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My rental car broke down. It was a not-so-perfect ending to almost a perfect day in Lari, Tuscany.
The mechanic wouldn’t be able to repair the car until the morning. I had nowhere to stay for the night.
I made the half an hour’s car journey from Pisa to see this beautiful medieval village. On the way, I saw beautiful rolling hills, olive groves, vineyards and cypress trees Tuscany was famous for.
The Cherry Festival was taking place in the village of Lari. There were baskets of delicious, mouth-watering cherries everywhere. The local farmers said it had been a good year for harvest. I spent my morning tasting the juicy fruits, and my lips were soon the color of the bright red cherries.
I walked through the charming hamlet of Lari, taking in the sight of ocher-colored buildings. The village even had a hilltop castle, rumored to have a few ghosts. There was nothing like a ghost story to make a castle visit even more thrilling.
The Castle of the Vicegerents of Lari was an old castle, dating all the way back to the early Middle Ages. I climbed some stairs to get up as the castle was on top of a massive rock. Once I reached the top, I saw a breathtaking view of the Tuscan countryside. I even spotted the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the distance!
I didn’t know I needed a cheese cave in my life until I visited Antica Grotta di Stagionatura. The cave was carved into Lari’s rock and had a cheese tasting room at the front. I was hungry after seeing the cave with hundreds of whole cheese rounds of Pecorino. Pecorino’s earthy aroma was hard to resist, it was made of sheep’s milk and had a nice tangy, salty flavor.
I saw pasta handcrafted at Pastificio Martelli. It was fascinating to see pasta being made slowly with the vintage machine. This pasta had a rough texture. I was told the way to identify traditional pasta was with its texture. Traditional pasta tasted better because ‘the sauce held better’.
“What did that mean?” I asked. The pasta expert replied, “It just meant divine pasta dishes!”
The day in Lira had been idyllic. Then my car broke down.
I needed a place to stay. They booked all the rooms for miles around because of the cherry festival. I was in Italy and it was vacation season. I needed a place to stay in short notice. Was I expecting a miracle?
It was time to do the house search the manual way. I looked for signs showing places vacant for rent, but I didn’t come across any For Rent signs all day.
If I couldn’t find a place to stay by sundown, I could just spend the night in my rental car?
It wasn’t ideal, but it was something. Just as I lost hope of finding a place in time, I saw a small sign.
For Rent. Girls only.
Go to the house at the end of town. Contact Sophia Valentina.
Interesting. I was a girl looking for a place to stay... it seemed to work out for me. I disregarded the creepy feeling the sign was giving off. I needed to find this house.
I finally located it. Hidden behind a large hedge fence, an unkempt front yard of weeds and dandelions, and a gigantic tree was the decrepit-looking house. I pushed open the rusty gate. A kid that was passing by the lonely house stopped to give me a warning.
“You are not going in there. I hope? The Strega lives there!”
I thought I misheard him, as Strega was Italian for a witch or sorceress.
“Did you say Strega?” I asked to make sure I heard him correctly.
“Si! Anyone who goes in the house turns mad, especially if they go in the west room.”
“Oh, I see, thanks.”
What was I to do?
Do I believe the kid? His warning matched the vibe of the house. Do I take a chance?
I wanted to ask another adult before jumping to conclusions, but the problem was, there weren’t many people around.
I kept walking until I saw an elderly lady ahead of me. She was limping and was having a hard time keeping pace with her dog. The dog looked more like a dark wolf than a cute furry dog. The dog broke off from his leash and sped away like lightning. The lady called him and tried to follow him, but couldn’t because of her limping.
“Hunter! Hunter! Come back here! Hunter!” The elderly lady cried.
“I will go get your dog for you! He is Hunter, right?”
I didn’t stop to hear her answer as I ran after the dog. It seemed like he hadn’t run in ages and was savoring his sudden freedom.
He was running as if the winds carried him, his paws barely touching the ground. When he stopped to examine a squirrel on a tree, I finally caught up to him. He reminded me of Buddy, even though the two couldn’t be more different.
“Hunter... good dog. Let us go back home.”
Hunter looked at me and growled. He bared his teeth at me.
He was looking more like an angry wolf by the second. I should have asked first if Hunter was a friendly dog.
“Easy there, Hunter. I came to take you home. Let us go home? Your mom is waiting for you...”
At the sound of mom, Hunter stopped growling. He looked at me once before taking off, but this time he ran in the lady’s direction.
God... I hoped he went back home.
I went where I had last seen Hunter’s owner, hoping he had made it back to her.
When I returned to the spot, neither of them were there. Were they an apparition? I didn’t even have time to check with her if the vacant house was safe to stay in.
I had no choice but to see Sophia Valentina myself before deciding. I went back to the decrepit house, opened the creaky metal door (didn’t I already open it?), took the steps on the old shaky porch to knock on the front door.
The door was covered in ivy. There was no doorbell, so I kept knocking.
I heard someone’s steps come closer to the door.
“Who is it?”
“I am Eleanor... a traveller looking for a place to stay. Is Sophia Valentina in? I would like to talk to her.”
At the sound of the name, I heard a dog barking. The door opened, and inside was the same elderly lady I had seen limping on the road. Hunter’s owner. Hunter also comes outside and was growling again.
“I am Sophia Valentina,” said the lady. So, she was the witch the kid had talked about? She didn’t look dangerous, perhaps sad... but looks can deceive.
“Since you helped me with Hunter earlier, I will let you stay for free as long as you like. The only condition being that you will stay out of the west room upstairs.”
The west room? That was the mysterious room that the kid mentioned. So far, his unlikely story was looking to be true. I thought about making an excuse and look for a less ominous accommodation, when I heard the pitter-patter of raindrops.
A big raindrop falls on my head. Where did the sudden rainstorm come from? I hadn’t seen a single cloud moments ago. Was this some form of magic?
There is an Italian saying: La superstizione porta sfortuna. Superstition brings misfortune, so I rather not be superstitious.
I couldn’t stay outside in the storm any longer. I hastily agreed with Sophia’s terms and entered her house. It was a dusty place filled with many antique furnitures and ornaments. The rooms were surprisingly cozy.
Hunter growled at me when I entered the house but Sophia hushed him saying, “Hunter, she is our guest. Be on your best behavior.” She must have said the magic words because Hunter transformed from an angry dark wolf to almost a happy looking-dog.
“Would you like some tea? It might help to keep any chills away,” Sophia offered.
What if she gave me a potion?
“I would like that!” were the words that came out of my mouth. I internally groaned at my knee-jerk response. Did I have a death wish?
“I will have some too. It might help with my arthritis,” Sophia said, rubbing her knees.
I felt silly for thinking Sophia was a witch. She just was a kind old lady, perhaps misunderstood.
“Dear, I didn’t ask your name?”
“I am Eleanor James. I am here as a traveler,” I replied.
“Are you alone? Do you have family with you?”
“I came alone on this trip. My parents were busy at work.”
“Oh, I see... where have you travelled so far?”
It was just the question a traveler would love to hear. I told Sophia about all I had seen and the people I met. I even told her about the fortune that I received in Japan.
“That is quite some travels, Eleanor. You seem to be a bright young lady who knows what she wants.”
If only I did, but it was kind of her to say that.
“I am in love with travelling, Sophia, even if I don’t meet the love of my life as my fortune foretold in Japan.”
“Have you ever been in love? It might be different from what you expect.”
“No, I can’t say that I have. It would be obvious, wouldn’t it? I wouldn’t hesitate to say it or stop to consider if I loved someone, for instance.”
“Yes, there would be no doubt.”
“I know my best friend Cassie has been in love. I can tell she thinks and talks about John. I hope they meet and get together again. She hasn’t been the same since.”
“Are they not together anymore?”
“No, they drifted apart once he moved. I don’t know the full reason.”
“How is your friend different?”
“She walks and talks the same, but her heart and mind seem to drift off, like she is lost in a memory. I thought love was the best thing that can happen to a person... now I am not so sure.”
“You are not wrong, dear. It is the best thing that can happen to a person... that is why it can make the loss harder for a person.”
Talking to Sophia was like talking to my grandma again. I missed her so much.
“I am only talking about myself. What about you, Sophia? Where is your family?”
“It is just myself for now, though my niece will join me soon after she retires. She is a nurse who works in the city. She comes by when she has time off from work.”
So Sophia was alone? That would explain the unkempt front yard, but that still didn’t explain why the neighborhood kids called her a witch.
“I will feel bad for staying for free. Can I at least do the front yard while I am here?” I asked Sophia.
“If it makes you feel better about it, then you can, however, I do not expect you to do anything at all. You are our guest. Is she not Hunter?”
Hunter wags his tail. It seems he accepted me at last.
I stayed the night in my room. I was careful not to go anywhere near the west room. I did not want to hurt Sophia by breaking my promise.
It was quiet in the house. I could only hear the winds howling outside. When all was silent and the winds died down, I thought I heard crying coming from somewhere? I quietly got up and out of my room into the hallway... the noise was coming from the west room. I was tempted to go see inside the room. Who was crying?
Hunter was sleeping in front of the same room I wanted to check out. Perhaps I should leave it be? The crying had stopped. Maybe it was just the wind again? I remembered I had promised Sophia.
Sigh. I hoped I could discover the mystery of the room before I leave.
The next morning was a lovely sunny day. I set my sight on taming the front yard. I couldn’t locate a mower, but I found some shears that were usable and not yet rusted. Sophia came with snacks and lemonade throughout the day. By evening, the lawn was visible, and no longer hidden behind weeds and untamed growths.
I spend the evening taking Hunter for a walk. He refused to trust me at first. When Sophia told him ‘to be a good boy and listen to Eleanor’, he didn’t once give me any trouble after that.
My rental car was fixed. I could leave right away if I wanted, but my heart stopped me from leaving Sophia sooner. I wanted to stay a few more days.
I got a few potted flowers from the nearby flower shop to decorate the porch area. The old, sad house almost looked happy again.
The neighborhood kids gathered around the house and asked who I was. I said I was visiting my grandma, who made the best cookies in the world. Word spread quickly and a gang of kids started hanging by the front gate, hoping to score some delicious cookies. They even volunteered to help clean up the house downstairs, but I allowed no one else to go inside. Hunter barked at the kid, but when I told him not to, he listened. He even played with the kids.
It was the last day of my stay at Sophia. I told her how much I was going to miss her and Hunter. I hoped her niece would come back soon to give her company.
“I always have someone to keep me company,” Sophia said. “Before you go, I wanted to show you something. Come with me, dear.”
I followed Sophia as she headed upstairs towards the west room. What did she mean, she always had someone to keep her company? Did she mean Hunter or was there someone else? What was in the west room?
She opened the door. I saw a glimpse of the room, unlike the other ornamented rooms, it was sparsely furnished. The west room had a bed, a table and a chair.
There were some things on the table. A picture of a young man in uniform, along with a medal and a folded flag. There was another one of a young couple. The beautiful girl was Sophia in her youth. There were also some letters in envelopes, piled neatly on the side.
“I want you to meet Francis,” Sophia said as she handed me the portrait of the young man. It was an old picture, sepia in color and fading slightly with age. Francis was in an army uniform.
“Who is he?”
“He was the love of my life.”
“What happened to him?”
“He went overseas, promising me he will come back one day... but all that returned were these letters and this.” She handed me the medal.
I read the inscription on the medal: Sgt. Francis Kirk, for sacrificing his life in service for his country.
“I am so sorry, Sophia,” I said, overwhelmed.
“I have Francis’ letters to keep me company all these years. You can look at them, if you like to. I will leave them for you, but I think I will go to bed now. Good night, Eleanor.”
“Good night, Sophia,” I said.
I spend the night reading the letters. I couldn’t tell the dates on either the letters or the medal as they were faint.
The letters were the love story of Sophia and Francis. They hoped for a future together after Francis returned from his military service. The last letter was an official letter detailing how Francis died. Sophia’s letter was discovered in his breast pocket.
I felt a sharp pain in my heart and felt myself on the verge of tears. A tear dropped on the table and glistened like a small round pearl on the wooden surface.
It had been Sophia who I heard crying that night? I remembered the words: Se non hai mai pianto, i tuoi occhi non possono essere belli.
Sophia was such a beautiful person. After all this time, she still loved Francis and kept him alive in her heart and thoughts. They had so much hope for their future together. This was heartbreaking.
I placed the picture, the medal and the letters on the table as they were before. I closed the door and went to my room for the night.
The first thing I did when I saw Sophia again was give her a hug. She was surprised, but she hugged me back.
“I am sorry, Sophia... for being so oblivious. I hope our conversation about Cassie and John didn’t make you sad?”
“La vita è un sogno. L’amore è cieco. It is alright dear... it was nice to hear about young love again and not just to think about myself. Camminare con un amico nel biou è meglio che camminare da solo nella luce.”
“I am relieved to hear that, Sophia. You are such a lovely, loving person. I hope the world can see that. They should know about your life and about Francis.”
“Yes, I think it is time to share the letters with the world. My niece wants those letters to write a book about us. The next time she comes to my house, I will give them to her.”
I smiled. As she spoke, a dark cloud lifted off Sophia. She looked vibrant and happy.
I felt grateful to witness this remarkable change. I was glad to have met Sophia Valentina.
Ogni evento che hai vissuto ti aiuta ad essere la persona che sei oggi.
I left Sophia and Hunter with the promise I will visit them again one day. The neighborhood kids came to say goodbye to me. Now, they each took turns to take Hunter for his evening walk.
I gave Hunter a few treats before leaving. I told him to be a good boy and protect his mom. He was doing a good job already, but it made me feel better for saying it.
My last image of the village was Sophia laughing on her porch. She waved goodbye to me.
I blinked my eyes after what I saw next. It wasn’t the same Sophia anymore. It was the young Sophia I had seen in the picture.
I saw Hunter in the rearview mirror of my repaired rental car. He followed me for a few miles. He then stopped and returned home.
I doubted everything about the last few days. What had I seen? Was Sophia a spirit? Did she really have a niece?
I prayed I wasn’t losing my mind. I had gone in the west room.
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*La superstizione porta sfortuna: Superstition brings misfortune.
*Se non hai mai pianto, i tuoi occhi non possono essere belli: If you haven't cried, your eyes can't be beautiful.
*La vita è un sogno: Life is a dream.
*L'amore è cieco: Love conquers all.
*Camminare con un amico nel biou è meglio che camminare da solo nella luce: Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.
*Ogni evento che hai vissuto ti aiuta ad essere la persona che sei oggi: Each event in your life helps you become the person you are today.
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