Efrem has been a little melancholy lately—must be the autumn. A few weeks ago he left the country house where he spent the summer. It's there that so many memories come back to him.
When we were smaller, our kind grandparents were there, and our cousins were there, and we little ones played in the countryside in Aunt Ezia's garden. Mama was there, and Aunt Ida and my older cousin Giovanni, and little Manuela too, and Grandma Rosa. How much they spoiled us! In Aunt Ezia's garden there were so many flowers and trees and moss that we'd use for the nativity scene, and there were almond trees and there was a broken tree. There was Manuela and Rosa and me, Efrem: how we had fun! Then there was Grandpa Angelo: how much he loved us! It was beautiful. Our father was there too, and there were so many people in the countryside: big Giovanni, little Angelo, Rosa and Mariafranca, and Uncle Tonio and Aunt Antonietta and me, Efrem, with my mother and Uncle Costantino's dog and Aunt Emilia. When we grew up in the countryside there were so many people. Now I don't like it anymore because I remember my childhood in the countryside. There were so many good people who came to our house to celebrate the birthdays of us little ones. On Easter Monday we sat eating on a trunk. I never bothered anyone, and then when my birthday came—July 29, 1975—I would celebrate with everyone, and Grandma Nina was there, who was my mother's mother. My mother bought me a cream cake that I loved, and now I don't like it anymore. When I blew out the candles they clapped their hands: how much they loved me! So many cousins, and now we're all grown up. When Christmas came, at Aunt Antonietta and Uncle Tonio's house, Uncle Costantino would arrive and play his whistle: we were all there and we weren't waiting for anyone.