I was born in 1947, I can not remember the war but I remember the post-war Italy 's that you see today in black and white movies from the 50s. From my
know that I was born in the house of his grandfather, the Corso Vittorio Emanuele. I do not remember, but that was where my paternal grandparents, with their twelve children had lived for a living. On the same floor c 'Barendson were cousins, cousins \u200b\u200btwice because my grandmother Eva Barendson had married my grandfather Tito Gambardella and his sister had married her brother.
was a large house, about ten rooms, when my father, on his return from captivity, she met and married her mother, she attended as a family friend of my Aunt Elia, Dad's sister, who was and remained always miss.
The other children were married and lived elsewhere, it seemed natural that the new pair would remain with his grandfather, my mother was very close to his father, happy to live in a family where the children visiting filled the house, she always used to birth to three: she, her mother and sister.
C 'were, friends and cousins \u200b\u200bwho came and went, long table, always a 'party atmosphere.
When I was born, I had the name of the grandmother that there 'was more, there was great happiness, even if there' were already other grandchildren, I was the first to be called Eve.
When I had half a year his grandfather died and balances jumped his grandfather had been a great lawyer, but raising the twelve children of which many, including males, with Peter Pan syndrome, it was not easy, in such abundance remained Home. Mom begged in vain to be able to redeem by paying a little at a time allowances to others ... no way, some wives of brothers wanted to achieve now, the house was sold.
We went to rent, or better, in the sublease at 440 Corso Vittorio Emanuele: was an old building with stairs, porches, terraces, and other scales. Lived for four years with a family consisting of father and three elder children, a boy and two girls. The house was divided in two, I believe in the common kitchen and bathroom, was the war, they needed to round off, we at home.
My earliest memories go back to those years: 's summer did not go on vacation, we went with the Cumana to bathe in Torregaveta, there are two smells that I will always remember this time: tortilla macaroni, the classic dish beach of Naples and the smell mixed train, sweat and ice cream that even now, if you walk Montesanto and pass close to Cumana you back in those days.
My parents were great people, with a hint of bohemian: continued to receive friends as if we lived in a castle, I felt embarrassed because I had no previous memories in that house ... my sister was born in 52. In 53 my father managed to buy a home 's Ina homes, the popular ones being constructed and is redeemed, in Fuorigrotta. Today is a district of Naples as another: so for us it was the 'exile. Already
name: Mergellina to cross a tunnel, there was one of the trams and buses, especially the tunnels made you feel "out" ... then we were in Naples '53 c 'was a church, a square, Viale Augusto, Gypsies and country. At the end of Viale Augusto is now a street full of shops and buildings, There was a square with the Mostra d 'Oltremare, colossal complex with stand, a huge fountain with jets, waterfalls and stepped down, a theater, all built by Mussolini before the war to host an exhibition of our colonies , the colonies' s empire.
At the outbreak of war the poor Ethiopians who were with costumes, palm trees and stuff to show the greatness of 'Italy in the world, stayed there. C 'era, between the end of Viale Augusto and Piazzale Tecchio, a dilapidated building which, wretched living this group of people (just imagine a non-appropriation of today). I do not know how they lived and, I do not know if, how and when they were repatriated, but when we went to Fuorigrotta were there. In front of our house was a house: the Sferisterio, where he played the "pelota", a sport in which people bet. My parents, sometimes accompanied friends to watch the game and perhaps bet.
's environment of this large building with four scales was mixed: c' were gentlemen like us that the war had forced to live in public housing and there was also modest people, workers, clerks.
One evening, Mom was waiting for my father fell: a lady upstairs leaned over and said "Sign your husband comes late, but why does looking at?" He wanted to say but the guard said, according to her, the word Italianate. Dad, on his return he found Mother in tears who asked who among the people 'had brought ...
We made friends with a family on the first floor, the Whites nice people with whom we were bound for years after, with Simiani the fourth floor, her father was minister during the fascist period, had four children and my mother was convinced that she drank and even that is bad luck ... The
Rizzotti, the ones upstairs, four children and father firefighter, were our salvation, because they were the 'only family to have the condominium of television: the' year after he began "Double or nothing?" and all went to their own ... all; put the chairs in a row and watch the broadcast.
In the afternoon there was the TV of the boys, then there 'was more nothing, but the lady said, "Children turn off the valves that wear out."
I, my sister before she was born, I was very spoiled, I suffered from jealousy was spiteful, pedantic, I was often put in spanking and punishment and I incattiviva more. I was afraid of the end of the world, I was afraid that my, if they went out at night, never to return. I probably passed on anxiety Mom, if Dad was late, was waiting in the street, they still bore below the anxieties of war sirens, racing at night in the shelters.
The house was always full of friends, had my 's habit, and preserved forever, younger couples to attend some of which were friends and some mentors, and they had the funny nature, were designed to surprise, to turn everything into laughter when they wanted to be strict, as the 'education of the time required, they felt little credibility and I was disoriented. There were not cured but according to our friends: We grew up in those years with them and their friends, Saturday we went to Aunt Maria Pia, the eldest sister of father and c 'was living: aunts, uncles, friends of the moment , captured speeches, political (read the 'Espresso that was a huge sheet).
I was timid at ease with adults and with my peers, when they carried me to parties with children, I refused to play and hang on the skirts of my mother. A carnival, at parties I am always dressed delivered by male: knight, prince, because I was higher than my age, one year I dress up as farm girl and you see in the pictures, this little girl with a forced smile, almost a grimace tears. At school, no, I was relaxed and happy at school, I was happy friendship, I felt safe ...
's great love of my life in those years and always was Aunt Victoria's sister, my mother was a teacher too, first for me, then many years later for my children was the playmate favorite, the perfect story telling, the 'best friend, the delight in short ...
When at 42, he decided, including the ire of his grandmother, to marry a younger colleague of eleven, they told me gently and I screamed, I cried because I was saying, she promised that she would never marry.
I loved my mother very much, loved, with my father I have had a rocky relationship but with great confidence, but what for me was Aunt Victoria, it was not anyone else: travel, theater, holidays: until he was 92 years, even after I had come to Milan still felt every day, then the last few years, a stroke, were spent in a nursing home. Where 's the summer, coming from London I went to visit her, she looked at me kidnapped, caressing my face, for his I was a full ... affection reciprocated.
D 'summer, after the baths Torregaveta, we took a cab to Coroglio. we went in the morning, he returned in the evening, then, in '56, improved economic conditions, our friends were in Vico Equense, Sorrento coast of the country, took a rented house for two and a half months and began the My love for a place that still today is home for me ...
The vacations of the past, when some began again and continued for other, were completely different from what today are called holiday, we were poor but paradoxically richer ... houses for rent did not cost much, in fact over time it began to rent the house for throughout the year, and then there were those long, lovely summer ... the pace of life was slower ...
After school, in late June, early July we moved, we were a large number of families, friends or acquaintances of their parents, we kids in a group. There also lingered through September, sometimes until 4 October: every year new students were added, c 'was someone who was for a time, then go elsewhere, but most of us still faithful ... In September, with first cold, remove the wooden cabins, some left it for us loyalists, the lengths of the groups met and became friends, except for the following year back in July each with its own group.
Peppino di Capri sang 'Voice' night, "NicoFidenco" Tied to a grain of sand, "we met in homes with the turntable, there was dancing, the famous" dancing ", where they were born and died summer love, you had great freedom, that I really, I have always enjoyed, because my parents in their design a bit 'the funny, but I must admit, intelligent and forward-looking, aged fifteen, sixteen years and gave us all the freedom that, perhaps, have the girls today and gave us a beautiful youth.
In '60 we left the house Fuorigrotta, which was rented and then sold and returned to the Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The grandmother of Milan, mother had continued to live there and we rented a house in front of her. she came to live with us and after two years, even Aunt Victoria and her husband moved into the building. L 'Fuorigrotta nightmare was over, I began to September, the fourth high school and fill the pages of my diary, the house was beautiful, bright faces the panorama of Naples, the postcard, the summer home where my father died, in where my children were born, I left in '87 to come to Milan.
In that house my character improved, the years were good ones 60, the big hair, the economic miracle, the 'car, our loyal Rosa, the maid who had seen me born and died in our house. Around a world that promised welfare and love, Pope John, President Kennedy in the U.S., the summer holidays, winter and some ballet studio.
There was the tragedy in Dallas in '63 and the death of the Pope's good, but it was an 'era that seemed to promise everything, so we got to '65, the year of my enrollment at the baccalaureate and' University.
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