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Title: Tricked by the dusk
Author(s): John Terauds
Source: Toronto Star; 02/09/2003

Tricked by the dusk

From Cowtown to Portugal, with love Spare, poetic tales of ordinary
people

Section: Entertainment, pg. D14

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, in a windblown modern city in
the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, a young Angola-born man sat down
to tell wonderful, enchanting stories set in lands far, far away.

These are stories about people and lives far removed from our
contemporary bustle, but the emotional and imaginative truths they
portray resonate long after the pages have been turned.

The Scent Of A Lie, a collection of 14 related short stories by Calgary
writer and editor Paulo da Costa, marks the debut of a remarkable
writer.

Artists in any medium will say that the most difficult work is that
which appears simplest. In the same way, da Costa's spare and poetic
tales of ordinary people facing the trials and joys of everyday life
reveal a deep love of his craft.

Most of the stories are set in the coastal mountains of Portugal, where
farmers eke out meagre existences among the hillside terraces. Although
never specified, the stories appear to be set sometime before World War
II.

Many of the inhabitants dream of leaving their hardscrabble existences,
lured by the shimmering coast, the warm bosom of love or the promise of
military glory in the colonies.

We are introduced into this world through the parish priest, who
remembers his arrival 50 years before, when a delegation handed over a
bouquet of roses and the key to his new home - along with clear
instructions:

The Senhores informed him that everyone regretted the tragic accident
that had befallen his predecessor, Padre Baptista. A hunting party of
Senhores, tricked by the devilish dusk, had shot the unfortunate man,
mistaking the priest for a lone black wolf.

"Terrible tragedy. If only we understood the Lord's ways, His will,
calling home a disciple after only a year of service. A year of youthful
misguided sermons on meaningless moral matters, failing to give guidance
to the people's spiritual hunger," Senhor Ambrosio said, placing his
heavy hand on Padre Lucas' shoulder. Padre Lucas assented with a nod of
his head and his fist tightened around the rose stems, thorns sinking
into his flesh, drawing a trickle of blood.

We enter the magical world of hermit Felismina Alves, who can hold stars
in the palms of her hands. In the title story, we accompany a young girl
who, after being rescued from a well, is able to sniff out lies,
cracking the mortar of politeness and hypocrisy that hold the village
together.

We meet a young man who must go off to the colonies to fight - and plot
his revenge against a negative palm reader by chiselling a new wooden
hand while sitting in the trenches. "He slid his engagement ring down
the wooden index finger, anticipating his promising new future. Thomas
imagined Amelia's face smiling approvingly and could not wait to show
her his masterpiece. Their life together would be idyllic now."

We follow an earnest boy who proves how trees will reciprocate human
love with enduring shelter.

One of the cutest stories is about Vera, an anti-social girl who
eventually has to be shoved into matrimony: "The church bells stopped,
and the pipe organ's notes were suspended in the air. Vera stood
paralysed, halfway to the altar. With a quick swish of her hand, Vera
caught the fly criss-crossing her veil. Trapping the fly between her
thumb and ring finger she plucked first one wing, then the other. The
fly hopped on the palm of her hand. Vera wondered what sort of a life
the fly could expect now."

The two overtly cautionary tales in the book, one mocking the tourist
business, the other urbanization, are perhaps the weakest of the lot,
because da Costa lets his message override his characters.

But when he lets his characters speak, they sing.

John Terauds is editor of the Star's What's On section.

The Scent Of A Lie

~~~~~~~~

by Paulo da Costa

Ekstasis Editions, 132 pages, $18.95Fiction

Copyright (c) 2003 Toronto Star, All Rights Reserved.