Almost-Almost and Related Cases

In Rio de Janeiro, between Copacabana and Ipanema (very close to the André Azevedo Sewage Pumping Station, which pumps sewage to the Ipanema submarine outfall), there is a street called Bulhões de Carvalho, which popular irreverence has dubbed Almost-Almost Street (for mathematicians, Quasi-Quasi).

Nowadays, with GPS maps, it is easy, but there have been people who took a taxi to this street and the taxi driver did not even know the true name of the person being honored. It was and still is Almost-Almost Street, and that was that.

Also in Rio, on the way to the Guandu Water Treatment Plant, along Avenida Brasil, one had to turn right at the “dos Cabrito” overpass (sic). That is how I was told many times. Whether they were engineers or drivers, the explanation was always to be careful not to miss the “dos cabrito” overpass, because the detour would be a long one. I made this trip several times and guided many colleagues with this careful explanation. Imagine my surprise when, recently, the DER (Department of Highways) repositioned a sign that had been practically invisible: “Eng. Oscar Brito Overpass” ... no comment.

A friend's father was named Heitor, but there was no way to reach his farm by asking the local people for directions. After much conversation, one would learn that among the nearby farms there was one belonging to “Mr. Reitor.” With no alternative, we went there ... Bingo!

All this came to mind when I was told about a gentleman specializing in laboratory supplies who was going to visit a research and development center in our field, where he would be received by the biologist Dr. Herda, a refined and courteous person, blonde and of German descent, an excellent professional. On the eve of the scheduled day, the gentleman, concerned about the logistics, called the research center to confirm the time and meeting place. The switchboard operator answered, and he asked to speak to Dr. Osta. After a prolonged silence, the operator said that there was no one by that name and, hesitantly, asked whether he might mean Dr. Herda. After an even longer silence, the colleague hung up without saying a word. Still traumatized, he told his company colleagues what had happened and refused to go on the visit. Unable to speak for laughing so hard, the other colleagues thought it best to confirm the time and place by message and WhatsApp and send someone who knew nothing about what had happened, so that they would not start laughing during the meeting.

Miguel Fernández, engineer and chronicler.

Jul/Sep 2018, Revista Bio, 2.309 characters.