Agli amici di quel tempo

‘Hello?’

‘ Hello? Who is it? ’

‘Who’s calling?’

‘ I want to speak to Senator Rossi.’

‘Speaking.’

‘ Ah, it’s you, Senator? Forgive me! These phones make everyone sound like anyone, or rather no one. This is Antonio Crepi.’

‘Commendatore! What a pleasure! Are you here in Rome?’

‘ In Rome? God forbid! No no. I’m in Perugia. At home, at the villa. You remember it? ’

‘But of course, of course. Of course.’

‘ When my eldest boy married.’

‘Exactly. Precisely. An unforgettable occasion. A wonderful couple. How are they both?’

‘ I don’t see that much of them. Corrado’s moved to Milan and Annalisa’s seeing some footballer, or so they tell me. Our paths don’t cross very often.’

‘Ah, what a shame.’

‘ These things happen nowadays! I don’t really give a damn any more. At our age it’s absurd to go on pretending. Let them do what they like. Just as long as I’ve got my vines and my olives, and one or two friends I can still talk to. People I understand and who understand me. You know what I’m talking about? ’

‘Of course, of course! Friendship is the most important thing in life, I always say. No question about that.’

‘ I’m glad to hear you say so. Because the fact is I’m phoning to ask for your help on behalf of a friend. A mutual friend. I’m talking about Ruggiero Miletti.’

‘Ah. A tragic business.’

‘ Do you know how long it has been now? ’

‘Shocking.’

‘ Nearly four and a half months. A hundred and thirty-seven days and nights of agony for the Miletti family and for all their friends. To say nothing of Ruggiero himself.’

‘Horrible.’

‘ A man as old as you or I, Senator, chained up in some shack in the mountains, in this bitter weather, at the mercy of a gang of callous bandits! ’