My brother – 14th June.
At 7 years of his departure to heaven, I would like to recall the most
meaningful moments.
Not sharing much during childhood.
He was famous for his ‘’tests’’ as a toddler as mother used to say.
He suffered in silence my mother’s departure, not expressing much.
My brother used to get on with everybody on a superficial level.
Long brown hair when he was 14 years old, his style changed when
he grew up. Not particularly exceptional at school, he tried to do his best.
He studied hard in order to join the Army and gain a more stable spot in the
professional life.
Deep medical examinations needed in order to join the Army.
Judo performer since he was 15 years old.
My brother, on a sofa at father’s home, we used to watch the TV.
2 famous Italian comedians: Toto, to have a good laugh,
‘’Signori si nasce e Stronzi pure’’!
Another one the dumb ‘’Fracchia’’ an extremely compliant employee with
managers. Not particularly quarrelsome, he had only one big dispute
with an officer.
Settled down by formal excuses.
Conversation with my brother about supernatural phenomenon, passionate
about the subjects, he already questioned himself about life after death.
Science fiction books reader.
My brother used to recall him cooking French fries, peacefully
No comments.
No smoker, even less drinker.
He used to invite me to quit smoking gently.
My brother only asked me once if I had ever been engaged or in love,
I was 24.
Conversations on my brothers’ relationship with 2 or 3 colleagues, ‘’er secco’’,
they would become his best friends during the brief military career.
During the whole 8-year period lived in military barracks, very smooth
cohabitation.
They used to go from time to time to pizzerias.
Mild soccer follower.
My brother’s passion for hard rock ended soon for a softener kind of music to his ears.
Discreet type, he hardly ever gossiped about anybody.
My brother spent sometimes his holiday in Sicily, he used to see me weeping
quite often due the lack of chance in a more stable professional life.
Memories of New year night party in the USA, he was still single.
Spent, with my sister, and his husband.
My brother’s confession of a sudden crush he had for a Cuban single mother
girl, of Spanish origins, during one holiday in La Havana.
That crush was so intense that he wanted to repeat the tour, puzzled, he was secretly
medidating to leave the Army for a more fulfilling way of life with no constraints.
Typical single mother looking for a financial support for her daughter with no father.
I only asked him 1 question. Does she love you? No, she does not, he replied.
My brother, not extremely analytical in appearance, not expecting to be cuddled, former
military.
Chats with friends and fellows, reading about North America, caressing the idea of becoming
a pilot.
One day while travelling to Cuba, from Miami, his plane was actually diverted to Santo
Domingo.
Diverted to his destiny.
There, he was immediately welcomed to find a good accommodation during
his stay in Santo Domingo, welcomed by a young woman who was working at
a touristic village, later on hired by the Dutch embassy,
She was immediately seduced by my brother’s manners.
They would marry in 2 months.
My brother spent many years of his life in Santo Domingo.
worked at airlines used a tour operator certification to be
be hired by international airlines.
Life was tough, 2 daughters were born in those years.
Met him in Rome, during a terrible heatwave, patiently waiting
the permanent residence in Canada, using her wife side.
They became citizens of the country after 6 years.
My brother, we had a long interruption of correspondence during some years.
He showed me the pictures of the 2 beautiful daughters, he was very proud of.
He wanted the best for them as any parent would.
I landed myself in London, very deeply into the probation period training.
One morning received a sad email from him, constantly complaining
of upper bowel pain.
‘’I have cancer’’ pray for me.
for the local working authorities, he was supposed to work till
starting the Chemotherapy.
I wept that day.
My brother used to go playing or running on a park they have next to the building.
Used to sit on a bench watching squirrels, surfers and the high river’s waves,
thinking deeply about his future and his family.
Took my first holidays to go to see him.
Saw him.
I suddenly started swelling for the pain to see him.
Montreal General hospital- Home- Palliative cancer centre.
He took my hands when I saw him and asked him how he was.
‘’You can see it by yourself’’
He was surrounded by good colleagues, friends, and his wife was always there,
my sister.
He used to take pictures smiling, his face was getting leaner and leaner,
only small bones.
His upper bowel was removed. Morfine injections.
He might have regretted some actions in his life, perhaps.
Thoughtful in front of a lake.
He used to get up to go to the attic hospital terrace to watch the planes taking off
to beautiful destinations.
One overnight, a temporary portable bed was located next to his bed.
I spent my last night before taking off to London the day after.
My luggage was in the room.
Could barely sleep, I turned my body on the left side to get some sleep, thought he could
not see me.
He had the eyes shut.
He saw me, he wanted to imitate me, and turned his body on left side.
his gallbladder came out of the body, the hole he had.
A nurse was called.
I wept.
At least he tried.
He wanted to sleep like me on one side, he could not!
He kissed me on the cheek that morning, some tea and coffee were
brought in for him as breakfast.
In his pain he started following the flight Montreal London as he much enjoyed on the
Internet.
I discovered by accident that my brother was very much admired by women for his
kindness.
Once an Eastern European woman, working in a bank in Montreal sent him
a kiss with her lips and told him she loved him.
She was crying.
Few minutes before boarding the plane, I got a short text message from him:
‘’I love you sister, I do know we would not see each other again’’.
Acknowledgment arrived.
I woke up to go to work, and found out through Facebook messages, that he had passed away.
I shouted high,
Once in the office, the Manager, a lady, hugged me tight and said: ‘’I am sorry’’!
She checked the work contract carefully, and said that since he was a brother
I had the right to 5 working days paid.
Go home and rest.
Cry pray do what you feel like to.
Condolences , emails arrived from colleagues, hugs from 2 colleagues. Not Italians.
They were not in the office.
Not many relatives wrote me.
I kept much inside.
One or 2 acquaintances.
7 years had passed,since then
I’d rather remember him on a sofa laughing at Toto films: ‘’Signori si nasce e stronzi pure’’!
Signori bitte per andare dove dobbiamo andare, sil vous plaint, merci, danke,da dove dobbiamo andare!Ah ma lei parla italiano, complimenti, siamo in Italia,stronzi.
Sentite, the policeman said:’’if you want to go the psychiatric hospital, I will lead you the way !
I would rather remember his laughter at the 7 years anniversary of his departure!
Once last detail: my brother was circumcised, during his military job..