True Lovereadersdigest.co.in 81his family, my grandmother wanted
to explore Polignano. It was still
a charming hamlet with narrow lime-
stone streets leading to scenic out-
posts overlooking the sea. But much
had changed since her last visit.
Red Bull had chosen Polignano as the
site for its annual cliff-diving competi-
tion, and the town was now overrun
with tourists.
The restaurant in the cave was still
operating, and my grandmother, who
was allowed to watch guests dine there
only from a distance at 15, wanted
to see it up close. On one of our last
nights in Polignano, we descended the
60 steps into the cave for dinner.
When we emerged onto the wooden
deck, the view took my breath away.
We were suspended some 30 feet
above the sea. The emerald water’s
reflection danced against the lime-
stone dome of the cave.
Aldo had refused to come because
the memories of losing the nearby
Hotel Sportelli in a financial dispute
20 years ago were too painful. My
grandmother respected his decision.
“Isn’t it amazing?” she said, gazing
out at the sea. “Only nature knows
how many millions of years this has
been here.”
The next day, at another coffee shop,
Aldo pulled out a family photo from
1934, and my grandmother studied
it. “I met every one of them,” she said.
“We’ve had this shared life together.
Isn’t that crazy?”
Aldo caught her up on what
happened to each person in the photo.
“When do you leave?” he asked.
“Tomorrow,” she said.
They still had 40 minutes before
Aldo had to head home. After
chaperoning every moment they
spent together, I left my grandmother
alone to enjoy the last moments of her
last date.T
he next morning, Aldo, Sa-
brina and Giorgio met us at the
hotel. We thanked them for their
hospitality and for making my grand-
mother so happy. “Our family will be
an extension of yours,” my dad said.
I was surprised to see tears running
down Sabrina’s face. “Take care of
him,” my grandmother said, hugging
her. She nodded, sobbing.
Aldo took my grandmother’s hand in
his. “Now, I will do the hardest thing:
Turn around and walk away,” he said.
My grandmother didn’t allow her-
self to indulge in the finality of the
moment. She gave Aldo one last
hug, and, as we walked away, she
held up her phone and said: “I’ll see
you tomorrow.”Aldo and Marilena continue to speak
daily. Marilena had said that she may
visit Italy later this year, if she is in
good health. Aldo’s wife is still alive
but her health continues to decline.
Aldo has told Marilena that he be-
lieved her to be the love of his life when
they first met and that their reuniting
was “a blessing from God.”
washington post (6 february, 2019), copyright © 2019 by marina lopes, washingtonpost.com