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"When you have grown up, you’ll be doing
my job. Remember my words, learn to spot in the raw
branch a drop, a button, a fuse, a heart. Don’t
cut before then!”
The Grandad used to caress the boy and hold him
on his knees while was instructing him this way,
for future memory. The most vivid recall of these
moments was the unpleasant sensation of the raw wool
fabric that made his naked little legs itch. How
sweets were those moments, though! And how proud
he was of being informed about the secrets
of the coral manufacture. So many years had gone
by, he thought. He took another puff at his cigarette,
he took a new coral branch with his left hand, the
pencil with the right, the dangling cigarette between
his lips.
“Dad, daddy, would you let me help you?” And
the little boy hung his arm and climbed up his knees. “Come,
daddy’s little boy, Ill teach you”.
This is my history, and I would like it to be my
children’s history too.
I’ve decided to tell it to you, like a tale,
as I would like you to understand – during
this journey with me through these pages at the discovery
of world of coral – that here in Torre del
Greco we do this job and live it with a unique sacredness,
a special love, or passion, if you like, which I
think are very difficult to find in any other job.
I hope that the journey we’re about to take
together through planet coral can help you feel the
passion for this matter, which certainly holds something
fascinating, something mysterious: a charming power
that totally conquers you. Here, this is perhaps,
no, this is definitely my wish: to make of
you true coral lovers.
Giuseppe Rajola |
