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ADELICE SOUZATHE MAN WHO KNEWHIS TIME TO DIE(Chapter from the book “The Man who Knew his Time to Die” Ed. Escrituras. 2012. - Funarte Fellowshipfor the Promotion of Creative Writing and Grant for the Support of Book Publishing by Bahian Authors -FPCalmon)12. June 14 - Nativity of Saint John the Baptist - Feast of St. Johnam my grandfather’s oldest granddaughter. According to rural tradition,I the grandparents usually baptize their children’s first child. My grandfatherbaptized me. He was my grandfather and my godfather. I was his granddaughterand his goddaughter. He protected me as if I was his daughter, his favorite, hisdarling. It was from his hands that I was christened. My grandmother held meby my arms and legs and anointed me like the Holy Prophet did to Christ. DidI hear a voice saying “This is my beloved daughter, in whom I am well pleased”?Was the Holy Ghost present in the form of some critter? Was that Him barkingjoyfully outside the church? Was the kingdom of Heaven within my reach? Iwas very young, I was baptized before I had developed my awareness, yet Iremember, like a vestige or a message appearing in a dream. I remember I wasdazed by the holy water wetting my hair. And with my head underwater, almostout of breath, I had my first true sense of the sea. The baptismal water purifiedme, cleansing my body like the waves.I received my first sacrament from my grandfather’s eternal hands, whoby bathing me in water initiated me in the art of knowing the impossible,immersing my soul in grace, attempting to hide from me the guilt and sins Ialready possessed, relieving me from heathendom and introducing me to otherrites, to allow me to understand a bit more of the world and its elements. Andthrough benediction, by asking God to bless me. And if it had to be, then so beit: I would know when my time came.My grandfather was married on the Feast of St. John. And one day he toldme how it went. He had promised himself that he would not abduct his wife, hewould pay an honest homage to her. Not that his mother had been dishonoredby being abducted; after all, it was an act of love. But with his wife he wanted itto be different, without the rapture of kidnapping. Both families gathered at awedding celebration, everyone united in the grace of God. He said the weddingwas not at all flamboyant, like city weddings. And he told me how it went.253