Márcio adorava cantar no chuveiro.

Márcio loved singing in the shower.

Lá, a água caía e ele soltava a voz.

There, the water would fall, and he would let his voice loose.

Achava que era o rei da música.

He thought he was the king of music.

Mas, fora do chuveiro, mal sabia entoar uma nota.

But outside the shower, he could barely carry a note.

Certo dia, passeava pelas ruas estreitas de Alfama, onde o fado coloria o ar do outono.

One day, he was strolling through the narrow streets of Alfama, where fado colored the autumn air.

As fachadas das casas eram vestidas de folhas secas, tingidas de dourado e vermelho.

The house facades were dressed in dry leaves, tinged with gold and red.

Naquele sábado, uma música chamava por ele.

On that Saturday, a song called out to him.

Seguiu o som até uma pequena taverna com uma placa na entrada: "Concurso de Fado dos Profissionais - Participe!".

He followed the sound to a small tavern with a sign at the entrance: "Concurso de Fado dos Profissionais - Participe!"

Márcio, distraído, pensou que era um evento para amadores.

Márcio, distracted, thought it was an event for amateurs.

"Por que não tentar?

"Why not try?"

", pensou ele, com a confiança de quem nunca soube o que era cantar em público.

he thought, with the confidence of someone who had never known what it was like to sing in public.

Dentro, a atmosfera estava quente e acolhedora.

Inside, the atmosphere was warm and cozy.

As paredes eram decoradas com guitarras portuguesas e retratos de antigos fadistas.

The walls were decorated with Portuguese guitars and portraits of old fadistas.

João, o dono do local, o cumprimentou com um sorriso.

João, the owner of the place, greeted him with a smile.

"Boa sorte, meu amigo!"

"Good luck, my friend!"

Márcio entrou sem perceber que estava entre alguns dos melhores fadistas de Lisboa.

Márcio entered without realizing he was among some of the best fadistas in Lisboa.

Quando chegou a sua vez, o coração de Márcio disparou.

When it was his turn, Márcio's heart raced.

A plateia esperava.

The audience was waiting.

Ana, uma fadista de renome que havia acabado de cantar, olhou para ele com encorajamento.

Ana, a renowned fadista who had just finished singing, looked at him with encouragement.

"Vai e brilha!

"Go and shine!"

", disse ela.

she said.

Márcio subiu ao palco, as luzes ofuscando suas dúvidas.

Márcio stepped onto the stage, the lights blinding his doubts.

Começou a cantar, mas as notas eram como peças de um puzzle que não se encaixavam.

He began to sing, but the notes were like puzzle pieces that didn't fit.

O nervosismo tomou conta.

Nervousness took over.

A plateia murmurava.

The audience was murmuring.

Então, algo dentro de Márcio mudou.

Then, something inside Márcio changed.

Lembrou do conselho de sua avó: "Quando não souberes o que fazer, faz rir."

He remembered his grandmother's advice: "When you don't know what to do, make them laugh."

Com isso, Márcio parou de fingir ser fadista e começou a brincar com a situação.

With that, Márcio stopped pretending to be a fadista and started having fun with the situation.

Inventou uma letra sobre perder-se em Alfama e não saber como voltar para casa.

He invented lyrics about getting lost in Alfama and not knowing how to get back home.

Descreveu as ruas tortuosas e as vozes escondidas em cada esquina.

He described the winding streets and the hidden voices in every corner.

O público, surpreendido, começou a rir.

The audience, surprised, began to laugh.

Ana riu alto.

Ana laughed out loud.

Era um fado engraçado, cheio de vida e autenticidade.

It was a funny fado, full of life and authenticity.

A plateia aplaudiu de pé.

The audience gave a standing ovation.

João abraçou-o quando desceu do palco.

João hugged him as he came down from the stage.

“Você tem talento, rapaz!” Márcio fez novos amigos naquela noite, inclusive Ana e João.

“You have talent, boy!” Márcio made new friends that night, including Ana and João.

Sentiu-se mais confiante e aceito.

He felt more confident and accepted.

Nos dias que se seguiram, Márcio entendeu: o importante era ser autêntico e abraçar as suas forças, mesmo que não fossem as que achava ter.

In the days that followed, Márcio understood: the important thing was to be authentic and embrace his strengths, even if they weren't what he thought he had.

Nunca se tornaria um fadista famoso, mas contava histórias do seu jeito, e isso bastava para conquistar corações, um de cada vez.

He would never become a famous fadista, but he told stories in his own way, and that was enough to win hearts, one at a time.

E assim, em Alfama, sob as estreitas ruelas e a luz laranja dos candeeiros, Márcio encontrou um novo lar.

And so, in Alfama, under the narrow streets and the orange light of the street lamps, Márcio found a new home.