The flirtation between Deraldo and Vânia Cajaíba happened daily in the bus line at Praça Mauá, at night, when they both returned from work. There were winks from here, little smiles from there, until Deraldo gathered the courage to start a conversation. They talked, kissed, and in a rare event, they moved in together three days later – yes, just three days later. That’s when the professional marriage happened, and Deraldo, who had previously been a kitchen assistant, had the brilliant idea of opening a stall at the main square of Vila Kennedy, West Zone of Rio de Janeiro. The story of their fried fish business began in 1992. “She worked as a store saleswoman, and I was a security guard. There was little money left at the end of the month. One day, we went to eat fish in Sepetiba, and that’s when we had the idea to do the same to supplement our income,” recalls Deraldo. Before they knew it, the success was so great that they had to quit their jobs. Vânia, who had never even fried an egg and had never cleaned a fish in her life, learned to cook with her husband and now single-handedly manages the kiosk’s stoves. At times, she seems to have ten arms as she works tirelessly. And she never loses her good humor. “I get tired, but I love being here.”