While recording his observations about the paradoxical behaviour of the people in time management, George Mikes says that nobody hurries in Brazil and do not seem to be worried whether they reach their destination an hour too soon, a day late, or not at all. Though his statement appears to be an exaggeration, George Mikes then tells us the reason. His inference seems to be based on his imaginative assessment of the probable time a pedestrian in Copacabana takes to move from one end of a street to the next while walking on the pavement, enjoying the beauty of the black mosaics on the pavements. George Mikes says that the natives seem to relish such beautiful decorations on the pavements and do not mind spending time meditating on the beautiful mosaics while walking on the pavements.

He then cites another instance which highlights the incredible size of the crawling traffic in Avenida Presidente Vargas. Imagining that a pedestrian standing on one side of the street, asks his friend on the other side, how he got there, his friend would reply that he was born on that side and he did not go there crossing the street. This imaginary incident would tell the reader about the size of the moving traffic in Brazil.