The Home - 36. Chapter 36

I walked into the Library, and Amo was reading the journal to little Vic in Italian. “Don’t you think he’s too young to learn Italian?”

“No, he needs to hear the sound of the language. I want his first words to be in Italian.” I just looked at Amo. He smiled back and went on reading the journal.

I told Amalia what he said. “There is nothing wrong with that. We will talk to him in Italian, and the boys will talk to him in English. By the time he is ready for school, he will be bilingual.”

And so it was. There are events in the life of a baby that a family will celebrate. The child’s first steps, their first word, and the acknowledgment of the family. By the time Vic was five years old, he had names for everyone. Mom and Dad became Nonna and Nonno, as well as Amalia’s mom and dad. Amo was Tio Amo, and he called Brad and Tom Tio’s, and Charley was Nonno. I thought he would become confused, but he didn’t.

The boys would take him to see the animals, and on Sunday’s he rode in the coach. We did buy him a puppy. He named him Dog.

When he turned six, Amalia was pregnant again. I was hoping for a girl, but I would accept any child Amalia and I had. Amilia’s parents decided to emigrate to America. Mom and Dad helped them to find a house in our town. They said their neighbor’s son in Italy was getting married and needed a home, so they took over the apartment.

At the appropriate time, Amalia presented me with twin girls, Angela Maria and Maria Angela. Brad and Tom teased me about having twins and what I must have done. They kept referring to a cannon versus a riffle. I knew what they meant. I would shake my finger at them whenever they said something about it must have taken a blast of gun powder. When I looked at them when they said that, “Tony, everyone knows that a rifle has one target, but a cannon can blast several targets.” I knew what they meant. To have twins, you needed to blast the target.

Now it was apparent Amalia needed help. The mom’s were there. If my mom wasn’t there, then Amalia’s mom was there. The guys acted as proud uncles. At the baptism of the girls, Brad and Tom stood for them. I think they popped the buttons on their shirts, puffing out their chests.

Another party at the Italian club, only this time I was a member. Uncle Angelo said that as a member of the family, I had to join. So I did, and now on occasions, we had dinner at the cub. I got Dad and Piero to join as well.

The boys received their Master’s degree and found jobs in different schools. Brad found a high school job in our county, and Tom found one in the next county. They were happy until they got news from home. The letter came to Charlie from one of his friends. Brad’s mother sold the farm and moved into an apartment in town. Charlie said the apartment complex is next to the church. I could tell Brad was upset about losing the farm. Charlie suggested they take a ride home and see what is happening. The boys were not in favor, “Charlie, there is nothing there for us anymore. Our lives are here.”

Charlie did go home and came back after three days. I was down in the wine cellar when he came to meet me. “That was a quick trip, Charlie?”

“Yes, The place doesn’t look the same. My old shop is closed, they are building apartments, and Brad’s farm was bought by a company that buys up farms to grow soybeans. They bought two other farms in the area. Brad was right; it isn’t home anymore.”

I felt sorry for them. The home they once knew no longer existed. Maybe that is a good thing, and they can put those memories to rest knowing that the final nail has been driven.

I did hire two young men to help on the farm. On one of his visits, our priest said there were two boys in the parish who are slightly retarded. Could I employ them to help on the farm?’

“Father, before I answer, I would like to meet the boys.”

“After Sunday mass, I’ll introduce you to them.”

At dinner that night, I mentioned that Father asked me to consider hiring two boys to work the farm. “Tony, Brad, and I can handle the farm. You don’t need any extra help.”

“I don’t think that was Father’s intent. There is another reason, and we will meet the lads after Mass on Sunday.

Following Mass on Sunday, there is a coffee hour. During this time, he introduced the boys to me. “Tony, this is Peter and this John. They are the boys I told you about.”

Now I was sure Father’s intent to find work for these boys was to find a home for them. He gave me an envelope, “Tony, read this tonight and let me know tomorrow.” I looked at Brad and Tom, tilted my head to the boys; that was all it took.

That evening I read the papers that Father gave me. The boys are slightly retarded. They passed high school, but they were at the bottom of their class. I read a letter from the principal of their school. The paper indicated they were exasperated because there was nothing more they could do. The boys would be in school until they reached 18, and then they would dismiss them. I showed the paperl to Brad and Tom. “Read this and let me know your comments”

It was Saturday when Brad told me he and Tom wanted to talk to the boys. I called Father and told him what Bad and Tom wanted to speak to the boys. I suggested that they come to the farm for lunch.