Wedding Bells and Easter Egg surprises
Today I actually have something to report on the topic of love. In the town of Parma, the mayor married two doctors, both of whom work on the Covid19 wards at hospitals in Reggio Emilia and Parma. While weddings are not permitted right now, an exception was made given the unique situation facing this couple. Both are exposed to considerable risk, and should something happen to one of them, it would be better for the sake of their children if they were legally married. They were married in an empty town hall wearing masks in the presence of their kids. For a photograph see here.
Speaking of doctors, if you have ever lived in Italy, you know there are quite a few older gentlemen doctors. I have had wonderful experiences with these elderly doctors whose lifelong experience and confident manner inspire great trust. The father of my children was operated by an older ENT surgeon in Brescia over 15 years ago. He succeeded in removing a cyst that two doctors in New York had failed to get. My son was also operated on his tonsils and adenoids by an elderly ENT surgeon here in Milan. The anaesthetist who worked with the surgeon must have been 80 years old. He came to see us every day after the operation, at seven in the morning and then again in the evening. I will never forget this remarkable man, his energy, vigour and dedication. Today, as I read a newspaper article with the list of doctors who have lost their lives to Covid19 I thought of these men. Most of the doctors on the list were exactly that older generation, they looked so familiar. Strikingly of the 108 doctors listed only three were women. Of course, there are probably more men than women who are doctors to begin with, certainly of that older generation. But it’s still astonishing that men appear so much more susceptible to this virus than women. (P.S If you have not seen the New York Times Magazine’s striking reportage of Italian health and emergency workers, please check it out here.)
Speaking of old guys, the Italian Bocce league has suffered great losses among its members. The death count is at 250 and includes former champions, coaches and regional league managers. Bocce is a favorite pastime for a certain kind of older Italian man, and I think it’s safe to say that for this generation of players, things will never be the same.
And finally, a new announcement has been made, a kind of Easter Egg surprise. As of April 14th, bookstores and stationary stores will be allowed to reopen. Now all I have to do is find the focus and concentration to read more than 500 words at a time.