Granddad and the King

Cherry

By luigi_pagano

Tue, 03 Sep 2019
  • 1572 reads
6 comments
 
Dear Granddad,
 
I never met you as I wasn't yet born when you died. But I know you through your photograph and what my father told me about you.
 
In front of me I have a sepia portrait. You are staring at the lenses of the camera with a solemn expression and a handlebar moustache that reminds me of King Umberto I whom you very much resemble. If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn you were twins.
 
The localities were you two were born are so far apart that the possibility that you were related is out of the question. His birthplace was Turin whereas your place of origin is a small village in the South of the Italian peninsula.
 
The only connection I can think of is the Carabinieri, the police force that was formed to protect the monarch and to which you belonged.
Whether you were a commanding officer or a soldier I was never able to ascertain.
 
Seeing your photograph again prompted me to read up on the period of your life to see what was going on at the time.
The first thing I came across was a cartoon that a satirical Italian magazine published in 1861 showing three politicians sheltering from the pouring rain saying “Governo ladro, piove” which implied that the the blame for the downpour lay with government.
 
It is surprising that even as far back as that the tendency was to criticise those in power for everything that went wrong just as we do nowadays.
 
Another fact that caught my eye was the uncertainty, the turmoil and violence that occurred in those days – even though that era came to be known as the belle époque - with the number of fatal attacks by anarchists just as it happens today throughout the world with fanatic terrorists.
 
Luckily you lived to tell the tale unlike poor Umberto who lost his life at the hands of an anarchist, shot four times.
 

I am sure that if I dig enough I'll find more parallel examples between your generation and mine and, were we able to travel in time, we could be sitting face to face complaining of the incompetence of our bureaucrats and worrying about the future.

As Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr said, plus ça change plus c'est la même chose.

 
© Luigi Pagano 2019
Certificate U
Story
Just Stories
Historical Fiction
Biography
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

An interesting dig into the time and the culture. And a reminder that the same problems of the human heart always rear themselves, both the little grumbles and accusations, and the bigger violence. And also the humour. 'What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again.''Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before, and God will call the past to account' (Ecclesiastes 1:9; 3:15)

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

It is amazing how events keep recurring throughout the ages. Even though we know the tragic consequences of wars, conflicts still flare up in certain areas of the world with the opposing sides each claiming the moral high ground.
We hear the mantra that 'lessons will be learned' but the expression seems to have become meaningless. An iron fist is used instead of resolving problems in a sensible and reasonable way.
We are unable to break this recurrent cycle.

And yet, against the odds, I am an optimist who believes in a peaceful co-existence. A saving grace is that we are able to laugh at ourselves and satire can be a formidable weapon in exposing and ridiculing attitudes and behaviours.

Thanks for your enlightening reply, Rhiannon.

Luigi x

 

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Very interesting - thank you Luigi. You've highlighted some excellent parallels. I thought while reading that the picture you used was that of your grandfather - didn't realise til afterwards that it was the king - that is certainly a moustache and a half that he has there! 

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

It is always a pleasant surprise to see a pair of red cherries at the top of the page because they are a confirmation that one's efforts have been quite effective and act as a boost to one's creativity.
Thanks for these.
The picture that I used is to illustrate my perceived resemblance of my grandfather to that monarch, emphasised by that bushy moustache that was à la mode in that century. This is also a parallel example as facial hair is in fashion once again.

Luigi x

PS My eagle eyed wife informs me that on the seventh line I have dropped an 'h'. My apologies for the typo and wonder if it is worth editing the piece to amend the word.

 

 

Submitted by forest_for_ever on

I learned much from your letter and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Well done

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

It's heartening to know that history can still teach us some lessons. Glad that you too benefited from that knowledge, Graham.

Best, Luigi