Articolo disponibile anche in: Italian
At the end of the last century I lived in San Polo, in the Municipality of Greve in Chianti. I had heard about the butcher from Panzano who recited Dante and who was a guest on the TV’ broadcast called “Uno Mattina“.
Dario Cecchini was already famous, but not for me. I’ve never been a fan of television
Cause of family events, in early March of year 2000 we moved to Panzano. The meeting with Dario was curious ad fortuitous. I like to tell about this.
2000 March the 7th. My second day as a citizen of Panzano, I look for a shop that I find closed. “It will open” I think to myself. While waiting I walk a little bit on the little uphill street and looking through a glass window, I put my eyes in a place with special furnishings: an old and marble counter such the butcher has, a piece of furniture as the ones used in the past to conserve and sell pasta, above it two statues depicting souls in purgatory between the golden flames, a bust of Dante Alighieri…
“It must be the famous butcher’s shop…”. Two more steps and here is a man who prepare a sausages necklace and put it on the wall hook in the butcher shop. “Sorry may I have a look into this museum/shop?”. I asked with a very tuscan accent, “Nice accent, no one has anymore a so nice accent!” he says. “Just me, I’m a real old tuscan woman!”.
And yet curiously I continue to ask: “That modern art panel on the wall, it has been created by the artist Bona Baraldi?”. Bona is a friend of mine, a professor who was responsible for some Municipality Exhibition of Contemporary Art. “Exactly, do you know her?”
Meanwhile, the music of a romance creates in the shop a magical atmosphere, and it’s soon “affinity” with mutual exchange about interests: lyric, poems, ditty. As a gift he recites for me two lullabies, I reciprocate with a poem written by me entitled “Chianti’s wine”.
Dario, it was him, he listen to me, at the end he hugs me, kisses me and give me a jar of “Chianti’s perfume” the aromatic salt prepared by him. In that sign there is “him”, as then I knew: immediate and generous.
In this way was born our friendship that has gradually grown. As Dario I love Dante too, poetry, tuscan traditions, history and the stories of our people. I know and I share a lot of his feelings, we are on the same wavelenght, so it was easily for me to establish a “paper collaboration”.
Yes, by now paper and ink unit us. In addition to the esteem and affection as well. Now I’m old, we could say “differently young”, few things I’m still able to do yet.
In the morning, in Dario’s office I make a short review of newspapers and magazines, reporting what I think can interest to him.
When possible, Dario records on our tape recorder some stories, feelings, episodes and experiences. I transcribe, then together we correct and elaborate, in this way born our writings in which I put a lot of my and absorbed so much of him.
By this couple work came out some newspaper articles, magazines, books, and this is what should form the material for a book that, sooner or later, I hope will see the light. Feelings and memories that should not be released.
Pieces that say: Dario Cecchini and the Butcher. Four hands. One heart.
Miriam