Essay - Travels
- No.4
The lost article contest -
many luggageIt was spring in 1999. We, tomi and yasu (me), were favored with a perfectly clear blue sky in Zermatt, and enjoyed pleasant skiing with the Matterhorn in the background. Our long-cherished wish was fulfilled, we crossed the border into Italy and experienced skiing with cheerful Italian in Cervinia. After we fully satisfied the first half of our spring holiday, we went to Venice where we had longed to visit.
We were jolted on the gondola which was managed skillfully with listening canzone. In a church, we felt ascension with listening sound of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. I met with a red goblet I had longed for since I watched Summertime. We also got a bewitchingly mask with which we could participate in the masquerade. An glass artisan made necklace and cat ornament in an instant, and I was presented them, round-eyed with delight and amazement. We had a luxurious dinner in Hotel Gritti Palace which Hemingway loved. At the last day, our trunk was bursting with many pleasant memories.
Our train arrived at Milano airport and we each carried bag and trunk under our arm and got off the train. Tomi-yasu tour's principles is "Enjoy untill the very last minute". When we discovered that we had left the important thing on the rack, our plane just before take off. In a fluster, we asked kindly staff to report lost property in the Zurich airport where we changed plane, but... It is daily happenings that car is stolen, and even warship was stolen in Italy. "If Switzerland, you'd find it..." We would never get that and started on our way home.
There's a telephone callAs soon as we came back to Japan, our acquaintance Mr. K with his family left for Italy to study. We told him, such and such, the whole story of what has happened with feeling like clutching even at straws, and asked him to go looking for. Since then, one month have passed, and two month... As it reminded us of despair, it didn't even became the talk of us. One day the telephone rang somewhat lightly "rrring".
"This is Narita airport Custom House. We are keeping a parcel post to you from Italy. Will you received?" There was no reason not to receive. "O, o, of course! Please send in a hurry!" "Incredible! A miracle happen!" If usually we are profane, God and Buddha certainly exist. Besides, the day miracle ring rang was the day before our wedding anniversary. How wonderful we recieve present from Italy!
The next day, of course, we invited our friends and toast, toast and toast. Two days later, we went to a hot spring in a leisurely and thanked our happiness. Our benefactor Mr. K who went to asked milano station and found it admirably told us later. He gave an explanation to Italian who accompanied him. And Italian laughingly said "It is 100% impossible to find."Maybe we are the luckiest in the world. Should we mend our ways and accumulate good deeds." we reinforced our determination.
By the way, the lost thing we left on the rack is... We both took an immediate fancy at first glance. Then we returned our hotel and scraped up all the money. And we bought with feeling like taking a leap in the dark. It was an oil painting. A brightly and happy painting as if it was painted for us is hanging on the wall in our office.
There's also something more to this story. Three years have passed since then, Mr. K sent us e-mail from Milano for our wedding anniversary. He said this painting was "the mythical image" by Umberto Mastroianni who was 1989 laureate of sculpture category of the praemium imperiale and was the late actor Marcello Mastroianni's uncle.
written by Peco, illustrated and translated by Poco
