In Rio, at the beach, there are these stands where you rent chair & umbrellas, you get served beer & caipirinhas & coconut water, and that are referencials so friends can find you. And believe me, you need it. It gets so crowded that you can easily loose your group if you leave for a dip in the ocean.
My friends and I have been going to Marquinho's for years. His stand is right in the middle of
Ipanema's gay section. He knows us by name. We saw his little boy, Leo, grow up. He always saves chairs for our group during busy times - we never get to the beach before 3pm during Carnaval.
So, he was very upset to learn what had happened to me, healthwise. And told me he had to ask my permission for one thing: could he include me in his prayers from now on?
