THE PAZIENZA BROS

“That September morning my parents were going to San Severo in Dad’s Opel Manta, leaving Mom’s blue Fiat 500 in San Menaio, and they would be back late. […]

“Andrea said he had been inspired, at least in part, by a childhood friend for the character of Zanardi.
I know very well whom he was alluding to. […]

“The two episodes I am about to tell are almost carbon copies of each other, except for the places and a few details.
As for whether it is appropriate to make these memories public, I will leave any reflection for later, although I am convinced that “history” should never be hidden.[…]

“Until he was fourteen, Andrea was a very shy and insecure boy, unable to assert himself among his peers, fully reflecting his frail appearance and melancholy gaze. Even though I was younger, in the family I was the one who enjoyed my parents’ trust and […]

“Andrea’s interest in and attraction to animals were always extremely deep, as his work bears witness: from his first childhood drawings to his last story about the dog Astarte. […]

“Across the road from the new house in San Menaio lived the schoolteacher Dattoli. His house was – and still is – a squared two-story building from the early twentieth century, with a large garden of citrus and fruit trees, palms and vines. […]

“It was spring 1978. At that time I was studying in the old house in San Menaio, preparing for the exam in “Principles of Political Economy and Statistics”. My parents might come from San Severo for the weekend, staying in the new house, and Andrea from Rome. […]

“Over the years, in my opinion, Andrea’s involvement has been somewhat exaggerated in these activities. So I would like to clarify a few things. […]