Enrico Maso, translated into English by Ruth Stephens
Chapter 3 – From Sanremo To Venice
As they continue their walk, grandfather explains his amusement.
“You see, my boy, I was once in a situation not dissimilar to yours.”
“Not dissimilar?” thinks Alberto. His grandfather certainly has a unique way of speaking.
“It was in ‘57, or maybe ‘58. Your grandmother and I were newly married. We had a lot of fun on very little. Sometimes we went dancing because grandmother was a music lover. An admirable passion, certainly, but not when it is…. monotonous.”
“You mean….?” asks Alberto, not quite following the drift of the conversation.
“Suffice to say that she loved one particular singer, Claudio Villa. No other seemed to exist for her. And so, one day, to give her a surprise, I left for Sanremo….”
“For Sanremo? You mean the Festival? In Liguria?”
“Yessir! My dear boy, your grandfather travelled night and day just to get hold of an autographed photo of Claudio Villa!”
“Wait,” interjects Alberto, “do you mean that photo that’s still hanging in the kitchen?”
“Exactly. What an observant young fellow you are! Perhaps you could set yourself a similar challenge for your beloved. Some things always work the same.”
Alberto reflects on his grandfather’s idea. Sixty years may have passed but it could still work. Anna would certainly be amazed.
Back home, he shuts himself in his room and starts a search for information on the actor: what he’s currently doing, which of his films are about to be released, where he is expected….it needs to be somewhere not too far away where he can get to see him.
After a few attempts his search turns up the news he was hoping for: the U.S. actor is attending the Venice Film Festival in September.
Perfect! thinks Alberto, now to make the arrangements!