Episode 15: Papa’s Letter
To friends and acquaintances, my father was a wonderful storyteller, who could make you laugh with his impersonations of those he found fault with. They also found him to be very cordial, generous and kind.
To us, his children, and our mother, he was all those things in the presence of those acquaintances, but we also knew he was the king of the roost, and the final say in all things concerning anything we wished to do. We knew him as the taskmaster who required us to report to him as soon as we got home from school, so that he could assign some dreadful chore or other for us to perform. He was never abusive physically but demanded respect and obedience. He did not shower his children with hugs or other words or signs of affection, altough we knew he loved us. We hardly ever saw him be affectionate to Mama, but we knew he would never allow any harm to come to her.
I tell you all this, because after Mama’s death, among her few small possessions hidden in her dresser drawer, we found a letter written to her many years before. Yes, a love letter from Papa to her, when he courted her in Molfetta, Italy. The letter made us aware that this hardworking, demanding taskmaster was once also a young man, very much in love, and able to profess that love with words….
11 February 1920
My dear Pasqualina,
I was fortunate to receive yesterday a letter from you filled with such sweet and wonderful words. I am so happy that you are writing to me, and I’m more than willing to approach first your father, as well as your brother Damiano and tell them what I feel in my soul. I’m very grateful for the good will that you show me. Thus, I hope that I will be welcomed into the bosom of your whole family.
We are hoping that my mother will recover as soon as possible so that she may come with me to visit your family.
Pasqualina, love me truly, just as I love you madly, and believe that some day we shall be together for all infinite eternity.
From the depth of my heart I send you my most sincere greetings.
Your beloved,
Gaetano
Special thanks to Caterina Rella for translating Gaetano’s letter from Italian to English.
