SEEING FRIENDS AFTER 25 YEARS

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When we were at the Garda Lake of course we had to visit old friends. One of Mr. Gattino's oldest friends from the 60th lived also near the lake but in the mountains. The first time I had seen him I was 24 and he although married, was still a tourist hunter. He always was dressed in the latest fashion only brand marks, smoked like a chemney, drank like a spunge and talked like a machine gun. I didn't like him, I feared he would badly influence Mr. Gattino. His wife was a witty, pretty girl despite the worries she had with her light hearted husband.

So I was quite curious to see them again after maybe 25 years. To my big surprise I found a very nice grandpa whose only interest were his two grandchildren a 10 year old boy and a 7 year old girl. He was dressed very casually and from the playboy was nothing left. He didn't smoke anymore and only drank wine during meals.

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In his garden he had transformed one of the garages into a kitchen well equipped with everything a good housewife would need and there he cooked with pleasure it had become his hobby. Of course he immediately invited us for supper. He didn't know exactly how many people we would be, but that didn't bother him at all, he had a pan and a pot of the size for a boyscout team. What he prepared was declicious. Fresh home made pasta with Carbonara sauce.

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The sauce consisted of roasted bacon cubes (with a special flavour) eggs and parmesan cheese.

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Finally we were around 12 people, neighbors his son and the grandchildren.

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There were also two very well fed cats.

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His son Fabrizio of course I didn't recognize, last time I had seen him he must have been around 3 or 4 and we laughed together when I told him that I had fed him with the baby bottle !

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On the oposite side of the kitchen in a second garage, he had installed himself a hobby room with television and sofa, where he spend most of his time. His wife the nice girl had become another person. She still looked very nice but didn't even join us. She sat in their appartment on the 3rd floor. When I saw her living room, I almost fainted. The walls were full of pictures of the last two popes, all saints, the holy Mary in all variations and silver, wooden or ceramic crosses with Jesus from blond to brown hanging on them. If at least the popes would have looked like Brad Pitt or George Clooney ! I respect religions, but I don't like fanatic people. We didn't have anything in commun anymore. Now I also could understand why Valerio mostly lived in his garden and came only upstairs to sleep. It's a miracle that their boy has become such a nice and normal man !
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This was the view they had out of their appartment. Unfortunately the sun was already gone and you can't see the lake in the background.