Industries have trademarks and logos. They are symbols that are instant reminders of trust, value and product.
People on the other hand develop elan, style, flair...they can become known for fashion sense and perhaps have a signature item. Grace did, the scarf. She has worn one for as long as I have known her. There was a scarf in pretty much every place that she graced. Her office, her car, my car...she built a collection. Finding the DiPaolo's was destiny.
Mauro, Lina, Sandro and Giulia came into our lives perhaps nine years ago. Matilde and Valeria a bit later. It was love at first sight. Grace loved their Pashminas! Friendship was going to follow, no choice...Grace refused to leave the booth! I had to add one more this trip, I did not pack properly, it was colder than expected.
Grace was the expert, my eye went more to color while she was aware of value and quality as well. The Pashmina and Pashmina/silk blends never failed to stop her in her tracks. Her collection is still being dispersed. When I started giving the scarves to her friends I discovered a couple of unopened ones. You can now see a piece of Rome and a bit of Grace all over Florida and back up in Boston too.
There is no value you can place on friendship. The time we have spent with Mauro, Lina, Sandro, Giulia, Matilde e Valeria is beyond price. Thankfully that friendship continues, language a barrier easily overcome by a child's laughter.
There are items back in Florida that will remind me of the times we have shared, both happy and sad...an ascot, Mauro's tie pin, scarves. They are items the memories live in our hearts and minds.
This is my on line "Collector's Cabinet". It is non-profit and haphazard at best. I leave it to you to sort through and make sense of.The views are mine. The collection reflects some of my interests. But the material must be credited to the vast internet. Otherwise, I never would have been able to amass such a treasure trove. The purpose of this exercise is entertainment, naturally mine, but even more so yours. So, please let me know if anything strikes a chord with you.
You write so beautifully, Max! There's a lot of raw emotion in every account of yours, and on so many occassions, I found myself wishing to jump in, and add my own thoughts here and there... Then, of course, work,university...beh...life interferes, and I think 'Ok, forse la prossima volta'. So finally, 'Eccomi qua!'
ReplyDeleteLooks like le sciarpe di Di Paolos are scattered all over the world. Lina gave them to my mum in Poland, my friend in London, and my friend's wife in Edinburgh. I feel strangely comforted and loved every time I wrap one of her burgundy Pashminas around my own neck. Just like you, I have items at my place that remind me of my friends, and our special times together: heart-shaped amber pendant I got from Matilde; turquoise stone bracelet I got from Sandro as it matches my eyes' colour ('I swear my eyes are NOT turquoise but hey...! Grazie tesoro!'). There's also that heavy Murano glass ashtray we got as a farewell gift when leaving Rome... And every time I place my cigarette into that ashtray, I have this heavy feeling in my chest, and my eyes water a bit, and I tell myself I need to cut down on smoking: it obviously narrows my airways and irritates my eyes!
But there are other things as well: waiting for a train in Clapham Junction, I see the sun on one side and the rain drops on another side of the platform, and it reminds me of Sandro's stunned expression, and how upon seeing this very 'normal' London-ish phenomenon, he said 'Aoh, ma er tempo qua e pure matto!'. And I laugh loud, attracting several suspicious glances from fellow passengers and passers by. And I don't care...
When in Northcote Road, the thriving hub of Battersea, I visit Buona Sera restaurant, I'm not interested in their varied and relatively tasty menu selection. There's only one item I order when I'm there: l'insalattone di verdure. And only because it reminds me of la casa di Paolo even though it will never be as good as Lina's insalata di spazzature she prepares for me when I'm in Rome. So here I am...Surrounded by the mix of Italian and English voices, pretending I'm in Campo, and thinking that whoever said that 'Good friends are God's way of apologizing for your family' was damn right! Cin cin! .
That's a line I never heard...absolutely perfect! Mille Grazie, now why don't you start your own blog? Cin cin, indeed!!
DeleteNo, grazie a te! Now, let's celebrate the wisdom of Tenesee Williams!
DeleteMy own blog? Hmmm... I don't put my thoughts to paper very often. It maily happens when 'violent thoughts and worries ... make [me] succumb to melancholy' (Rufus, quoted in Gowland, 2012 - so you don't waste your time on checking ;-) ). The rest of the time, I just rant. Doubt it would make an exciting blog material....
But I hope you'll carry on. It's a pleasure to read your reflections. And let's hope that all those people who have become a source of such wonderful memories will remain our friends until we are old and senile. And then, they will become our NEW friends!! :)
Take care Max. Ida x (sorry, for some reason, I cannot publish my name)
Tennessee Williams,author/wit/wag quotes extrordinaire!
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