Текст книги "Gia Tortladze Stories"

Автор книги: Gia Otari Tortladze

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 3 (всего у книги 6 страниц)

The speech proved to be tiring for the old man. He closed his eyes and fell asleep for a little while. Then, as if recalling something very important, he opened his eyes again and added:

“If you happen to run into the Khornaulis somewhere, take a rapid action and kill them at once, or they will kill you! We have been at enmity with them for forty years, you know.”

Again he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

His grandson was sitting by his bed, watching the dying man very attentively. “Why are we at enmity with the Khornaulis, I wonder?” the boy thought and looked at the arms hanging on the wall.

“When you have enough cattle...” the old man went on, waking his grandson from his thoughts, “Order a new sword. Ours are already very old, their metal might be tired. In the evenings take swords in both hands and practice for some time not to get tired easily while fighting.”

He made several efforts to swallow saliva, but in vain, his mouth was dry. The grandson gave him some water again.

“Keep the powder flask tied to your belt, near your right hand. And keep flint and tinder in the purse, too. You should often change it in the gun. Pick the flint in the upper gorge, it is much better there. And change the strings and strips on the shield.”

Bakur got tired again and fell asleep.

***

In the morning the fog came down very thick. The battalion was going along the gorge very silently. They had to take a longer way to stay unnoticed.

There was a thick fog in the valley too. One could see nothing, but the battalion knew for sure that the enemy was camping there. The camp was fast asleep; only those on duty were standing on guard. But they could see nothing at twenty feet distance.

The battalion was led by the young prince, who kept Bakur by him all the time.

They went down to the valley and divided into two columns. They could hardly manage their horses. Then there came an order in a very low voice. Three hundred soldiers lit oiled torches at the same time, and attacked the enemy with a loud, blood-curdling cheer. They rushed forward with the lit torches so rapidly that the opposing side had no time even to take their bows and arrows. The battalion put to sword all the guards and put to fire all the tents. The half naked Persians were running about in despair. They couldn’t even use their arms, before they were killed.

Lying horizontally on his horse, Bakur rushed into the camp holding up his sword. He was followed by several of his men. The riders could hardly avoid the burning tents on their way. The master tent was at twenty feet distance when Bakur’s horse fell down. He continued his way running and ran into the enemy’s commander-in-chief who rushed out of the tent. Their fight didn’t last long. The commander fell down with a broken head. Bakur was also badly wounded in his head. Everything around him was painted red and he could see nothing because of the blood running down his forehead. Some unseen hand picked him up and put him on a horseback like a sack. It was Bakur’s fellow-fighter, the giant Gvtisso.

Everything was over in a moment. The battalion attacked the camp like a hurricane and left the valley scattered with the two thousand bodies and the burnt down tents. The King thanked Bakur and gave him a lot of valuable gifts.

He had fought about ten fights after that, and he always showed chivalry and heroism. In the last battle he was already seventy. It was then that he got the scars on his face.

***

The grandson was still scrutinizing the arms hanging on the wall. At times he looked at his grandpa. Bakur was breathing steadily. His face was quite calm too.

“Why are we at enmity with the Khornaulis, I wonder?” he thought again. At that very instance the grandfather opened his eyes again.

“Grandpa!”

The grandfather turned his head.

“Why are we at enmity with the Khornaulis?”

The old man thought for a while. Obviously, he was trying hard to recall something. Then a smile spread over his face. He closed his eyes and deceased smiling at his grandson.

2005.

MARGOT

“Good morning, Madam Annette!”

“Good morning, Margot! You have arrived early today.

“Yes. I took a night train and was already at the station early this morning. I even had a little walk before I came here. Is he still asleep?”

“I don’t know. I’ll go and check.”

Margot went down several stairs, found a bench in the garden, sat down, and sank deep into her thoughts.

She remembered the events that took place two days earlier. She had never had such a client. He was a man of medium height, quite handsome, with dark blue eyes. First he invited her to the restaurant. They talked a lot about different things. Then he told her his own adventure in details. The adventure was not very exciting, but it still attracted Margot’s attention. He didn’t hurry to go upstairs; as if the conversation was more important for him. In the end, he suggested her to go upstairs. Margot got a bit irritated by the strange circumstances.

“He doesn’t seem to be in a hurry, but I might be missing the next client,” she thought.

But the man was definitely not in a hurry. When they were going upstairs, he paused for a moment, as if guessing her thoughts, and tried to explain something to the woman with a smile:

“What’s your name?’

“Margot.”

“Don’t you worry, Margot, and please don’t hurry. I’m going to pay you much enough.”

He was different from the others in another way too – he was very tender and affectionate. He talked calmly, and he talked a lot, without a minute’s pause. He paid her a lot of money indeed, and he left in the morning.

“Mother! Mummy!”

Margot was a bit startled. She turned around and at that very moment a little boy with golden hair jumped at her and hugged her.

“Mummy, it’s so good that you’ve arrived! I have been missing you a lot! I even dreamt of you at night, and cried a little!”

Margot gained back her breathe and hugged the boy even harder.

“Mummy, what if you take me with you? You know what happened? I fought with big boys yesterday!”

“Wait for a little while more, darling, and I’ll take you with me, I promise. Now, let’s take a walk in the town and have our breakfast there, if you don’t mind.”

“How nice, Mummy! I’ll go and ask Madam Annette if I may go with you.”

Margot laughed. “Of course you may, darling. I am your mother.”

They walked in the streets for a while. The streets were covered with the autumn leaves of different colours.

They entered a little café, had their breakfast there, and continued to walk.

“Mummy, I’ll buy a nice house for you when I grow up, and we shall always stay together.”

Margot took the child in her hands, kissed him, and wiped her tears.

Now they were walking in the park. It was a bit cool there. Several snow-white swans were swimming in the manmade pool.

“You know, Mom, some of the kids are visited only by their mothers, and some others are visited only by their fathers. And several kids are not visited at all. Tell me, Mom, where is my Dad?” the child asked quite unexpectedly, looking straight into Margot’s eyes.

“Your Dad is far away, darling. His job takes him away. But he will arrive soon, and he will visit you by all means.”

“But I don’t know him. How can I recognize him?”

“You know him, darling. You simply don’t remember him. You will recognize him the moment you see him.”

That evening Margot went back by train and arrived in the city early in the morning. She slept nearly all day long. In the evening she went to her working place on the shore, near the hotel “Green Island”.

There were a lot of people in the street. The women were all in good mood. Most of them were walking up and down the street baldly. Some others were standing leaning against the wall. Many of them hated Margot. They might simply be jealous, for Margot was really very beautiful. Sometimes the clients took women to other hotels. But the majority entered the “Green Island”.

***

Margot lived in the outskirts of the city. She shared a small flat with Lily. First she worked in a laundry, but her job was low-paid and the money she earned was not enough even to pay the rent and buy food. So she couldn’t see her child for several months. Her hands were always red and she walked stooping. She felt she was getting old too fast. But she was still very beautiful. She was tall, with chestnut-brown hair, pale brown eyes with a mysterious and passionate look.

She had a lot of friends in the laundry, but Lily was closest to her. Lily was the first to give up the laundress’s job and go to the “Green Island”. Margot followed in her steps a bit later.

At first it was very hard for her to get used to her new profession. She dreamt of the beautiful house almost every night. She lived in that house with her son, and she was knitting or embroidering all day long, for she had a lot of servants who did all the housework for her. Margot was fond of one more thing – reading. She could read anything, especially love stories. This was the way to beautify her miserable existence. Sometimes she stayed at home alone and read all day long. In the evening she had to listen to Lily nagging at her though:

“You don’t think about anything but yourself! How long are you going to work in the street? You must work as hard as you can to get rid of this nightmare!”

Margot smiled and, sank deep into her daydreams; she couldn’t even guess what Lily wanted of her. But these were rare cases. She always got back to the hotel. On the rainy days the hotel keeper let the girls enter the hall and take seats there. They were a real picture indeed – walking with cigarettes and glasses of wine in the right side of the foyer. Some were sitting in the armchairs as if being models for painters. All were in good mood, and pretended to be proud of themselves too.

But they were quite happy in one respect – after a hard night’s work they could sleep till late afternoon, and in the evening, dressed up and covered with a heavy make up, they walked up and down the crowded street in short skirts, holding long cigarette holders in their hands. All of them had their own place, so their walking area was somewhat limited, until some client called them. After that they felt free and could enter any hotel along the shore.

They were best delighted when some touring liner entered the port. They felt her class and the potential of the future clients at first sight. They hated the fishing boats. When the fishing boats entered the port, the streets were full of drunken sailors who had a lot of money but were rather impolite. They paid the girls generously, but were too rude with them. When the fishing boats came, one couldn’t find a single girl in the street.

The best girls went first, followed by the average, but in no time, all of them were engaged – every girl had a client of her feather. At such instances the tourists frequented the central quarters, for none were pleased to watch the rude and drunken ruffians. Neither the captains nor the other sailors of the higher ranks stayed at the seaside hotels. They, too, went downtown.

The drunken brawls and fights were pretty common. The hotel-keepers had to be very careful, especially the owners of the cheap hotels. In short, the ‘Bethlehem’ continued for a week. When the fishing boats left, the girls’ lives returned to their customary mould, a bit dull and indifferent, but their purses were full.

Margot kept her money in a bank on her and her boy’s accounts. It was only Lily who knew where to find Luke in case of necessity, and how to take money out of the bank.

Margo told Lily about the strange customer that night.

“Such a strange man was looking for you when you were away,” Lily said. “He didn’t want anybody else but you. He said he would be back three days later.

“I know,” Margot answered.

“How do you know? Who has told you?’

“Nobody. I simply felt it.”

Lily giggled.

“Now don’t get involved in a silly love affair, would you? Remember, you have to take the child out of the asylum as soon as you can, and get away from this damned place.”

***

“I have been looking for you for two days already!”

Margo turned round and saw the strange client standing by her side; the same man that impressed her so much.

“I was away.”

“I know. Shall we take a little walk? And in the evening I want to invite you to the café “Frigate”. They are playing live music there. Do you like jazz?”

“I do. But I rarely have an opportunity of listening to it.”

They have an excellent band there. We can take a cruise boat afterwards and taste their delicious cocktails.”

“I don’t now, really... I have to work.”

The stranger smiled. “I am a generous client, am I not?”

“Oh yes, you are. But why do you do it?”

“A pleasant passtime. Anyway, this was what I thought earlier. But our meetings became something more serious for me now.”

“What’s your name?” Margot asked in a whispering voice.

“Enrique De Silva.”

“I have heard this name before.”

“Makes no difference.”

“Enrique De Silva”, thought Margot. “Where do I know the name from?”

***

She came back at dawn, Lily was already fast asleep. She shut the door, lay on her bed undressed, and fell asleep immediately.

At noon Margot was woken up by some noise. Lily was getting breakfast ready. Margot stretched and sat up on the bed. She was smiling and her eyes were beaming with joy.

“What’s up? You are in a very good mood this morning,” Lily said, putting a big pan with an omelet on the table, “Let’s have our breakfast.”

“Or supper, to be more precise?” Margot said laughing.

Lily looked at her in amazement.

“You haven’t been so cheerful for ages. Has your strange client shown up?”

Margot nodded.

“Now don’t tell me that he is a real prince and made a proposal to you!”

Margo laughed.

“I don’t know, really... but he is a very strange person.”

“What do you mean by ‘strange’?”

“He is very kind and warm. And he always wants to tell me about his past. And yes, I’ve missed the main thing – he is very handsome, and rich, and very masculine. I’ve never had anyone like him.”

Lily sat on her chair, put her chin on her hands, and supported her hands with the elbows.

“I think, you’ve fallen in love with him!” she said, smiling.

Margot didn’t answer anything. She was looking through the window. She could see nothing but the face of Enrique De Silva.

***

Let’s stop somewhere for supper,” Enrique suggested Margot who was beholding the lit up houses appearing and disappearing in front of her eyes like shots of a colored movie.

They stopped at a seaside hotel late at night, had their supper and took a room.

“Enrique, please tell me, why are you doing all these and where are we going?”

“I simply want to show you my mansion. I feel very comfortable with. I was twenty when my mother died. I adored her. Her name was Margot too. It’s time to go to bed, my dear; you must be very tired.”

They woke up late next morning, had their breakfast at the hotel and proceeded their way.

“It’s only three hours’ drive from here,” Enrique admitted. “There are only two people in the house – the gardener and Madam Lola, who has been living with us for many a year now. In my childhood I spent most of my time with Lola, so she is like a second mother to me.”

The gate was open. They stopped the car in front of the house and spotted Lola, hurrying up to them.

“Enrique!” exclaimed the elderly woman and hugged him affectionately.

“Lola, meet Margot, my close friend,” Enrique told her pointing at Margot.

Lola looked at Margot closely for some time, and only after that she shook hands with her.

“We will stay here for a couple of days. I want to show Margot everything, and have a ride with her.”

Lola smiled at Margot.

“Welcome, Mademoiselle Margot.”

“Thank you, Lola.”

Margo seemed a bit embarrassed.

They spent the evening at home. Lola cooked an excellent supper for them. They had their supper and went to sit by the fireplace. Enrique brought old family albums and they were looking through them for a long time, inspecting every yellowish, faded away, black and white photo.

When the bedtime came, Margot had a thorough knowledge of Enrique’s family and his ancestors.

***

“We can have a horse-ride today. I’ll show you my woods. At twenty minutes’ ride from here, there is a wonderful lake. We can hunt ducks there. Are you fond of hunting?”

“No, I’m not. I hate any kind of violence.”

“All right. Then we can simply have a pleasant ride. Let’s go downstairs now. Lola has cooked a delicious breakfast for us.”

“You can go, and I will join you in no time. I need to dress.”

Enrique went down the stairs hastily.

Margot kept sitting on the bed for some time. She started to think. She wanted to recall her dream. She recalled only a few episodes and smiled. She recalled herself in a wedding gown and Enrique standing by her side, Enrique De Silva!

There was wonderful odor in the woods, the fragrance of the late autumn. The ground was covered with leaves. Each tree was of different color. The wood looked like a real oil painting.

Enrique was riding his horse very slowly, holding Margot who was sitting in front of him.

“Are you tired?” he asked.

“No. I have never seen anything so beautiful. Luke might enjoy it too”, Margot said, regretting immediately her careless remark.

“Luke? Who’s Luke?” Enrique asked in surprise.

Margot was at a loss. She didn’t know what to say. Then she managed to overcome her embarrassment and answered:

“He is my son. I should have told you about him earlier, but I somehow couldn’t...

Enrique stopped his horse. He seemed amazed.

“You have a son and you didn’t tell me anything about him? Where is he? How old is he? Who looks after him?”

“He is in the orphanage. They take a good care of him there... I can’t take him until I have saved a little money.” And Margot burst into tears.

“Okay, darling. Don’t cry please. Let’s go back home and tell me everything about him.”

Some time later they were sitting by the fireplace, and Margot was telling the story of her life in the smallest details.

“Luke is already five. I’m looking forward to the moment I am able to take him from there. But I can’t do anything more. Now you know everything about me.”

Enrique was sitting silent, thinking about something. Then he whispered:

“Poor boy! How long does he have to wait? He has done nothing wrong.”

He wanted to say something more, but he couldn’t. He had a lump in his throat, and could not utter a word. His eyes were full of tears too.

***

They returned to the port the very next day. Enrique saw Margot home and told her:

“I’m leaving for three days on some urgent business. I ask you not to go to the shore or to the “Green Island”. I ask you very much! You can have fun somewhere else, before I come back. You can go to the cinema or to the theatre, or anywhere else you wish, but don’t go there any more. Promise, you won’t.”

Margot nodded.

“Now take this,” Enrique said and put something into her handbag. “I’ll be back soon and we shall go to Luke together.”

Margot hugged him and got out of the car with her eyes full of tears.

Lily was newly woken up and she looked at Margot in surprise.

“Why are you crying? Has the bustard offended you?”

“No, no Lily! He is the kindest man in the world,” exclaimed Margot and told her friend every detail of her trip. Lily calmed down. She was listening to Margot telling her a beautiful fairy-tale.

I’ll stay at home today. And tomorrow we’ll go for a walk. Let’s go to the theatre and then sit in a café, shall we?”

“Okay, my dear. It all reminds me of my childhood fairy-tales about kind and handsome Princes.

In the evening Lily dressed up and said good-bye to Margot:

“See you in the morning, darling!”

***

There were a lot of people at the “Green Island” as usual. The girls, too, were cheerful as always. The cruise ship “Galicia” had entered the port.

“Lily!”

Lily turned round and saw her old acquaintance, Peppe Segara.

They kissed.

“You look great! You are not growing old!” Peppe seemed to be in high spirits.

“I was told you had been put to prison for quite a while.”

“Just for a very little while, as you see. Where is Margot?”

“She isn’t working today. She won’t be working tomorrow or the day after tomorrow either. She won’t come here any more.”

“Where is she now?”

“Does it make any difference? I told you, she quit.”

“Has she got married?” Peppe laughed. Then he turned round, got into his car and drove away.

Twenty minutes later somebody knocked on Margot’s door.

“Who might it be?” Margot thought and opened the door. Peppe was standing in the doorway, smiling at her.

“Hello, princess!” he said and kissed the amazed woman.

“I thought...” Margot tried to say something.

“I know what you thought lovely, but here I am, and talking with you. I’ve missed you”, said Peppe and caressed her.

“Wait, Peppe! I’ve quit, you must understand that.”

“Peppe was amazed.”

“Shall I believe that there appeared a wealthy prince?

“Yes.”

“Who is he, I wonder?”

“Does it make any difference?”

Peppe sat on a chair.

“Who would ever think... Are you happy?’

“Oh yes, I am. I want to forget everything and start a new life. Don’t I deserve to be happy for a while?”

“I will only be happy for you. You have always been different from the others. I felt quite different with you. The other girls are real whores, but you aren’t. Come, let’s take a walk. Let’s sit in a café, have a cup of coffee and talk. It’ll be our farewell party.”

Margot looked into his eyes. Peppe’s eyes smiled kindly at her.

They stopped at a little café downtown. They went in and took their seats.

“Two coffees,” Peppe said to the waiter and asked Margot:

“Would you like to have some drink?”

“No thanks.”

“Okay then. Bring me a double scotch” he added, looking at the waiter.

It was quiet in the café. Outside the evening was peaceful too. Peppe lit a cigarette and sat silent for some time. Then he asked Margot:

“Are you planning to stay here or are you moving to some other place?”

Margot didn’t know for sure what she was going to do, but she answered firmly:

“No, I can’t stay here. I hate everything I touch. Everything and everyone seem filthy to me except you and Lily, of course.

There came a long pause.

“If you happen to be in a trouble and need my help, you know where to find me. Don’t be hesitant; I’m the same Peppe Segara. I can’t change my life.”

Margot smiled at him.

“Thank you, Peppe! You have always been very kind to me. And now, please, take me home; I’d like to be alone for some time.”

They got into the car and drove slowly. They didn’t speak on the way, and Peppe was looking into the rear window all the time.

They stopped at Margo’s house.

“I wish you all the best, my dear girl,” Peppe said. At that very moment a car stopped abruptly by their side. Peppe put his hand into the inner pocket of his jacket, and Margot could only see a strange light followed by a terrible bang.

The car started as abruptly as it stopped.

Margot and Peppe were sitting motionless in their seats. The passers-by tried to avoid looking at the broken glass of the car.

In the morning the newspaper headlines announced:

The notorious criminal, Peppe Segara, is shot in his own car!

***

A month later, a car stopped at the mansion house of the Silva family.

Lola hurried to the car, meeting Enrique.

Enrique hugged her, whispering:

“This is my son, Luke De Silva, Lola.”

Luke was fast asleep in the back seat of the car.

1 9 2 1

There were a lot of people in the streets.

It was morning twilight.

The line of the horseback riders, coming from Sololaki district, seemed to be endless.

People were standing in small crowds in Yerevan Square. They were talking nearly whispering, in very low voices.

Horse carriages were no longer moving in Golovinsk Avenue.

No one could smell the fragrance of the spring.

There were crowds of people in the street.

There were lots of them near Soboro as well.

It was obvious that something extraordinary, not quite comprehendible was going on.

New epoch was coming on.

There was a great variety of people, dressed alike, mixing up in the Government Building.

“What’s up?” a young man asked.

“Where is the government?” a middle-aged gentleman asked.

Nobody gave any answers.

An overcrowded ship left Batumi taking course due Istanbul.

The new epoch was coming on.

THE BRAND LABEL OF THE MAGLIANOS

Katanzaro is a beautiful, tiny town in South Italy. It’s famous for her potters.

Each family has its individual tradition. The individuality becomes explicite in the shape and coloring of the pottery.

Magliano is one of the oldest family names in Katanzaro and Magliano handicrafts can easily be distinguished from all the others. They say, the family has existed for three centuries already, and it was initiated by Jenaro Magliano himself, whose creations are still the pride of the town museum. The Maglianos are very proud of their famous ancestor.

Their workshop is near their house, and they spend all day working there.

Despite the fact that several of his off-springs followed the family business, the Grandpa Magliano left the Magliano stamp to Pedro, thus giving him the exclusive right of putting the brand label on the pottery.

The apprentices of the masters in each family are their own children or close relatives as a rule. Pedro had two apprentices: his own son, Antonio, and two nephews, Francesco and Jovani. The boys were all of the same age.

There were several machine tools in the workshop – one for Pedro, and the rest for the boys. Pedro was working, of course, and the boys were still learning the craft. It wasn’t easy for them – the clay didn’t easily obey them yet.

Francesco was a bit better than the others.

***

It was late evening when Pedro returned home. His wife got supper ready for him and they sat at table. Pedro seemed very tired; he was eating his supper slowly, taking a rest every now and then.

“I’m getting too tired these days,” he admitted.

His wife didn’t answer anything. She poured some red wine into his glass. Pedro took a sip.

“I have been watching the boys for twenty-five years already. I have put the brand label on their pottery myself.” He took another sip and ran his hands down his white beard. “I made decision long ago – I’m leaving the stamp to Francesco, he deserves it better than the others.”

“Are you in mind?” his wife protested. “What about Antonio?”

“You can’t understand it, woman,” the old man muttered without looking at her.

The very next day the rumor spread in the whole town that the Magliano stamp went to Francesco Magliano.

***

Antonio was upset all day long. His father tried to talk to him, but all in vain. He emptied the whole bottle of grappa, but was still quite sober. He paced the room up and down non-stop. Then he lay down and tried to sleep. He couldn’t. He couldn’t find peace. So he went on pacing till dawn. Then, as if something occurred to him, he put on his coat, ran out into the street, and hurried to the workshop. It was half dark there. He sat on a chair, scrutinizing his pottery. Then he came up to each sample, examined it again, and even touched it with his hands. He started to cry. In the end, he turned round rapidly and went decidedly to the door. Suddenly he stopped again and stood in the doorway his head drooping for a while. Then he snatched a stool and threw it at the biggest pots standing near him. It made him feel better. He broke all his pots, threw the stool on the floor and ran out of the workshop.

There was nobody in the street. Antonio went home, took some papers, documents and a little money out of the cupboard drawer, ran into the street again and headed towards the railway station. He bought a ticket for the Rejo die Calambria – Naples train, and sat on a bench, waiting for the train to arrive.

***

In Naples he stopped at the hotel “Volturno”. He strolled in the city for several days. He felt as if he was walking in a dream. He couldn’t imagine his future life. He even thought of suicide, but then decided not to do it. He was drinking grappa all the time, and a lot of crazy ideas came to his misty mind. In the mornings he suffered from a terrible hang-over, until he went downstairs to have another drink.

One fine day he discovered that he was nearly out of money. So he bought two glasses of grappa to kill the splitting headache and went to the port.

He was looking for a job all day long, but without any success. After several days of failure, he was suggested to do the job of a docker. He immediately agreed, as there was no other way out. His job was very poorly paid, so he had to leave the hotel and rent a tiny room near the docks. It was too damp in his room.

He got awfully tired first. Often he fell asleep not even having his supper or taking off his clothes. And early in the morning it all started again. The worst for him were the days when he had to carry the boxes of fish. He hated the smell of the fish. By and by all his clothes and his room smelt of fish.

In the end, he got used to this horrible smell too.

At night he often dreamt of Katanzaro, his workshop, and the colored crockery with the Magliano brand label. He never thought of going back. He simply rejected this idea.

A year passed, and he was working as a docker again. He never made friends with anybody. In the evenings he went to cheap restaurants to have a couple of glasses of grappa, and went back to his damp room.

One morning he decided not to go to the port. He went into a small restaurant near his house and took a glass of grappa. He spotted a well-dressed man at one of the tables, but he didn’t pay much attention to him. His glass of grappa and breakfast were brought to him very soon. Antonio had his breakfast, drank grappa and took a cigarette out of his pocket. He was going to ask the waiter to bring him some matches when the stranger offered him his lighter. Antonio lit his cigarette, thanked the man and sank into his thoughts.

“You don’t seem to be native here,” the stranger told him.

“Yes, I’m from Katanzaro; I’m working in the port here.”

“From Katanzaro?” the stranger asked in surprise. “It’s a beautiful town. How did you get here?”

“It’s a long story, sir,” Antonio answered ready to leave.