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Eduardo Valiante's Hot Summer
It had been years since he last saw such an hot and moist summer,
although August was almost gone.
Eduardo Valiante, Private Eye, sat in his office,
smothered by the heat and the lack of work.
The only good parts in all that, were good music
and sweet Clara, his secretary.
It had been a lazy summer,
so the only thing he was not expecting on that lonely morning
was the doorbell ringing...
Still, years of experience taught him that those, were the kind of mornings fit for the worst crime.
After the usual couple of knocks,
Clara entered the room.
- Pardon me...
- Miss Ganciano was looking for your counselling.
- Quick as always Clara...
- Do you think it proper to make such a... *hurm* ...distinguished client wait?
- You can go back to you business.
- Please, have a seat.
- I did not catch your first name...
- My name is none of your business.
- I did not come here for pleasantries...
- I would much rather avoid dealing with people like you,
- ...but you see, I'm desperate!
- No need to flame up. Tell me how can I be of service.
- Frankly, I don't think you could help me find a penguin in the Arctic...
- But as I have already told you...I'm desperate.
- C'mon miss, no need to be so anguished...
-Tell me...what happened?
- My...fiancé is missing!
- He got involved with some less than reputable folks, I haven't seen him in days...
- I'm afraid something might have happened to him.
- You have to find him and bring him back to me!
Usually he stayed out of such messes,
And something ticked him off about that woman.
Maybe it was the clear attempt to hide her identity...
Maybe it was the jewels, too expensive for the woman of a common street boy.
But once again, he fell prey to the charms of a lady...
Valiante was not a fool, he knew who to squeeze to have a little more informations.
A couple of calls to some old friends and he would have found the whereabouts of the boy.
But this time, information had an uncanny way to slip through his fingers.
All those little details kept on bugging him.
So he adopted every last precaution.
Still, he knew his way, out in the streets...
Frightened the chickens...
And buttered the right ones...
He found his way to the place where the boy, this Loiani, used to hang.
Hoping to meet someone who knew him, to ask a few questions...
The place reeked of tobacco and cheap wine,
but Valiante had seen way more awful places.
It didn't look like a particularly dangerous pub.
Passed out on his glass, Paolo "Il Sangiovese"
was "playing trumps" with his fellow, "Il Panocia"
in a corner of the pub.
With his usual kindness Valiante drew his attention.
- Hey, hey! Relax friend, why do you have to shake him so?
- You, stay out of this!
- And who 're you s'posed ta be?
- And why's my glass empty?
- Who am I does not matter, so try and tell me what you know about the kid Loiani.
- Low-who?
- Giorgio Loiani, the baker's errand boy!
- There's a broken-hearted babe looking for him since days!
- Whaaat? Flour-boy's girl?
- Dangerous babe...
- What do you mean?
- Don tell me you're the only one who don't know Flour-boy
- gets all smoochy with the daughter of Alfio "the Shoemaker"?!
Alfio "the Shoemaker"
Though the name might sound funny...
He was a gentleman who used to fill the canals with his shoes new models...
Worn by pesky clients.
So, there really was something off about that woman...
- Holy Cannoli!
- You're kidding right?
- And where can I find the boy?
- And why should we trust you?
- I'm the only one who wants to help him!
- Don't think the Shoemaker's goons aren't on the move already!
- It could even be too late!
- All right! But keep it to yourself. Those guys are everywhere!
Finding the place didn't take long.
Seemed like the boy was hiding at some uncle's house,
in one of the city's well-brought areas,
A place where nobody would have looked for the errand boy of a baker.
- Mr. Loiani!
- Giorgio!
- Hey kid, stop there a minute!
- Who are you?
- Leave me be, I'm in a hurry.
- And where might you be going?
- Running away, are we?
- You know that there's a girl with her heart in pieces that's looking for you, right?
- And why would you care?
- I couldn't care less! That crazy woman is goin to get me killed!
- You know who's her father, don't you?
-You should have thought about it before making that kind of girl fall in love.
- Wait!
- Holy Cannoli! They're already here!!
Remember, my boy remember, Ricordati, ragazzo mio ricordati,
Love is an easy, simple game, L'Amor'è un gioco semplice, facile,
But not always, alas. Ma non sempre, ahimè.
You still dream, you still love, Tu sogni ancor, tu che ami ancor,
But do you know what Love is? Ma sai l'Amor cos'è?
Remember, my boy remember, Ricordati, ragazzo mio ricordati,
That words as "Kiss me", "Hold me", Che le parole "Baciami", "Stringimi",
Make us grieve instead, Fanno poi soffrir,
Do not believe, do not cry, Non credere, non piangere,
Forget, and smile at your destiny. Dimentica, sorridi al tuo destin.
The girl was no fool,
and it wasn't long before she found her one-sided love
lying there, wetting the stones of the ancient square with his blood.
Valiante couldn't stand seeing tears on a lady's face,
so he tried to console her.
He knew that was risky...
he knew, maybe, he was putting himself in deep waters...
but at least there were no eye-witnesses...
Or at least...so he thought...
Remember, my boy remember, Ricordati, ragazzo mio ricordati,
That words as "Kiss me", "Hold me", Che le parole "Baciami", "Stringimi",
Make us grieve instead, Fanno poi soffrir,
Do not believe, do not cry, Non credere, non piangere,
Forget, and trust only Destiny. Dimentica, credi sol al Destin.