HESPERUS

A STORY OF LOVE AND GREAT FRIENDSHIP

 

One summer afternoon an elderly gentleman, perhaps in his 80s, is walking with his two nephews and his wife in the small square, stops near the large flowerbed in the center and sits on the circular bench that surrounds it in the shade of a large horse chestnut, the grandchildren sit next to him, they are a boy of about ten years old and a girl of eight; the old man is absorbed and thoughtful and looks at the two now abandoned buildings in front of him. After a few minutes the little boy turns to his grandmother and asks:

«Grandma, why does Grandpa Angelo always stop for a while on these benches when we go out for a walk?».

“Tell us why it's so sad when we're here” asks the little girl.

«You have to ask him» then she gently turned to her husband «Angelo, the children asked something that only you can answer»

«Yes dear, I heard, Giovanni, Lucia, those two abandoned buildings that you see in front of us tell a true story of a great love and a solid friendship, you want to hear it, and you too, my wife, want to know the whole story of Hotel Angela?".

«Of course, dear Angelo, you never told me this story»

"Yes, grandfather, tell us."

"Then sit back and listen."

Grandpa begins to tell

«when I sold all the properties I found my father's diary among the old papers, the story I am about to tell you begins way back in 1943...»

​

The evening of 8 September 1943 was falling on the town of Prato, the first stars were beginning to appear in the clear sky, the moon appeared just above the crest of the mountains, which could be glimpsed in the distance, illuminating the streets with a dim light. where all the lights were turned off due to the curfew. A young soldier with a bulky backpack on his shoulders was walking close to the walls in a suburban street, cautiously looking around apprehensively, suddenly he hears the rhythmic noise of a patrol patrolling, he looks around to find a place to take shelter, he approaches a large arch that overlooks a small door and hides there as the patrol approaches, he leans against the door and it opens, perhaps it had not been closed properly. The soldier enters an entrance barely lit by a small lamp, a staircase leads to the upper floor and to the right of this there is a door certainly to an apartment, he drops the heavy backpack on the floor which, in the silence, makes a noise like of the bell, he closes the door and, turning, he finds himself in front of a young woman, not very tall but with perfect shapes, with long black hair that falls to her shoulders, she has a simple dress with small yellow flowers on a blue background, over a white apron with borders red and on the bib the embroidery of a red rose, on the feet a pair of red slippers with a fluffy white pom pom; she has just appeared from the door of the apartment and stares at him with two splendid intense blue eyes, frightened, and she addresses him in a trembling voice:

«Who are you, what do you want!»

 

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The complete story in the book DREAMS OF SUMMER NIGHTS