By Enrico Maso, translated into English by Ruth Stephens
Chapter 8
One evening, a week later, Giacomo and Tommaso are in Piazza Liberta’, where there is big crowd and an air of anticipation. For this evening only, the astronomers have brought to the square a large telescope.
Tommaso is first in the queue of people waiting to look through it. He wants to see all the planets and all the stars.
“Come on, Tommaso,” says Giacomo, after Tommaso has been looking into the telescope for a few minutes, “now let the gentleman have a look.”
Tommaso takes his eye from the lens and steps back.
“Thank you,” a voice says. “Well now, let’s see….”
The square falls silent: the person at the telescope is the mayor.
“Good, good…” says the mayor “Ah, there’s a beautiful galaxy…what a fantastic sight! And there? No, no, this isn’t so good!”
“Is there some problem?” asks one of the astronomers “Is the telescope not working?”
The mayor steps back. He’s excited, and says in a loud voice “No, the telescope is fine. But above the stadium I can’t see the stars: too many floodlights, too much light. Something must be done!”
He looks towards Giacomo. “First thing tomorrow morning I will send a technician to deal with the problem.”
“Thank you, Mr Mayor, sir,” begins Giacomo, “you….”
The mayor cuts him short. “I want to thank all of you who took part in the referendum. You want a more ecological town. Well, from this evening that is my promise. Less waste, more stars to be seen. In other words, a free sky.”
While the crowd are applauding, Giacomo shakes the mayor’s hand and looks out over the square. There are children everywhere, all gazing in wonder at the sky.
More?
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