Yesterday was Stella’s 81st birthday. Her son Luca and brother Francesco took her to a nice restaurant in Florence to celebrate. I know that what she wanted more than anything was to renew her driver’s license. A few days before I left, she tried to renew it online only to discover that she needed to scan a written certificaton from her doctor. She couldn’t remember her doctor’s name, not even after I suggested looking through her address book. She would have found it a few pages in, her doctor’s name began with the letter B, Bellandi. She decided to go anyway (without an appointment!) because she knew where the office was located. I drove her there, left her in the waiting room and walked around for about a half an hour.
When I picked her up she was still in the waiting room. She said let’s go home. I said did you see Doctor Bellandi? She mumbled that she would take care of it another day.
I left Pietrabuona on Oct 18th. I couldn’t write anything then about saying goodbye to her. It was really, really difficult to walk away, knowing that her son would leave at the end of the month and that she would be alone in the big villa once again. If I am lucky, I might see her again but I cannot hope to stay with her anymore. Those days are over. I just hope that she accepts her son’s help in making the transition to whatever comes next as smooth as possible. I hope he does it as kindly as possible. I did not ask about his plans, it's none of my business, but while I was there, he sold one of the farmhouses to the Dutch couple that has been coming there for years. He has several more.
I will miss my friend. I am happy that over the years we had a lot of laughs together, had some great conversations, shared common interests and many great meals. I am happy to have known her and that we totally enjoyed each other’s company, pure and simple.