the period of mid-August I was also busy: I had to accompany my daughter to Milan, and, finding myself very close to the house of Gianguido, I took the opportunity to combine business with pleasure. I phoned him and I asked if, finding myself in those parts, I could pass by him, so as to know each other closely. He replied he was very happy and he would host me for dinner at his home in a village near Como. I was very happy and that day, before going to Gianguido I anticipated the departure of a couple of hours: it was my firm intention to go first to Como to visit the place where Vittorio and Claudia had met.
When I arrived in Como, the first thing I did was to go to Via Indipendenza and precisely to Claudia's house, the house number had changed during the years and it was previously communicated to me by Gianguido. I walked backwards and forwards a couple of times and finally I decided to stop under Claudia's house for a few minutes. While I stood in contemplation admiring the house, imagining Vittorio and Claudia entering and leaving the front door, I had a flash of genius. I took my mobile phone from my trouser pocket, I connected it to YouTube and, making a certain tribute to Claudia, I started the video containing the poem dedicated to her and recited by the beautiful voice of Diego De Nadai, specifically this:
To my Claudia
Five years of love
- in good harmony –
We fulfil today
oh my Claudia!
Already five years
Are passed since the day
we said happy
each one yes ...
Again today,
I repeat you “yes”...
to have you close
I swear I am happy!
Forget a few
Bicker of an hour ...
and like that day
you repeat me again
the sweet word
of faith and love
that made happy
every day my heart ...
... and we begin happy
the lustrum is coming
loving us so much
by loving us ..
Our cares,
with tender affection,
turn them all
to our little angel!
Two names in the heart
are now written to me
and only death
makes them prescribed
We follow the street
of our Destiny
the good God assists us
in our way! ..
However, being the crowded street, I lowered the volume. Arrived at the third stanza and precisely at the point: "still today I repeat “yes” to you", the bells of a church very close began to play at party so as to cover the sound of the poetry. I looked at the time: it was 3:50 pm, it is strange, I thought, do the bells ring at this time? I had a moment of loss. I did not believe my ears! I recovered from the amazement, I interpreted this sound of bells as a sign of gratitude Claudia had wanted to send me, for this noble and sweet gesture accomplished by me, to bring under her house the beautiful poetry given to her by her beloved husband.
Sometimes I ask to myself: "Will not it have been the same Vittorio, to push me unconsciously to make this gesture of love for his sweet Claudia, to make her perhaps forgive him something and, to let her know he is still in love with her?"
It is a question I unfortunately cannot find an answer.
After this simple reflection, I headed for the church from which the sound of the bells came. To my surprise, I discovered that it was the San Fedele one, in which Claudia and Vittorio marked their marriage.
"What a strange coincidence," I thought.
I decided to take a walk for Como. From Via Indipendenza, I went to Via Vittorio Emanuele.
At the end of this road, before arriving at the Dome, I noticed on the right the famous newspaper kiosk, in front of which Claudia and Vittorio met. In a moment my mind returned to the 40s, I imagined the Como of that time and I seemed to witness in person, at their first meeting. I passed the Dome and I headed under the Portici of Via Plinio, in those years, meeting place for the young.
It was as if I were doing a sort of pilgrimage: I went on pre-established routes to pay homage to Claudia and Vittorio.
I did not realize the time had flown in a hurry. Gianguido was waiting for me, it was time to reach him.
Seeing me he was very happy, as I too, also because he was the direct nephew of Claudia, as a son of his brother, and so, for me, it was a great joy to be able to talk to a person very close to Claudia . I had dinner at his home, he was very kind and he told me many things about this family, and I listened to him with interest and pleasure. At the end we said goodbye, with the promise we would meet again as soon as possible.
3
Saturday 19 August, while I was returning from Milan, Laura wrote me the following message:
"Good afternoon, Mr. Grassia, how are you? If you are on the Viareggio beach we can say hello later, I'll take my walk and I show you the postcard Vittorio sent to Claudia in 1939 ".
I replied: "I'm sorry Laura, but right now I'm coming back from Milan, tomorrow I have to go to Rome and so if it's all right for you we can meet next Monday morning at 9 at Bar Bazzanti, so we have breakfast together".
She, a little sorry for this long wait, replied: "Ok, Monday at Bar Bazzanti".
The next day I went to Rome early, because I had to accompany my wife to my daughter Daria's house. When I arrived in Viale Gorizia, I made her come out of the car in a hurry and I said: "We'll talk later, when you're finished, I'll pick you up."
I immediately went to Via Livorno, under Vittorio house and I began to take a few steps along the road. Sant’Orsola Church is just in front of Vittorio's house, where Virginia and Anna Maria made their first communion. I noticed the door was open and, at 10:30 am, the church was deserted. I went in, I went to the sacristy and I addressed myself to the man in charge to have a mass in suffrage of Luigi and Vittorio.
The person to whom I had addressed myself, showing me the calendar, told me: "Do you want a particular date or is it okay any date? I ask you this, as we
