Читать книгу The Geese That Lay The Golden Eggs - Nicola Maria Vitola - Страница 14
Mary
ОглавлениеMaryâs story is told by her son Lucien. A nasty story, but with a happy ending, if it can be called that when you get your own money back.
Mary has just turned 59 when sheâs contacted by an American sailor who wishes her a happy birthday and asks her to be friends. The man says his name is Michael Miller and heâs 53.
Sheâs been living in Italy for a decade. French by birth, she used to be married to an Italian journalist from whom sheâs divorced. She has a son Lucien, born of her marriage, who is a high school mathematics teacher and who lives in Rome, like his mother.
Michaelâs first contact happens on her birthday. He asks her to be friends, she accepts. He sends her (a photo of) an enormous bouquet of red roses with a happy birthday message in English.
«What did you do for your birthday?» Michael asks her the following day, in bad Italian.
«It was nice! I had dinner with my friends and we had a lovely evening.»
«Do you have a lot of friends? Who do you like? I'm jealous.»
«Do you speak French? - asks Mary - my English is not very good.»
«Avez vous beaucoup d'amis? Qui aimez-vous? je suis jaloux,» he repeats admitting heâs translated the phrase on Google, then he continues the conversation with copy and paste from an online translator.
«Well if youâre using Google just choose Italian - Mary urges him - because in French I feel like I want to correct all your mistakes.»
«Do you have many friends? Who do you like? Iâm jealous.»
«Donât talk nonsense!»
«I canât stop thinking about you. I saw your photo a month ago, but Iâm shy and I only found the courage to contact you with it being your birthday!»
«Really?» asks Mary flattered. «What did you find so attractive in me? Iâm just a normal woman.»
«Normal? Say normal is false. Saying youâre normal is just not true. Youâre beautiful.»
«How old did you say you are?»
«53, and you?»
«Iâm 59, Iâm older than you. Men always look for young girls. What attracts you to such a mature person?»
«Your photo shows me an elegant lady, you're a beautiful woman. Mary, you mustnât underestimate yourself Mary. Look at yourself with loveâs eyes, as I see you, and youâll see youâre beautiful!»
«Love? Youâre going rather fast now!»
«Yes, Iâm going fast, but Iâm following my heart thatâs going even faster than me!»
A week after her birthday Mary has the sensation sheâs known Michael for a long time. He contacts her every day at the same time, and his requests to love her are increasingly persistent. He says nice things, and although his Italian is only approximate, he confesses to her that heâs never felt such overwhelming feelings before. Heâs had other affairs, but nothing important, because heâs always believed that to build a sincere relationship he had to find his soul mate. He believes that God has created an ideal lover for every being on earth, and heâs lucky to have managed to find her and fulfil his dream.
To live together, get married and lay together one beside the other as a single body; this is human happiness. Thereâs nothing more beautiful!
Mary is intoxicated by these words, by Michaelâs attentions, as he floods her with pictures of beautiful scenes at sunset, flowers, mostly red roses, with the phrase «Je tâaime,» or «Je tâaime beaucoup,» or alternatively «I love you.»
Strangely he doesnât send her any pictures of himself in other poses or moments of his daily life. Mary only has two pictures of Michael, one close-up and another full-length view. Both pictures show him in uniform and are of an attractive man, with a high forehead, a proud gaze and just a hint of a smile. Not much to fall in love with. However, Mary is so enraptured by his words, promises, allusions to perfect sentimental and sexual happiness, that she doesnât ask for more. To share the dream of a soul mate is what she wants too. She believes in it. She wants nothing else. Michaelâs words are a daily dose of pleasure, a spoken and virtual intuition that is the premise to their real-life meeting, which will happen very soon. Michael wants that, Mary wants it, especially after messages like this:
«Darling I miss you so much, youâve become necessary for my soul, my heart. Youâre my day and night.
Youâre the sun and the moon to me. Youâre my queen. I miss you so much and the days separating me from you are much too long and cruel. Oh, how I would like to cut the ribbon of time which separates us from our first meeting! Love me Mary! Make me happy and never betray our dream!».
