THE ITALIAN FAMILY I KNEW (Part 1)

He married her beautiful wife, a successful accountant who already built a house from the earnings of her career. They had two kids and the wife decided to quit her work when the second one was born. The family left their hometown and settled here in Venice - where the father was permanently assigned for his "import-export" job.

The marriage wore off after 20 years. They divorced. Their eldest son found a job in Spain and their 17 year old daughter is doing her internship away from both parent's place.

The wife went back to their old hometown and started to work again. She now lives in the house she built when she was still single. While he, the ex-husband stayed in Venice with his new house, new pots, new home theater and definitely new life. Their family home here was retained by the wife for her and their daughter to stay when they're in Venice.

In his late fifties, he now has a life of a bachelor riding motorbikes, cooking his food and ironing his own clothes. Then he got sick, suddenly can't walk, blood pressure is dangerously high and was admitted to the hospital. Dr's can't find the cause why his BP is always up though medical tests and exams showed all is fine. Good thing he was able to walk again.

I went to see him last Friday. It was a depressing sight. Just as I step out of the elevator, an old man with swollen lower extremities was having an argument on the phone. Another weak man walking so slow going to the TV room. I was about to ask directions but he seems in a different world. I doubt if he could even see me. An unconscious patient was being wheeled from the operating room. The ward is cramped , nurses are unfriendly and the smell of disinfectant is so strong. Reminds you, you're really in a hospital

I was asked by the nurse to wait for 10 minutes because the patient I am visiting is being attended to by the doctors. So, I waited. I'm watching TV with the two men I saw earlier avoiding to make eye contacts that might encourage conversations. 30 minutes passed and I was called by the nurse to get in.

He was lying there so frail, different from the smart shipping tycoon in his expensive suit. A small vial of meds directly dripped into his veins to lower down his yet again high blood pressure. He was not allowed to to leave his bed till the dextrose is consumed. The last time I saw him, before he was admitted, he was riding his fast motorbike feeling like a daredevil away from his age.

"I want to get out of here", was the first thing he said upon seeing me. "If I'll die, I want it at home, not in this freakin' hospital! The doctors can't figure out what's wrong with me." he added.

I asked if he has some friends to do things or errands for him and he said just the people from his office. Her ex-wife came to Venice on the third day he was admitted but stayed outside the hospital while their daughter gave him a visit. She just came to pack her daughter's things for her trip and she'll go back to her old home after.


I already knew the ex-wife is coming before the ex-husband knew. She called me to air open her house that has been closed for the whole summer. She also told me what triggered his ex-husband's attack - he stopped taking in the pills to contain his BP. He also went back to smoking and his usual 2 glasses of wine per meal was increased to more than his capacity. I pretended I didn't know these and gave him no hint that I spoke with her former wife...

to be continued...