Hombrearmonica’s Weblog

«I am the captain Gennaro Esposito, commander of the Carabinieri station of Vigevano. Mr. Ristori?»

Mrs. Ristori, from behind her husband, had a thud to heart at the sight of uniforms.
«I’m myself. Something happened to our son in Iran?» – asked the father with anguish.
«No fear, I bring good news.»
«Aaah. Let you sit down, please.»

They sat round, while the mother twisted her hands, little reassured.
«He was injured.» – the officer raised his hand to call for calm – «Only slightly, I assure. Soon you will see him in person, because after the first treatment he will be repatriated for a convalescence license.»
«Aaah!» – both parents with some relief.
«He was injured during an attack by Iranian terrorists …»
«It would be more accurate to call them partisans, captain.» – the father interrupted,
remembering the words of his son.
«I have not heard what you said, mr. Ristori.» – replied the officer, making a sign with his hand not to add other words – «Although wounded, he rescued its captain, much more serious than him, helping to bring safe and then dab wounds until the arrival of rescue, saving him from bleeding to death. Your son is a hero, and will be appropriately rewarded for his value.»
«I have enough he is alive and return home, Captain.» – the father.
«How has been he wounded?»
«At left arm, madam. He will have no consequences, as I have been assured. Have no
fear, soon you will embrace him again.»

In absence of letters, the next days were of great anxiety and waiting at Ristori home. Father was summoned by acting as mayor in a little municipal office. Since public killing of regime Plenipotentiary in Vigevano, a successor had not yet been nominated. The usual defeatist items was spreading that no regime boss had accepted the burning armchair.
«Your son has had the promotion to sergeant on the ground, and will be decorated in a
solemn ceremony. Your presence is welcome.» – the official stressed the word welcome, implying that it was more an order – «In addition, at his choice, we have to enter the
Faculty of Letters at the State University of Milan. After the official planned ceremonies, he will presents the first three tests.»
«But …»
«He will be assessed Honoris causa for its heroism, Ristori. An extra premium, as well as agreed at the time. We respect the pacts. The important thing is not to disappoint those who appreciate your loyalty to Blue Age and its beloved leader, of course.»
«I understand.»
«Very good. Oh, I was forgetting something interesting. Your son, even if he decides to
leave the berlüscanlandic army, will maintain the level and his salary through a provisional unlimited convalescence leave. Always a good start, in a combined income from work tomorrow. In return, he would only be present, in uniform, at public ceremonies when we convene.»
The father nodded.

Some interminable days later, the officer went to withdraw Ristori spouses with a representative limousine of the Carabinieri, three rows of seats, to take them at Linate Airport for the arrival of their son. There was also the captain Esposito to give welcome as local rappresentative of berlüscalandic army in Vigevano.

From a representative big hall, full of journalists, photographers, cameramen, they saw a military plane landing. They couldn’t distinguish the child during landing for the forest of people who worked around the aircraft. At last the crowd headed for airport, with relief of parents, especially the mother.
«Let smile and no melodrama» – the officer hissed to their ears, and he looked a snake to them – «if you don’t want to lose any benefit, yourselves and your child.»

Both parents faded, having realized there was something not said. They had no courage
to ask. With a burden on the heart, they continued to smile for the cameras mechanically. Finally the doors were opened in front of a large group, which was divided like a curtain, and their son appeared, dazzled by hundreds of lightning.

Although he would have worn a new tailoring uniform, with degrees and the medal on the
chest, with a fresh hair cutting by excellent hands, recognizable even a touch of makeup, the boy appeared thin, pale, marked eyes. He forced a smile, for a moment a grimace of discomfort under the flash. The mother had eyes only to his left arm, hung neck and locked on chest by thin skin belts.
«Smile and go to embrace.» – the officer whispered yet.

Parents moved under a renewed flash flood. His father gave room for the mother, merely
putting a hand on his right shoulder. As if she bound, so thin and run down, felt his slight moan, more with the heart than the ears, into the sound of the hall.
«Mom!»
«Sorry, I made you hurt?»
«A little, the wound. But not too much, Mom. The arm is almost dead.»

The woman began to cry, while around the voices of authorized commentators spoke about tears of joy.
«The important thing is that you are home again, son.» – she whispered.

After the official photos they were accompanied at the table for the press conference. After a couple of hours of insulse questions of shit journalism – also standard even before the regime, such as: «How do you feel?» to a parent whose son had been killed in a robbery – and the answers that are expected from them by officer, the mother, tired,
rebelled.
«How do you feel, mrs. Ristori?»

The correct answer and approved, already given a dozen times, had she was pride for her
heroic son, a worthy young soldier of Blue Age.
«As would you feel if they had shot your son, making him invalid?»

Frost fell in the room. All present wanted to be somewhere else, cowardly, not to be
witnesses of a Mother Courage. The officer intervened.
«Well, just so. Our hero and his parents are rightly tired. Please, gentlemen, let us go.»

While he followed them to the exit, some timid applause rose, in doubt if they were a
tribute to the courage of a woman or a fool who understood nothing. Perhaps, as always
in life, half and half.

They reached the car silent and departed coming back in Vigevano. After a few kilometers of ring road, in glacial silence, the officer began to grumble.
«You could save it, mrs. Ristori. Fortunately we weren’t live, and can fix. But I fear there will be consequences …»

Captain Esposito had been listening quietly next to his driver. It turned suddenly and said angrily:
«Let you stop, asshole! He gave an arm for his country and to save a companion. As you allow!»

Given vent to the first anger, under the dismayed gaze of officer, he continued with a dry tone, not admitting doubts about false pretences:
«Put all silenced. If I know they had only a nuisance, I promise to shoot you personally.»