This story is part of the literary competition created by In Trieste magazine “Winter in Trieste” which was open to all writers living in Trieste.
by Brian Santarossa
“Are you ok?” She asked with the tender concern of a parent.
Ever since Michael went on his own, he could not find comfort in any place he lived. The place where he grew up held nothing but bad memories, and the six different homes he moved to in 3 years offered little to fill that abysmal feeling he carried around. So, he hopped on a plane. Upon reaching his destination he stepped off the plane into the night, hoping he may find just a little relief from such persistent melancholy.
It was the middle of December, and the city was adorned with ornaments and lights that would leave the jolly old man himself beaming with pride. In the air was a chill that seemed to energize him from the jet lag he was trying to shake off. As he walked down the cobblestone street, Michael noticed friends laughing at cafes, children playing while their parents tried with futile efforts to keep them close, and the smell of amazing food. “Well, this seems like a nice place,” Michael thought to himself. He still wondered if his years of nomadic excursions were ending.
Not knowing where he was going, Michael found himself walking on a long pier. This pier seemed to stretch into eternity across the ocean’s surface. All the sounds of enjoyment and smells of this unique city slowly faded into the distance as Michael drew closer to the pier’s edge. All he could feel now was the frosty air and serenity of the starry sky. After reaching the edge, Michael felt prompted to turn around. What he saw caused a feeling he had not felt in quite some time.
A feeling at that moment, was the very feeling that he had been searching for, praying for, and as far as he was concerned, fighting for. His eyes fixed themselves on a u-shaped piazza teeming with Christmas trees, garlands, and people of all shapes and sizes. Tears suddenly appeared as if the pipes burst in an old apartment building. An elderly woman, standing near Michael, saw the initial look of sadness on his face. “Are you ok?” She asked, with the tender concern of a parent. Michael looked at her, his ear-to-ear smile instantly appearing as he responded with an audible sigh, “Trieste, I’m home!”
