PEPPINA
Peppina (Giuseppina)
Siamo cresciute insieme io e Peppina, solo che io ho avuto la 'fortuna' di rimanere qui. Siamo nate entrambe ai bordi della periferia di Napoli. Mi ricordo una bambina magrolina con capelli lunghi neri, due occhioni scuri ed un sorriso da fare invidia alle dive. Giocavamo sempre insieme ma da clandestini perchè mio nonno, capo del nostro clan, non voleva che noi avessimo a che fare con 'quella gente'. Quella gente era povera e disagiata e delle volte anche delinquente.
Io e Peppina andavamo ai bordi della periferia del paesino e lì giocavamo a nascondino o riempivamo scatole di terra fingendo che fosse farina e facevamo il pane. A volte andavamo a raccogliere i bastoncini dei ghiaccioli buttati a terra per costruirci i ventagli. Che divertimento! Eravamo molto creative noi due.
Un giorno Peppina mi confessò che suo padre beveva e delle volte picchiava la madre e terrorizzava lei e le sue sorelle. Le dissi che sarei andata da lui e gliene avrei dette due a 'chillù schifus ì merd'! (precoci i bambini napoletani...) e le assicurai che tutto si sarebbe sistemato perchè io l'avrei liberata.
Quello stesso giorno andai a casa sua per dire al padre di smettere di fare paura alla mia amica ma lui mi rincorse con un bastone per un bel pezzo di strada! Una vicina lo disse a mio padre e lui lo voleva 'accidere'! (passionali i napoletani). Grazie a Dio si calmó!
Un giorno Peppina mi confessò che suo padre beveva e delle volte picchiava la madre e terrorizzava lei e le sue sorelle. Le dissi che sarei andata da lui e gliene avrei dette due a 'chillù schifus ì merd'! (precoci i bambini napoletani...) e le assicurai che tutto si sarebbe sistemato perchè io l'avrei liberata.
Quello stesso giorno andai a casa sua per dire al padre di smettere di fare paura alla mia amica ma lui mi rincorse con un bastone per un bel pezzo di strada! Una vicina lo disse a mio padre e lui lo voleva 'accidere'! (passionali i napoletani). Grazie a Dio si calmó!
Il pomeriggio seguente, andammo al cinema. Mi ricordo che non c'erano abbastanza posti a sedere (noi bambini entravamo da una porta laterale aperta da un nostro amico) e così Peppina si mise a sedere 'in braccià a me' (sulle mie gambe)...quel feeling di affetto per lei lo sento ancora oggi...come due sorelle…anzi meglio…!
La mattina dopo Peppina fu ammazzata da un camion mentre andava a scuola, trascinata per metri e fatta a pezzi. Io quel giorno avevo la febbre ed ero rimasta a casa. Quando mammà mi raccontò quello che era accaduto, le chiesi dove si trovava in quel momento Peppina. Lei mi rispose che adesso era un angioletto in paradiso e che aveva smesso di soffrire. Non ho mai capito...
We grew up together Peppina and I, but I was the 'lucky' one to remain here. We were both born on the outskirts of Naples. I remember a skinny girl with long black hair and two dark eyes, with a smile stars would envy. We used to play together, but secretly, because my grandfather, head of our 'clan', did not want us to have anything to do with 'those people'. Those people were poor and needy, and sometimes even delinquents.
La mattina dopo Peppina fu ammazzata da un camion mentre andava a scuola, trascinata per metri e fatta a pezzi. Io quel giorno avevo la febbre ed ero rimasta a casa. Quando mammà mi raccontò quello che era accaduto, le chiesi dove si trovava in quel momento Peppina. Lei mi rispose che adesso era un angioletto in paradiso e che aveva smesso di soffrire. Non ho mai capito...
Peppina (Giusy)
We grew up together Peppina and I, but I was the 'lucky' one to remain here. We were both born on the outskirts of Naples. I remember a skinny girl with long black hair and two dark eyes, with a smile stars would envy. We used to play together, but secretly, because my grandfather, head of our 'clan', did not want us to have anything to do with 'those people'. Those people were poor and needy, and sometimes even delinquents.
Peppina and I went around the outskirts of the village and there we played hide and seek or fill boxes of earth pretending it was flour and made bread. Sometimes we went to pick up ice-lolly sticks from the ground to make fans with them. How cool! We were very creative the two of us.
One day, Peppina told me that her father drank and often beat her mother and terrified her and her sisters. I told her that I would go to him and give him a piece of my mind 'chillu schifus e merd'! (the rotten stinker! - Neapolitan children are tough) and assured her that everything would work out because I would have freed her.
That same day I went to her house to tell her father to stop terrorizing my friend but he chased me with a stick for quite a long way! A neighbour told my father and he wanted to 'kill' him! (Neapolitans are passionate). Thank goodness he calmed down!
One day, Peppina told me that her father drank and often beat her mother and terrified her and her sisters. I told her that I would go to him and give him a piece of my mind 'chillu schifus e merd'! (the rotten stinker! - Neapolitan children are tough) and assured her that everything would work out because I would have freed her.
That same day I went to her house to tell her father to stop terrorizing my friend but he chased me with a stick for quite a long way! A neighbour told my father and he wanted to 'kill' him! (Neapolitans are passionate). Thank goodness he calmed down!
The next afternoon, we went to the cinema. I remember that there were not enough seats (us children entered through a side door opened by a friend of ours) and so Peppina sat 'in braccià me' (on my lap) ...I can still recall that feeling of affection for her... like two sisters or even better...!
The next morning Peppina was killed by a truck on her way to school, dragged for meters and torn to pieces. That day, I had a fever so I stayed at home. When mum told me what had happened, I asked her where Peppina was right at that very moment. She answered that she now was a little angel in heaven and that she had ceased to suffer. I have never understood...
© misspoetmiki words only
The next morning Peppina was killed by a truck on her way to school, dragged for meters and torn to pieces. That day, I had a fever so I stayed at home. When mum told me what had happened, I asked her where Peppina was right at that very moment. She answered that she now was a little angel in heaven and that she had ceased to suffer. I have never understood...
© misspoetmiki words only
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