldiers. He pictured himself being awarded with prizes for having unraveled an urban phenomenon. Of course, everything was a big “if…”, so much that Sylvie did not seem to feel right before himself. As usual, they went to her place where they slept in the living room with a view over the river. The Bang & Olufsen sound system shot sound notes to every corner of the house, designing a tactile symphony that delighted them. In a given moment, they were not paying any attention to the music whatsoever. They remained hugged until morning in-between the slim silky gray-stripped sheets.

      In the following morning, in spite of the sun’s rays spreading their light in the room, they did not warm the cold air and Rafael woke up shivering. He was already alone at her place, after she left home to go to her work. His cell phone rang and so he picked the call up, without knowing what to say, while he was stretching himself:

      —Hello? Who is this? Is that you Sylvie? — asked Rafael, still feeling sleepy.

      — No, it is Paulo Renato calling here, the Autonomous Zone Image Editor, Roberta’s colleague. Do you know who is talking?

      — Oh, yes I know. I am sorry, but since it is almost 10:25, I thought it still was not convenient to call you.

      — No problem!

      — So, tell me, do we have any news?

      — Yes, we have. I managed to enhance a code routine in an image processing software that in nearly 10 hours applies to photos the effect you need. Let us say that near 21:30 pm if you want to come by to the newspaper building, we can chat about them. I could print the pictures for you already retouched.

      — Excellent! I will come by at The Autonomous Zone. You do not know how thankful I am to you. — Rafael was smiling, even if his eyes were still closed.

      — I figure.

      — It is in the 49^thfloor, right? — Rafael confirmed.

      — Yes, that is it. I will see you then. Bye!

      — Thank you. See you later! — Rafael said goodbye at the same time he felt as if he was in a slow-motion movie shot.

CHAPTER 3

      AT THE THEATRE CAFE

      October 20, 2000

      Rafael was feeling hungry and went to shave himself while listening to Tito & Tarantula’s tunes. He was dressed in black and denim. He heads for the closest theatre café. There he could read the notes on the Complete ones that were provided by Roberta. He asked for a latte and a toast. In a quiet and fancy environment, he could quietly stare at the passers-by rushing through the street while he was having breakfast and listening to Haendel. This was a very well crowded place, and besides the quiet mood in the cafe the food was great, much as the service.

      He opened the envelope with one hand, while he put on his lips a Davidoff with the other hand. He lit it up with a zippo lighter he carried in his coat’s pockets. He closed his eyes to protect them from the smoke of the cigarette and started reading what was written on the notes with blue permanent ink in many shades of color. It all pointed out to a sort of a transcription of a talk between a professor and several apprentices during a walk. This might have happened over the 80s in some city garden. In the notebook, the dialogues were of this kind:

      — We made The Schools like these because closed spaces compress us. They force the internal elements to discharge their pressure on themselves and that overshadows the Complete ones to see the global performance. This is why our Schools function outdoors, on the streets. The passers-by do not know what is going on, though sometimes they suspect us. “These seem to be the words from a Master of some sorts”— thought Rafael to himself, picturing the situations that possibly matched the transcriptions. “The apprentices laugh.”— wrote whoever recorded the dialogues.

      — But going back to what brings us all here… what we expect from a Complete Man is that he won’t miss anything: he shall be full, gapless, total, perfect, already accomplished, concluded, finished in a good way, satisfied, fulfilled, grandiose and bigger than anything! — declared again the Master.

      — But wishing us to be so special is not it too ambitious? — one of the apprentices questioned.

      — Yes, it is. I have the healthy arrogance of admitting it. Nevertheless, if The Schools Operations of the Complete Men were not so demanding and results so enviable, what were we all doing here? We all could be at the theatre, the movies or anywhere else contemplating a performance. — the Master added, pointing the doubts with harsh critique. Impressed by the Master’s speech, the apprentices weaved commentaries among themselves, throwing whispers into the air. Short after that, they began to exercise in diplomacy against each other, as if this would be a therapy session in shifts. Their conversations would fool anyone, due to the characteristics of them as people, their physical looks and posture. Only a few did not feel fascinated. Their discourse, interpersonal communication skills, good will, good sense, sense of diplomacy and of aesthetics would flow into a noble, wise street justice worthy of the signature of The Schools.

      Rafael noticed he was just smoking the cigarette’s filter - there were ashes all over the notes. Every type of description he had access struck him. “This is to say that the apprentices would go to the street only in groups, with elegant poses, as if they were aestheticized and cop-like”— said Rafael to himself, like if he was telling secrets to himself. He felt as thrilled has surprised. He felt engaged by a romantic and mysterious perfume. That was the track of the research path. He lit up again another cigarette and focused on the dirty yellow notes. In these, next to the dialogues’ transcriptions, there were blueprints, diagrams, numbered tables drawn on permanent ink, as well names engaged in this subculture, too:

      “Still on street. Many gatherings were spied but nobody knew in fact what the drive of the rallies was and what kind of conversations occurred there. Whoever researched the Complete Ones would never stay in a comfort zone from afar to speak about anyone else. Gradually, curious and interested people would knock on The Schools’ doors. Once inside, the new elements would come up with something superficial to justify their research time and thus they would join the Complete Ones at once, because when they opted to go inside, they could not say ‘no’ no more; the comradery, the respect, the good aura and the noble actions were essential. None of Complete Men would engage in rivalries within each School. The latter was a single body, a collective-mind body, something relentless. Almost everything at The School was inviting. The atmosphere, the presence, the lifestyle of the Complete ones and the wise looks exchanged and shared among them, as for example the special greetings, were intriguing for the rookies. By attending to The Schools, the rookies dreamt of achieving the position of some Complete Men, because of their words, their actions and stories.”

      Rafael was speechless. He stared at the street, from within the theatre café. He was calm and insightful. His curiosity temporarily satisfied by the transcriptions and the sun warming his legs. The more he knew, the more he aspired to know. The subculture seemed fascinating to him. In that precise moment, he felt that his interest was not just all about doing research for the report he would sell along with Roberta to a media group. It was also, and fore-mostly, what he could learn about these Complete Men subculture.

      After paying the bill, Rafael noticed that a sheet of paper which was in-between the many sheets of the notebook had fallen down on the table, and in that specific sheet of paper there were some more things written that obviously caught his attention. The puzzle was setting up:

      “The Schools have no windows, doors, walls, ceilings, flights of stairs, rooftops; that means they do not function in any real facility. But, there is always someone presenting ideas for the remaining who listen