Our Man in Europe/dave delacroix/ "Il Immigranti"/The Immigrants: "MAMMA? -We have to go?"

Our Man in Europe/dave delacroix/ "Il Immigranti"/The Immigrants: "MAMMA? -We have to go?"


(Italy: 1912)


Isabella: "Luigi! Did U sell the horse?"
Luigi: "Massimiliano? Si, bella-Isabella. I got 200 Lire!"
Isabella: "IDIOTI! I told U, 400!!! (look at my fingers!) 400 Lire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Luigi: "Babee? It's a buyer's market; Signor Cimatti has WE "immigranti" by the BALLS. I got what I could."
Isabella: "3 times Idioti! But what is to be done?
Luigi: "Dacorde!" (agreed)
Isabella: "Did U talk to MAMMA?"
Luigi: "Mio?"
Isabella: "Si, idiot. Explain to MAMMA we have no harvest, no food, the FARM is totally BUSTED, we are moving "lock-stock-Barolo to New York City... where the streets are paved with GOLD...!"
Luigi: "It's true?"
Isabella: "Doesn't matter. As long as MAMMA believes it? Go on! AVANTE! Do it!"
Luigi: "But MAMA don't wanna go...this is HER ancient Home. DANG! She can still remember GARIBALDI; and her "things"; old cooking pots, the chickens, goats, out in the yard, the VINO festival, Saints Days -when she wears her best clothes, her old - though dying - friends..and her market days: U know? How she likes to "haggle" with the local farmers? And out with the DOGS, Tito, Tito and Tito Jr., "prosciutto" the PIG: He ALWAYS sniffs out the best "funghi"!?"
Isabella: "BASTA!.... Luigi? I love U...but U are an IDIOTI. We're broke and busted. Your family is STARVING. AMERICA is our future. U will get a job with your Uncle Vincente in New York City. We will have a nice house. Your THREE bambinos (Marco, Marco and Maria) will go to school; become Doctors!..."
Luigi: "But MAMMA dosen't want to leave...?"
Isabella: "U must PERSUADE her. We cannot leave her behind. U are her SON!... The "carriage" arrives in ONE HOUR!... We're using Uncle Paolo's donkey to pull the cart?"
Luigi: "OK."
Isabella: "Tell her (mama) that it's a fun BOAT RIDE. A big one. On our tickets it says: ANDREA DORIA."
Luigi: "OK. But we MUST talk to her. I think it will take a 'Woman's touch"?"
Isabella: (under her breath: IDIOTI!) "I agree/daccorde!"

....Meanwhile: MAMMA, shrouded in Black, head to toe, is a little confused because there isn't anything cooking or about to BE cooked on the old fire stove? And the "Casa" is stripped bare!?

Isabella and Luigi approach with in trepidation. (Downright nervous!)

The WORDS "Mamma, we have to leave?" somehow fail on both their breaths . MAMMA, however, usually cowed, erects herself and says: "Bambini? Avante! Viaggi!" Picks up her "molto" leather travel bag , wipes away a tear...and struts with DIGNITY... out the door.




c 2015/davedelacroix/our man in europe/Pavia-italia