tinywaist,exudedthekindofaloof,
effortlessglamourofaHolly wood
moviestar.Darkcurlsframedher
face.Shehadheart-shapedlips,a
daintynoseanda curioussmile.
Whilemakingherselfusefulinthe
kitchen,MarilenapickedupItalian
andgottoknowtheSportellifami-
ly.AldoSportelli,oneyearhersen-
ior,wassmitten.Lanky,witha shy
smile,hewouldhangaroundthe
kitchen.“Itwasmyfirstinfatuation,”
Aldowouldtellme.Theyspokeabout
theirplansforthefuture.Hewanted
tobecomeanengineer.Shehadno
ideawhatawaitedherwhenshere-
turnedtoBrazil.
Afterschool,Aldoservedtheglam-
orouspatronsintherestaurant;my
grandmotherspenthernightslisten-
ingtothemusicfromthecavebelow.
Everynowandthen,Aldojoined
her on the terrace, always underthewatchfuleyeofa familymember.
Oneday,asMarilenawasgoing
downthestairstothekitchen,Aldo
wentinfora hug.Unsureofwhatto
do,sherushedaway.
Mygrandmother’sfamilywasnot
happywiththebuddingromance.
Thesonofa hotelownerwasnotwhat
theyhadinmindforthefamilyheir-
ess.Aldo’smothertoldhimthesocial
distancesbetweenhimandMarilena
weretoolargetobridge.“Atthattime,
I thoughttheywereright,”Aldorecalls.
Thetwocontinuedanawkwardbut
friendlyrelationshipoverherlastfew
weeksatthehotel.Beforesheleft,she
askedhimtosignhermemorybook.
“Marilena,if youallowit,a friendship
canbeanenduringbond,”hewrote.
Whensheleft,hewenttothestation
andwatchedasthetrainpulledaway.
Itwasoneofthesaddest moments of
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR his life, Aldo says.
MarilenaLerarioandAldoSportellimetinPolignanoaMare,
her grandfather’s hometown, when she spent a year in Italy in 195173
“I Never Forgot You”