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Back                  Easter Lovat  cont.....
 

Robbie left the busy warmth of the kitchen and rehearsed what he would say to Antonio on the way to the grain barn. As soon as he dragged open the huge wooden door, the smell of the stored oats and barley reminded him that he must feed the horses before tea. It was perfectly quiet and still inside. When his eyes had adjusted a little to the gloomy light he made his way across the stone floor, kicking clumps of chaff as he went. He stood in front of the small room and knocked on Antonio's door. No answer.
What to do? He knocked again. Louder this time. Still no answer. Should he go away or should he open the door? He knew he should really leave and return but he couldn't resist pushing the door ajar just enough for him to squeeze around it. In the dim light he saw Antonio lying on the bed. Now what to do. Should he wake him or leave him?
Robbie's eyes wandered around the room and settled on the photograph and then the medallion on the mantelpiece. He could not resist having a closer look... then he would go away and come back later to invite Antonio to his party. He crept softly towards the fireplace and picked up the tatty black and white photograph crowded with people. It was grainy and the figures were difficult to see in the dim light so he put it back and picked up the round, shiny, medallion thing. It was quite heavy and about the size of a half-crown. He held it up to the light to get a better view of the picture and writing on it. Robbie spelt out the letters one by one - S-a-n F-r-a-n-c-e-s-c-o d'A-s-s-i-s-i. The words made no sense to him. He looked again and saw that in the middle was a picture of a man in long robes reaching down to touch, what looked like a dog. There were birds all around this man and he had no shoes.
He had never seen anything like it before, he wished he could see it in a better light but he should put it back now and ask Antonio about it later when he wakes. Replacing the medal carefully on the mantelpiece, Robbie took one more look at the sleeping man and walked towards the door. Just as his hand gripped the door handle, a voice called his name. Robbie started and turned around. Antonio heaved himself to sitting, swinging his feet to the floor and rubbing his eyes with his knuckles. The soldier said nothing so Robbie filled the awkward silence.
"Hello Antonio. I'm sorry to wake you from your sleep but I just came to invite you to my birthday party this evening. Would you like to come?" "Grazie Robbie. I like to come if that is well with your parents." Robbie giggled at the man's odd use of words. "What does 'grazie' mean?"
"It means 'thank you' and 'per favore' means 'please'. Buon compleanno Robbie" "What does that mean?" "Happy birthday, Robbie." "Gra-si"
"Bene Robbie. You will be speaking Italian soon, si" Robbie blushed. Wanting to change the subject, he asked Antonio if there was anything he needed. The soldier bowed his head, he needed to go home to his family; he needed to see the hills of Umbria and the old streets of Gubbio with its houses of rosy-pink stone and orange-tiled roofs. He shook his head and Robbie felt it was time to go. He was starting to back out of the little room when Antonio looked up, "Robbie please, where is the place where I can wash and... and the toilet?" "Come with me and I'll show you. It's just round the back of the stables." Picking up his towel and soap bag, Antonio followed the boy into the growing gloom of an autumn afternoon..

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