Why do I WHAT????
Why do I WHAT???? or the meaning of Destiny. I guess.
Anyway, Emilio's brother-in-law saw me coming out of a bar where I had just renewed my car license and gotten a paper and a cup of coffee (clearly, not your average American bar!!), stopped the car and stopped traffic, and told me he needed to talk to me. So he sort of found a parking place, at least cars could get by him, and he and his son got out of the car with someone I did not know.
The someone was a cousin from Long Island, who spoke some Italian (he had been born here, but had forgotten a lot), and had not been back for 17 years. When he told the folks he worked with at Entemmen's bakery that he was coming to Sicily, his friends all asked him: 'Why on earth would you go to Sicily.' Emilio's brother in law told the cousin about me, and he very much wanted to meet me. It turns out, he wanted me to write a letter that his friends in the states could read that talked about why I had moved to Sicily.
Well, I did indeed write the letter. But it was much harder than I expected. As I thought about it, the question just did not make any sense. It would be easier to find reasons to not leave Sicily than to stay. But I wrote the letter.
Later that day, I was helping make the Pane Cunzatta for after the show at the cavea, and it turned out I was helping Totò and Emilio. Totò works as a geometer, or draftsman, and could probably have moved to the states or virtually anywhere to work his trade. Emilio is a marmista, that is, he works with marble. He is highly skilled at his craft, and again could probably get a job anywhere in the world. So the question I had for them was: 'Why did you stay in Sciacca.?' Totò told me he didn't, he moved from Caltebellotta to Sciacca, which is like a stone rolling down a hill. Then he looked at me seriously and said one word: 'Destiny' He had no other explanation, and it was an explanation that, to him, answered the question fully.
As Totò was getting a fresh jar of olive oil for the Pane Cunzatta (fresh bread, with anchovies, salt, parmesan, pepper, and olive oil - oh is it good), I asked Emilio the same question. He thought about it, looked me in the eye, and said: 'Destiny.'
I was and am amazed that they had the same answer, and I suppose I could have written that to the folks in America, but I do not think they would have understood. As I think about it more and more, it is probably the answer that I should use in the future, should I be asked the same question.
Totò Emilio
Anyway, Emilio's brother-in-law saw me coming out of a bar where I had just renewed my car license and gotten a paper and a cup of coffee (clearly, not your average American bar!!), stopped the car and stopped traffic, and told me he needed to talk to me. So he sort of found a parking place, at least cars could get by him, and he and his son got out of the car with someone I did not know.
The someone was a cousin from Long Island, who spoke some Italian (he had been born here, but had forgotten a lot), and had not been back for 17 years. When he told the folks he worked with at Entemmen's bakery that he was coming to Sicily, his friends all asked him: 'Why on earth would you go to Sicily.' Emilio's brother in law told the cousin about me, and he very much wanted to meet me. It turns out, he wanted me to write a letter that his friends in the states could read that talked about why I had moved to Sicily.
Well, I did indeed write the letter. But it was much harder than I expected. As I thought about it, the question just did not make any sense. It would be easier to find reasons to not leave Sicily than to stay. But I wrote the letter.
Later that day, I was helping make the Pane Cunzatta for after the show at the cavea, and it turned out I was helping Totò and Emilio. Totò works as a geometer, or draftsman, and could probably have moved to the states or virtually anywhere to work his trade. Emilio is a marmista, that is, he works with marble. He is highly skilled at his craft, and again could probably get a job anywhere in the world. So the question I had for them was: 'Why did you stay in Sciacca.?' Totò told me he didn't, he moved from Caltebellotta to Sciacca, which is like a stone rolling down a hill. Then he looked at me seriously and said one word: 'Destiny' He had no other explanation, and it was an explanation that, to him, answered the question fully.
As Totò was getting a fresh jar of olive oil for the Pane Cunzatta (fresh bread, with anchovies, salt, parmesan, pepper, and olive oil - oh is it good), I asked Emilio the same question. He thought about it, looked me in the eye, and said: 'Destiny.'
I was and am amazed that they had the same answer, and I suppose I could have written that to the folks in America, but I do not think they would have understood. As I think about it more and more, it is probably the answer that I should use in the future, should I be asked the same question.
Totò Emilio
posted by Steve at 9:01 PM
1 Comments:
I love your blog. My parents come from Termini Imerese in Sicily.
I've been 3 times. Last time I was 18. I am not 42. My sister has been 3 x's in the past two years. Once to take my father's ashes to his family plot.
How far are you from Termini?
I suppose I could look it up.
Lucy from Toronto
Post a Comment
<< Home