Alleys
Palermo, April 22, 2010
Dear Rose,
almost six months I wrote last time, but a lot of things have happened.
I no longer work in Mr. Gianni’s bar.
My grandmother knew the Bar of Mr. Gianni, poor man, not earning enough money, and I worked in the bar because he did a favor to her. Granny Told me that and I left the job because it does not seem right that Mr. Gianni must maintain me. Then, I am young and I can find another job.
So I thought.
The truth is, sister, that finding a job is difficult. Almost two months that I have not found anything, but maybe now I have found it. Mr. Gianni introduced me to Mr Liborio, a customer of the bar that lives in Arenella too. He needs a person for his hardware store who knows things he sells. I have to go there at weekend, sis, I hope to get the job!
In these two months I have done many things I look for a job, I knocked on a lot of doors, shops, artisans. I’ve even been on the periphery. I went to Mondello, Borgo Vecchio, Falsomiele, I shot a lot. I also did many walks and I was able to see goodArenella. I shot far and wide. Wonderful.
There are few roads and many alleys. The streets are narrow and cars have difficulty in moving.
I like the smell of backstreet Arenella.
At all times the streets smell like laundry and bathing .This is because houses are small and do not have backyards, so the houses face the streets or alleys. People hang out the laundry to dry. By late morning it feels good smell of the paste. All cooked pasta. Some eat only this. At early-night you feel the smell of cooked fish. It seems that everyone always eat fish, sis. The afternoon passed the sfincionaro with lapino selling sfincione. It looks like a pizza but is much more greasy. It’s really good and makes a great perfume. Onion, anchovies, caciocavallo cheese. Excellent and very very greasy!
I like the sounds of backstreet Arenella.
By day you so not hear the noise of cars in the alleys. The sounds you hear are those of mothers who complain that children, those who weep, children who play soccer. All day. The morning and afternoon pass street vendors. And all scream, loudly.
Each has its own way of shouting: The one that sells salt, greengrocers, and even the sfincionaro who screams: “u ùara sfuinnavi, ùara. Chistu is sfinciuni turnover ra beautiful vìaru” [Translate: "I have now churned out, now. Sfincione this is cooked in a sublime way "]. Beautiful, sis!
The evening, near the alleys, There are boys running with scooters. Have fun. But are very loud. They setup the engine, changing candal and the mufflers. I do not understand anything about engine stuffs and I’m to old to play with that too. Then I do not understand why they spend all their time running down the same street and They did not go around the town.
Alleys leads to the sea. The sea has the most beautiful bouquet of everything and gets inside you like to clean up the gut from all the crap we breathe. The sea sounds good and t seems it’s talking to you and makes you feel good, relaxed.
Alleys, noise, smells and the sea: Arenella.
Love
Frankie