{"id":12709,"date":"2016-10-18T11:23:15","date_gmt":"2016-10-18T09:23:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=12709"},"modified":"2016-10-18T11:23:15","modified_gmt":"2016-10-18T09:23:15","slug":"carmelas-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/carmelas-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Carmela&#8217;s Story"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff\">A year ago I began writing the story of Carmela and her shoe obsession. Originally intended as a one off article, the story took on a life of its own, becoming five separate chapters. Then our little white kitten Bianca, inspiration for Carmela\u2019s cat, fell ill and died in my arms. Distraught, I avoided writing the final chapter, time passed, the story remained incomplete, occasionally nagging somewhere at the back of my mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">But now it\u2019s October again, and something in the air, or perhaps the particular hue of the autumn light, has brought back fond memories of the fun that I had writing about Carmela. And I finally wrote that closing chapter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">So, here\u2019s the complete story, all six chapters in one extra long blog. Are you sitting comfortably?<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12712\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/10\/DSCN2793-1.jpg\" aria-label=\"DSCN2793 1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12712\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12712\"  alt=\"Photo \u00a9Geoff Chamberlain\" width=\"800\" height=\"623\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/10\/DSCN2793-1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/10\/DSCN2793-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/10\/DSCN2793-1-350x273.jpg 350w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/10\/DSCN2793-1-768x598.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-12712\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"color: #666699\"><em>Photo \u00a9 Geoff Chamberlain<\/em><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: x-large;color: #3366ff\">Prologue<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">A young lady walks out of a fashionable <em>negozio di calzature<\/em>. Turning down a shady <em>vicolo<\/em>, she leans against the wall and slips into the beautiful black ankle boots which she has just bought.<br \/>\nShe glances around furtively and, seeing that she is unobserved, removes a pistol from her shoulder bag and places it in her jacket pocket. <strong> \u201cVa bene, andiamo a ritirare dei soldi\u201d<\/strong> she says.<br \/>\nShe drops her old shoes into a <em>cassonetto<\/em>, leaves the <em>vicolo<\/em>, and heads towards a bank on the other side of the <em>piazza<\/em> &#8230;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;color: #3366ff\">Chapter 1 &#8211; Shoes<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Carmela boarded the 07:21 train bound for Modena. Wearing a Bonnie Parker style beret, an old faded red hoodie and worn out jeans, she blended in like a chameleon with the early morning workers on their way to just another day on the production line.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">But Carmela\u2019s was a different line of work. It had its risks of course, but it paid well and the hours were short. Which gave her plenty of time for her real passion: her extensive collection of Italian footwear.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">She glanced down at her latest acquisition, a gorgeous pair of black ankle boots that she\u2019d managed to pick up for only 260 Euro. Smiling furtively, she shuffled her feet back under her seat. It wouldn\u2019t do to have any of these factory workers noticing the incongruity between her generally shabby appearance and the extravagant footwear.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">She looked up suddenly, and found herself staring directly into the eyes of a young <em>vigile urbano.<\/em> The local policeman, also on his way to another day at work, glanced down at her feet, and saying <b>\u201cPermesso\u201d<\/b>, reached forward as if to grab her ankles and drag the exotic boot out into the light of day where he could get a better look at them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Carmela started and gave a small gasp. <b>\u201cNon si preoccupi signora\u201d<\/b> said the <em>vigile<\/em>,<b> \u201cE\u2019 solo che avevo notato che le \u00e8 caduto questo libretto dal suo zaino \u2026 eccolo!\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Swallowing back the huge sigh of relief that welled up in her chest, Carmela gave him her most radiant smile. <b>\u201cGrazie infinite signore, lei \u00e8 troppo gentile\u201d<\/b> she said, as she recovered the small black leather bound notebook from his outstretched hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>\u201c<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><strong>Al suo servizio signora\u201d<\/strong> he replied, with an equally radiant smile.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Hmmmm, questo vigile non \u00e8 mica brutto\u201d<\/b> thought Carmela, <b>\u201cper\u00f2, avere un poliziotto intorno non \u00e8 il massimo nel mio mestiere \u2026 s\u00ec, meglio lasciar perdere \u2026 peccato per\u00f2!\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">The <em>vigile<\/em> maintained his smile for just long enough to make his interests in Carmela quite clear, then turned to look out of the window as the mist shrouded landscape of the <em>pianura<\/em> slipped by.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Later, the squealing and hissing of brakes combined with the usual indecipherable announcement over the PA foretold their imminent arrival at La Stazione di Modena. The young policeman arose from his seat and grabbed his heavy bag from the rack above their heads. He gave Carmela another of his charming smiles. <b>\u201cMa com\u2019\u00e8 alto e prestante questo \u2026 proprio bello!\u201d <\/b>thought Carmela, <b>\u201cper\u00f2 \u2026.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Non scende qui a Modena signora?\u201d<\/b> he asked her. Carmela hesitated, she had to make a decision, and quickly. <b>\u201cUh, s\u00ec, no, no io \u2026 vado a visitare la mia vecchia zia che sta male. Abita a Mantova, sa \u2026.\u201d <\/b>stammered Carmela.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Allora, le auguro una buonissima giornata, e arrivederci\u201d <\/b>said the <em>vigile<\/em>. \u201c<b>Grazie, grazie altrettanto \u2026. la ringrazio di nuovo per avermi recuperato il libretto che per me \u00e8 una cosina molto preziosa!\u201d <\/b>Replied Carmela with a slightly lost look in her eyes that seemed to say \u2026\u2026 <b>\u201cmagari \u2026\u2026\u2026\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;color: #3366ff\">Chapter 2 &#8211; Better to Dream<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">When the train pulled out of La Stazione Di Mantova just before midday, Carmela was still on board. Mantova had been on her list of <em>\u2018luoghi da visitare\u2019<\/em> along with the name of an expensive shoe shop and a conveniently located bank, but having told the young <em>vigile<\/em> that silly story about visiting her poorly aunt there, she had immediately penned <em>rimandato<\/em> alongside that particular entry, just as she had for Modena.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Vabb\u00e8, a volte succede cos\u00ec\u201d<\/b>, she told herself, <b>\u201cmeglio non correre il rischio \u2026 non \u00e8 mica che non ci sono altri negozi di calzature o altre banche! Scendo invece a Verona, mi hanno sempre detto che \u00e8 carina come citt\u00e0.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">By the time Carmela exited the glass and concrete structure of Verona\u2019s Porta Nuova railway station the sun had dissolved the morning mist to reveal a limpid azure canopy. The shadows now cut clean into the pavement as she headed across the piazza in search of a bus to the <em>centro citt\u00e0<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">A poster advertising La Tempesta di Shakespeare at l\u2019Anfiteatro Romano reminded her to try and visit the famous <em>balcone di Giulietta<\/em> \u2026 depending on how things went with her \u2018business affairs\u2019 of course. Sometimes it was necessary to leave town rather more rapidly than one would have liked! <b>\u201cVediamo un po\u2019 \u2026 mi piacerebbe davvero visitarlo!\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Despite unpleasant childhood memories of her dysfunctional family, Carmela remained at heart a romantic. But, <b>\u201c\u00e8 meglio sognare\u201d <\/b>she always told herself, <b>\u201calla fine i sogni sono quasi sempre pi\u00f9 belli della realt\u00e0.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Yet she was also a pragmatist, and now she had work to do. A <em>cappuccio<\/em> and <em>pasta alle mele<\/em> was her lunch. If she ate too much she wouldn\u2019t be able to concentrate, and she\u2019d already snacked on the train. Now to find an anonymous and inexpensive <em>pensione<\/em> where she could settle down to peruse her little black book \u2026 and draw up her plans. \u201c<b>Meno male che quel poliziotto me l\u2019ha ritrovato sul treno! Devo essere pi\u00f9 attenta in futuro.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">At the <em>Ufficio Turistico<\/em> in the nearby piazza she picked up a map of Verona and a list of <em>pensioni economiche<\/em>, then set off.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Later in a small cosy room at La Pensione La Rosa, with her few belonging laid neatly out on the dresser, she sat on the edge of the bed, removed the expensive black ankle boots, and swung herself round until she was propped up comfortable against a couple of pillows with her legs stretched out before her. She glanced at the Glock 18 placed within easy reach on the bedside table, broke off a chunk of <em>cioccolata fondente<\/em> from the bar in her lap, and opened her precious libretto nero.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Allora, dove cominciare?\u201d<\/b> she asked herself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">A look of pure pleasure lit her face as she turned the pages.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;color: #3366ff\">Chapter 3 &#8211; The Little Black Book<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">She awoke suddenly in darkness, a strange light flickered around the door frame sending menacing shadows dancing across the walls. Smoke \u2026 her throat was parched, she began to cough. Stumbling across the room she reached for the door handle and cried out in pain as it burnt her palm. An intense panic welled up in her chest, her eyes watered and she gasped for air. She tried the small window, fumbling with the catch as the burning door cracked and fell behind her. Fiery beasts breathed an intense blast of heat into her bedroom.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Finally she managed to tear the window open, fill her lungs with fresh air and scream <b>\u201caiuto! \u2026 aiuto! \u2026 sono intrappolata, non riesco a uscire, oddio, aiutami!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Arriviamo, arriviamo\u201d<\/b>, shouted a voice from the darkness outside, \u201c<b>dai ragazzi, sbrigatevi con quel cazzo di scala \u2026. di qua, di qua, vedete, quella finestra lass\u00f9 \u2026 ecco \u2026 occhio, piano, ecco cos\u00ec!\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Aiutatemi, sto quasi bruciando, oddio!\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Eccomi fanciulla, eccomi che arrivo \u2026\u2026..\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">She awoke suddenly in darkness, the digital clock flickered on the night stand \u2026.. 03:21. Outside the hissing of rain, a distant siren, and the low rumbling of thunder. <b>\u201cDio quell\u2019incubo, sempre lo stesso, non arriva mai quel signore a salvarmi dall\u2019incendio. Quella maledetta scala infinita. Vedo lui che sale, sale, sale ma la scala si allunga sempre di pi\u00f9 e non arriva mai a salvarmi \u2026 poi mi sveglio \u2026 \u00e8 sempre cos\u00ec \u2026 porca miseria!\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Carmela reached out and switched on the bedside lamp, the Glock lay reassuringly where she\u2019d placed it. Gradually her head began to clear \u2026 <b>\u201cmi sono addormentata guardando il libretto\u201d<\/b> she realised seeing her little black book still lying in her lap, <b>\u201cma \u00e8 difficile che mi riaddormenti ora \u2026 allora, su, finiamo questo lavoretto, poi vado a trovarmi un buon caff\u00e8 da qualche parte.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">She pulled herself upright, noticed the bar of dark chocolate lying beside her, hesitated, then broke off a chunk and popped it into her mouth. <b>\u201c\u2026 tanto, mi aiuta a concentrarmi \u2026\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;color: #3366ff\">Chapter 4 &#8211; Nightmare<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Carmela picked up the faded newspaper clipping that had slipped out of her <em>libretto<\/em> and nestled it amongst a small collection of photos, letters, and other memoirs held together by an elastic band. She had no need to look at it, she new the contents off by heart, but its presence served to remind her that her nightmare had its origins in reality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Everything is temporary, no matter how secure we believe ourselves to be, no matter how tight we may hold on \u2026. things, people, can be taken from us, everything can change in an instant, never to be the same again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: large\"><b>Gazzetta della Garfagnana 17 Ottobre 1998<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Valico di Sotto, incendio in casa: muoiono tre persone. Salvata una ragazza di 11 anni.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Valico di Sotto, house fire, three dead. 11 year old girl rescued.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Le vittime, Antonio Santini (47 anni), Maria Carmela de Rossi (41), e Alda Gentiloni (78) sono morti nella loro casa a causa di un incendio divampato nella notte. Le fiamme sono scaturite poco dopo le 3 in un casolare vicino al paese.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">The victims, Antonio Santini (47 years old), Maria Carmela de Rossi (41), e Alda Gentiloni (78) died in their home due to a fire that broke out during the night. The flames rose up just after 3 a.m. in a farmhouse near the village.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>E\u2019 ancora da verificare se si \u00e8 trattato di una fiamma libera o di un cortocircuito. Di sicuro c\u2019\u00e8 che quella casa di Valico di Sotto, nei pressi di Lucca, \u00e8 diventata un inferno, provocando la morte per asfissia di un uomo di 47 anni, padre di due figli, sua moglie di 41 anni e la 78enne madre di quest\u2019ultima. L\u2019unica superstite \u00e8 stata la figlia che ha tentato invano di uscire dal rogo ma \u00e8 stata salvata alla fine da un vicino di casa e i suoi due figli. Il vicino Roberto Zerbini (56) \u00e8 riuscito a salire su una scala a pioli e afferrare la ragazza, Carmela Santini (11), dalla finestra della sua camera da letto al secondo piano.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">It hasn\u2019t yet been verified if it was caused by a naked flame or a short circuit. What is certain however is that the house in Vallico di Sotto near Lucca became an inferno, causing the death by asphyxiation of a 47 year old father of 2, his 41 year old wife and her 78 year old mother. The only survivor was the daughter, who tried in vain to get out of the blaze, but was finally rescued by a neighbour and his two sons. The neighbour, Roberto Zerbini (56) managed to climb up a ladder and grab the girl, Carmela Santini (11), from her bedroom window on the second floor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>La polizia sta provando a contattare il fratello della ragazza, Federico Santini (22) che \u00e8 attualmente dislocato all\u2019estero con le forze speciali italiane.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">The police are trying to contact the girl\u2019s brother, Federico Santini (22) who is presently on deployment abroad with the Italian special forces.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Carmela knew the real story behind this rather empty and anonymous news article. Sooner or later it had been bound to happen, but who had listened then, and what difference would it make now anyway. What had happened had happened: <b>\u201csono stanca \u2026 stanca di viaggiare, di stare in pensioni low-cost, di mangiare nelle pizzerie e i bar \u2026 \u00e8 ora che torni a casa e che finisca il mio lavoro, quello di creare l\u2019unico posto dove posso proprio riposarmi\u201d<\/b> she told herself, <b>\u201cquindi, domani ritiro i soldi, faccio l\u2019ultimo acquisto, mi compro il biglietto \u2026 e poi me ne vado a casa.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;color: #3366ff\">Chapter 5 &#8211; Bianchina<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Bianchina first appeared one cold November morning. Carmela opened the shutters of her living room window letting in the slanting autumn sunlight and found the kitten stretched across the window sill next to the geraniums.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Allora, tu chi sei?\u201d<\/b> Carmela asked the little white creature, <b>\u201cda dove sei arrivato?\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">The kitten turned her head towards Carmela and replied with a weak <b>\u201cmiao\u201d<\/b>. Carmela was immediately captivated by two tiny crossed china blue eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Avrai fame immagino?\u201d <\/b>she asked, noticing the sharp outlines of the little one\u2019s ribs, <b>\u201cs\u00ec, sei proprio affamato, vero? Dai, vieni \u2026.\u201d <\/b>she reached out towards the kitten which made a half hearted attempt to hide itself behind a pot of geraniums, <b>\u201cdai, non avere paura, ho fame anch\u2019io \u2026 dai, vieni piccolino, vieni a fare colazione con me\u201d<\/b> she said scooping the little creature up and cupping it in her warm hands.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Mamma mia, che freddo che c\u2019hai! Vieni che c\u2019\u00e8 la stufa gi\u00e0 accesa in cucina\u201d<\/b> she said wrapping the kitten in the folds of her old sweater and carrying it through to the kitchen where the freshly lit wood stove crackled and hissed in one corner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Next to the stove stood an old scranno, the wooden high backed bench on which her mamma and nonna used to sit together in the evenings, knitting socks, and occasionally feeding logs into the fire.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Eccoci, accomodati pure\u201d<\/b>, she said, delicately placing the cold and hungry creature onto the knitted patchwork blanket which served as a cushion. <b>\u201cE adesso vado a trovarci qualcosa da mangiare, va bene?\u201d<\/b> she pulled one corner of the blanket over the kitten to keep it warm, rearranged the glowing logs in the stove, and went off to heat up some milk.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Stamattina latte caldo con brioche, ti va bene piccolino?\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><i>Three years later<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Scratch, scratch \u2026. <b>\u201cmiao!\u201d<\/b> \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Carmela opened the living room shutters \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Chi c\u2019\u00e8? \u2026. ciao bellissima!\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>miao miao\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>S\u00ec s\u00ec, hai ragione, \u00e8 ora di fare colazione, scusami, sono molto in ritardo stamattina, ma sai come sono dopo le mie gite in citt\u00e0, torno sempre cotta, vero amore?\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Bianchina purred loudly, took a few steps forward, looked up at Carmela with her lovely china blue slightly crossed eyes, and rubbed her head against her friend\u2019s chin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Su, cosa mangiamo stamani, una bella brioche col latte caldo, cosa ne dici?\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>miao!\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Ecco, come al solito abbiamo deciso assieme subito \u2026 poi, ho una cosa speciale per te amore mio, sai cos\u2019\u00e8 oggi?\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>purrrrr\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>S\u00ec, infatti, oggi \u00e8 il nostro terzo anniversario, pensa un po\u2019, son gi\u00e0 passati tre anni da quando ti ho trovato piccina piccina e affamata sul mio davanzale, e quindi ti ho portato una cosa bellissima dalla citt\u00e0.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>L\u2019ho notato nella vetrina di un negozio di roba per gli animali proprio accanto alla banca. Il ragazzo ha insistito che lo prendessi gratis, mi ha addirittura implorato \u2026\u2026 che strano, mi sono detta. Poi mi sono resa conto che avevo gi\u00e0 la pistola in mano, tutta pronta per entrare in banca \u2026. che scema!\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>Comunque, eccotela!\u201d <\/b>Carmela opened a blue silk lined box to reveal a beautiful grey velvet cat collar with the name Bianchina embroidered in white thread.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Bianchina gazed indifferently past the collar and began to move towards the kitchen <b>\u201cMa non ti piace amore? \u2026 oddio, come sono cretina, hai fame, vero? \u2026 s\u00ec, infatti anch\u2019io ce l\u2019ho!\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Bianchina twisted and caressed her way around her friend\u2019s legs whilst Carmela warmed up the milk and brioche.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\">Afterwards, they sat together on the patchwork blanket in front of the glowing wood stove.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium\"><b>E adesso ti racconto tutte le mie avventure in citt\u00e0 \u2026 poi ti faccio vedere le ultime scarpe che ho acquistato \u2026..\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;color: #3366ff\">Chapter 6 &#8211; My Special Place<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Bianchina nudged open the door with her forehead. <b>\u201c\u00c8 ora di svegliarla, ho bisogna di compagnia e croccantini.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Carmela\u2019s room looked perfectly normal to the little white cat, but to an outsider (what outsider, Carmela never had visitors) it would have been immediately apparent that the empty bed had not been slept in. In fact it never was.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The cat crossed the room diagonally, zebra stripes of sunlight caressing her back as she passed before the shuttered window. She pushed open another door, this time belonging to the enormous walk in wardrobe that completely dominated one side of the bedroom.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<b>Ecco la mia <\/b><b>piccola <\/b><b>sveglia\u201d<\/b>, said Carmela sleepily. \u201c<b>Sar\u00e0 ora di colazione, vero amore?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Bianchina climbed upon her friend, and began rythmically purring and kneading Carmela\u2019s stomach.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<b>Dai, basta Bianca, mi arrendo, s\u00ec fra un attimo mi alzo! Ah se solo mi potessi portare il caff\u00e8 a letto la mia vita sarebbe quasi perfetta!\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The girl pulled herself up into a sitting position and began to caress the cat who now moved up into her lap. She glanced around at the inside of her special place as she did every morning.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Shoes, shoes of all types and colours, stacked upon shelves lining the walls, and reaching up to the ceiling.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<b>S\u00ec, quasi perfetto\u201d<\/b>, she thought.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">This was Carmela&#8217;s version of the enormous <em>armadio<\/em> in her <em>nonna<\/em>&#8216;s room, the shoe filled wardrobe which had been her hiding place and bed during the violent times of her father\u2019s drunkenness. Recreating <em>nonna<\/em>&#8216;s wardrobe had been her passion, and now it was finished, now she could sleep soundly again, with only the occasional nightmare.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<b>Sicuramente meglio di prima\u201d<\/b>, she reflected.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Miaow, the cat reminded her, <b>\u201cHo fame!\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\u201c<b>S\u00ec, anch\u2019io ce l\u2019ho, su alziamoci!\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">She crossed the room to open the shutters, transforming the zebra stripes on the floor into a dazzling golden rectangle. Bianchina, running slightly ahead, stopped a moment to look back, and seeing that Carmela was now heading in the right direction, scattered swiftly downstairs to the kitchen.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Gabriola,fantasy\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff\">Dear readers, if you need help with the Italian dialogue in this story don&#8217;t hesitate to send me a comment.<br \/>\nAlla prossima, Geoff<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<img width=\"350\" height=\"273\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/10\/DSCN2793-1-350x273.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image tmp-hide-img\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/10\/DSCN2793-1-350x273.jpg 350w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/10\/DSCN2793-1-768x598.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/10\/DSCN2793-1.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><p>A year ago I began writing the story of Carmela and her shoe obsession. Originally intended as a one off article, the story took on a life of its own, becoming five separate chapters. Then our little white kitten Bianca, inspiration for Carmela\u2019s cat, fell ill and died in my arms. Distraught, I avoided writing&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"post-item__readmore\"><a class=\"btn btn--md\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/carmelas-story\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":12712,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[619],"tags":[472250,471857],"class_list":["post-12709","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-italian-language","tag-english-italian-short-story","tag-english-italian-text"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/90"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12709"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12709\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12732,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12709\/revisions\/12732"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}