-
Marisa Parker
a book bubble about
Goodbye to Italia
Biographies & Memoirs
Author Insight
Such a Character
If I’d tried to create a character in a story like my Italian father, some of things he did and said would have been thought of as exaggerated. That was my father though, larger than life. Even when I was writing the first book of my family’s history, my father’s character kept pushing aside my mum’s experiences as they lived through and survived World War 2. It’s not to say that’s a bad thing; it’s just that he always seemed to be such a force and his charismatic ways soon won people around. Even as a Prisoner of War, he could not contain himself. Such as when he came up with an idea to play on visiting soldiers; he knows the consequences should he and a few compatriots get caught but life is to be lived … right? And after all, it was more about raising the morale of those around him so, he really was just doing a good thing in the end!
Book Excerpt
Goodbye to Italia
When we are singled out by one of the guards to help pitch extra tents in an area that is to be cordoned off, I practise my English whilst finding out a few facts. Nonchalantly I ask, ‘Are we getting more POWs?’
‘No. This is to be a forty-eight hour transit area for a division of our soldiers on their way to the front line.’ I nod interestedly and ponder how to act on receipt of this information.
‘These soldiers who will be visiting with us will be going to the front line. They will be fighting against and killing Italian and French soldiers,’ I relay to my tent buddies that night. ‘I don’t think we should make them feel too welcome, do you?’
A few sniggers greet my statement. ‘What do you have in mind?’
‘Just a little joke … they may control our money but they cannot control everything!’
Much later that night, we slink out and walk quietly to the cordoned off area. The toilets are located at the back of the tents. Although we run the risk of getting into a lot of trouble, we have decided to nail down the wooden toilet lids. A petty trick indeed but oh so gleefully do we attend to this task! Of course, we have to wait until at least mid-morning the next day to see the fruits of our labour. Only a few of us are in on this trick but the anticipation is exciting and nerve-wracking.
Amazon
Barnes&Noble
Click Follow to receive emails when this author adds content on Bublish
Comment on this Bubble
Your comment and a link to this bubble will also appear in your Facebook feed.