A Song for Bellafortuna by Vincent B Chip LoCoco

Author:Vincent B Chip LoCoco [LoCoco, Vincent B Chip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780972882446
Publisher: Cefalutana Press
Published: 2015-05-13T22:00:00+00:00

After the burial, Giuseppe and Padre Mancini returned to the Church. The priest was grateful for Giuseppe’s help with the funeral. As Padre Mancini went into the sacristy to change, Giuseppe went up to the choir loft to get his violin.

Just as he came down the stairs of the choir loft at the back of the Church, he noticed Santo Vasaio also walking toward the sacristy.

Santo was tall like Giuseppe. He was well built, with heavy, dark eyes and thick, black wavy hair. Giuseppe quickly followed but he stayed outside the sacristy, within listening range.

Santo thanked the priest for saying the Mass “Padre Mancini, on behalf of my entire family, I wanted to thank you for your kind words at the funeral of my grandfather.”

“Prego, Santo. I know the Monsignor will be upset that he missed it when he gets back in town.”

“No, Padre. I’m glad we had you. You did a wonderful job.”

“Santo, molta grazie.”

“Also, Padre, my father advised me that you might be able to help me with my plans.”

“If I am able. What do you need?”

“As you know, I go to school in Taormina. However, since I’ve been home for Christmas, with grandfather ill during my entire stay, I started speaking to my father about transferring to a high school in Monreale, a Jesuit school, St. Ignatio. That way I could help my father, now with grandfather deceased.”

Giuseppe listened intently from his hiding spot, imagining what it would be like to have Santo in his class. Santo continued, “My father grew tired of fighting me about it and said I could do it if the school would agree to the transfer. I know you have connections with the school. Could you help me?”

Padre Mancini said, “If you want, I will go with you to Monreale tomorrow to meet with Padre Molinari, the headmaster. I will see if it will be acceptable to him.”

“Grazie, Padre. I will owe you for this.”

“Prego, young Vasaio. How is your family holding up after the loss of Carlo?”

“To be honest Padre, they were doing well until the funeral. After you left the gravesite, my family spoke about the way that none of the villagers of Bellafortuna had come to the funeral. They shunned my family.”

Padre Mancini took a breath and said, “Santo, these people are good people. They believed they were doing the right thing. They did not love your grandfather.”

Giuseppe’s mouth dropped open from his hiding spot. Padre Mancini had said something to a Vasaio that let them know all was not well in the village. However, the reaction of Santo to the words of Padre Mancini shocked Giuseppe even more.

Santo said, “Padre, my family has always felt that it has done good things for the villagers. Today has shown me that at least in the villagers’ minds, that belief is wrong. Just a few days ago, I watched the funeral for a young man who had died. The outpouring of grief and love for that boy was overwhelming. Today was the exact opposite.

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