TherewasAldoonthecomputer
screen,beaming.“Youdidn’tusedto
beblonde!”hesaid.Mygrandmother
burstintogiggles.
Weekafterweek,Aldokeptcalling.
“Itisnicetohavesomeonecareabout
meagain,”mygrandmothertoldme.
Themessagessoongrewrosier:
heartemojisandphotosofflowers.
“Forwhenyouwakeup:goodmorn-
ing,”hemessagedonce,whenitwas
daytimeinItalybutstilldark in Brazil.
My grandmoth-
er, who had shut
herselfofffromthe
world, came back
to life. Shebegan
dressingupfortheir
virtualdates,putting
onlipstickandfixing
herhair.
“Wehavetotake
youbacktoPolig-
nano!”mymothersaidoneday.My
grandmotherrejectedtheidea,saying,
“Hehasa wife!”
Mymotherwaspersistent,and
soonMarilenacalledAldowiththe
news.“We’llbetherefortwoweeksin
September,”shesaid. He agreed she
shouldcome.A
ccompaniedbymymother,
mydad,myaunt,twocous-
insandme,mygrandmother
landedinBari,nervousbut
smiling.Whenwearrivedatthehotel
inPolignano,a bouquetofpinkroses
was waiting for her. “Welcome to yourhometown,”Aldohadwrittenonthe
card.“Ihopeyoudon’twaitanother
68 yearstoreturn.”
Thenextmorningwedrovepast
kilometresoftwistedolivegroves.My
grandmothersighedandsaid,“It’s
interesting,isn’tit?Anoldlady,seeing
anoldman.”
Aldohadaskedustomeethimat
thechurchofSanVito,whereMass
wouldsoon bestarting.Whenwe
pulled up totheentrance,hewas
waiting.With sky-
blueeyeshidingbe-
hindsilverRay-Ban
sunglasses,slicked-
backhairandatan
jacket,hewasascool
anoctogenarianas
I’veseen.
Mygrandmother
leapedoutofthecar
andwalkedtowards
him,herarmsopen.
“Sobeautiful,”hesaid,tremblingas
hehuggedher.Sheblushedandintro-
ducedhimtothefamily.“It’sanhistor-
icmoment,a miracle,”heannounced.
Later,mygrandmotherhanded
Aldotwogifts.Onewasa newiPhone- hiswasoldandalwayscuttingout
duringtheirconversations.“Andthis
isforBeatrice,”shesaid,pointingto
thesecondgift.Heopenedit tofinda
greyshawl.Aldostaredatmygrand-
mother,tearingupandmouthing,
“Thankyou.”
Weaskedhimoutforlunch,buthe
said he had to go home and relieve
“Sobeautiful,”
Aldosaid,
trembling as he
hugged my
grandmother75
“I Never Forgot You”