Endless work, little money, occasional UFOs: my father’s five decades driving Brazil’s roads
Jan 31, 2025
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José Henrique Bortoluci, a sociologist and author of "What is Mine," reflects on his father's life as a Brazilian truck driver. He shares poignant stories about the struggles and limited rewards of this grueling profession, intertwined with unexpected UFO encounters. The conversation explores their evolving relationship, shaped by distance and shared experiences, especially as Bortoluci confronts his father’s battle with cancer. This candid dialogue highlights the emotional complexities of family, labor, and the unique identity of truck drivers in Brazil.
The podcast explores the emotional and socioeconomic struggles of a truck driver in Brazil, highlighting the tension between hard work and financial instability.
It delves into the impact of illness on family dynamics, revealing how health challenges reshape narratives and strengthen bonds among family members.
Deep dives
The Life of a Truck Driver
The narrative centers on the life of a truck driver in Brazil, illustrating the connection between the driver and his profession. The driver, José Bortolusi, reflects on how his decades on the road shaped his identity and experience. His stories encompass encounters with the landscapes of Brazil, significant characters met along the way, and the challenges faced during countless journeys. The narrative showcases the emotional weight of these memories, portraying driving as not just a job, but a testament to resilience and a lifestyle punctuated by sacrifice.
Family and Financial Struggles
The struggles of Bortolusi's family are a recurring theme, with financial difficulties and a grappling relationship with poverty shaping their lives. The impact of his work on the family's socioeconomic status is highlighted, illustrating the constant tension between hard work and meager compensation. As a truck driver, he provided for his family, yet the burden of debt loomed large, influencing household dynamics and parental roles. Memories of shared hardships create a vivid backdrop for understanding the profound emotional ties and collective experiences among family members.
Navigating Illness and Change
The narrative shifts to the profound changes brought by health issues, specifically the father's diagnosis of bowel cancer. This experience creates a new lens through which family narratives are shared, as Bortolusi’s stories of the road intertwine with tales of illness and resilience. The medical journey becomes a focal point for family connections, evoking emotions and reflections on life, mortality, and the bonds that hold them together. As the son captures these stories, they serve as a reminder of the complexities of life, memory, and the inextricable link between past and present.
As a sociologist, my career couldn’t be further from that of my father, who spent his life on the road as a truck driver. It’s only in recent years, as illness has struck, that I’ve started to truly understand him. By José Henrique Bortoluci. Read by Felipe Pacheco. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
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