ALBY&SY years 1999-2004

Alby was his name- short-

He nicknamed me Sy.

We ‘’met’’ in the classroom. English course for him to become a better seller.

He had completed school until the age of 18, no intention to go further to university.

He was living with his parents-when we met-both civil servants.

I will skip this not essential information for now.

Alby- sitting silently along with others- with a sudden laughter from time to time, not at me, WITH ME.

Alby felt me- he used to remain after lessons in the evening- to watch my face- and ask 1 or 3 questions, not private ones.

Alby-a bit overweight-very dark curly hair and hazel eyes. Scooter driver- or company car.

After 1 year- he remained a bit longer- and taught me something- I knew already: attraction or ‘’love’’ start by touching hands- he never kissed me.

Do not touch their hands- Alby- he showed me his hand and invited me to admit him something: ‘’Sy you want to make love to me’’ he guessed right.

No flirting, no joke.

He was only 23.

I put my hand on his- and laughed. No flirting- no joke with me.

A relationship that seemed like ‘’one night stand’’ lasted years, planned in details: no pregnancies- no surprises- no wedding- no civil partnership.

Passion-

I started living on my own- with a salary of barely 700 euros a month- sometimes 800. A trial: on one condition, Alby- comes and goes. No cooking- small chat and within 3  or 4 hour time should go back to his parents, who needed him most.

I was in love- I thought- perhaps- emotionally involved-

I was used to be surrounded by many men- mainly married, not only. No one ever provoked me not even the weakest emotion- nothing.

Crystal clear.

Dark curly hair- hazel eyes- planned a relationship that looked ‘’mad’ ’yet, planned in details.

Gossiping started in the school I used to teach in. I started disguising myself more- no cuddling- no smiles- no winking- no nothing.

I learned that I started weeping- which was fine- sometimes he did too.

Alby started sitting after sex or before at my living table- chatting and smoking his loved Marlboro cigarettes.

He had been a blood donor for many years- at one of the most important hospitals in Palermo.

Everything looked mad from ‘’outside’ but it was rationalised in details. No clothes here and there.

He respected my ‘’expensive ‘’ 2 room flat, in the historical Palermo city centre.

Alby used to say- Sy- great passion- LOVE?

Not a searched relationship- never- I was not looking for any ‘’partner’’ what for?

For the Italian standards- he was not my ‘’lover’’ both unmarried. You come here when both want and you go. No alcohol. No need-

He used to send text messages on my mobile number telling me that he had to go to donate blood- he had the less common blood type- he could donate – easily-

Alby used to travel by car- ‘’company car’’ sales.

He was often stupefied I could not find a better job option. Those were the discussions we used to have while sitting at the living room table.

Alby used to call me Sy- that was my nickname for him- and ‘’Joy’’ in Italian. He used to offer me his hand before our encounter.

No kisses- only big hugs.

One query came up to my mind in those days: ‘’are the so-called girlfriends good to share your love life with’’? Or they are mostly deleterious.

Alby used to go to disco dancing- the 90’s 3 times a year.

Many unpleasant events happened related to job search- on both sides.

First mine.

Ended up in East Germany- Spain IT training- the people I met- made easily assumptions that I had been abused by a man in Sicily- never ever.

Assumptions made by one or two project managers- Swiss both of them- sitting with their wonderful laptops on their legs- drinking beer.

Alby and I kept on writing for another year: he flew to London. Morden area sharing a flat with 2 Italian young men- Northern line every morning.

‘’JOY’’ he used to call me- and ‘’bitch’’ with great affection. I had wept so much for a love with no future: already decided.

Alby and I- met in 2016 at his home- at Morden-London backyard- month of June- happily warm-

‘’This time I kiss you on your cheek- since I do not feel anything’’ and I thought: neither did I’’.

The Polish wife was not present, sent to Poland with the daughter.  Alby showed me his 2-floor home in Morden- 1 room for her wife’s teenager child- she was abandoned pregnant in Poland.

We spoke for 3 hours or so: he had fallen in love in the year 2014 of her beautiful Polish eyes- ‘’for your eyes only’’. Married in Warsaw- Catholic church.

No one single word about the wife- ‘’for your eyes only’’.

I made a big mistake asking for help to find an accommodation in Morden- as he promised me in a phone call.

The wife I found out ended up in London many years earlier working for a clinic as obstetrician.

She was eventually dismissed. Health care for ‘’pregnant women’’

He guessed right when he said that I was not in love. ‘’London is madhouse’’ in Italian he said.

‘’if I could, I would go elsewhere.

Alby worked in casinos-

What did I learn? Love can be seen- not guessed- seen.

Sitting in his backyard- at the table smoking as ‘’2 old friends we were actually, not’’.

One particular event both his parents passed away to the so called ‘’heaven’’ for the same disease in Palermo: Alzheimer.

They had a carer from the hospital at home-not him for sure- neither his brother or sister.

Alby&Sy our last call dates back to the year 2019: I was in Tech Mahindra’s office.

Phone call in English: Hello, how are you?

ALBY&Sy

Once upon a time- the unexpected.