"Writing to Gisella" (2)

A second extract from a story told almost entirely through the letters of the main character.

Writing to Gisella was published as one of three novellas in Losing Moby Dick and Other Stories, all written in around the same era.

Here’s the first extract:

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AMSTERDAM – October 1991

Gisella,

So you did write back, and quickly too! I have to confess that I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, or what you would do. Your letter arrived a couple of days ago – the morning of my current trip with work – straight to me this time, and not via some complicated, third-hand route!

I’m actually sitting in my hotel room in Amsterdam. Have you even been to Amsterdam? This time of year – that nasty bit at the end of Autumn and just before Winter – Amsterdam can be horrible. Today it was really cold. Freezing. There was a fog or low cloud or something all over the city that seemed to cling to the buildings and burrow through your clothes to your bones. You can’t actually see very much when you’re out on the streets walking, and it’s strange how the restriction in visibility robs the place of its identity somehow; it doesn’t look Dutch any more, if that makes sense. And you get no view of the canals, of where they are or how important or picturesque they are.

Last time I was here it was summer a couple of years ago. It was a stag do for a friend of mine. Does that translate? Basically it’s a thing that happens before a man gets married when all his mates take him out, get him blind drunk and tie him naked to a lamppost. Or they all dress up as women. Sometimes both. Do the guys do that kind of thing in Italy – or is it a traditional, quaint old English custom?!

The first day of the conference has gone pretty well. The client seems happy enough. My bit went smoothly; all the computers and screens worked as they were supposed to, and the sound system was pretty loud. We’re here for another couple of days before we dismantle our stuff and head back to the UK. It’ll be cold and miserable there too I expect.

Thanks for starting to fill in some of the blanks created by the passage of time. I now know that you did get to university in Pisa - I guess in ’88. I can’t remember if that was what you planned. I think you were a bit vague about when you were going and what you were going to study. You didn’t mention that. You must have carried on with your English as it’s really good! I suspect you found living in Pisa completely different to living in Lucca – or maybe you didn’t. I’m just saying that because to me – based on my brief visit – they seem like completely different sorts of places; Pisa is more frenetic and ‘modern’ somehow. Not that I’m saying that’s a good thing..! And 'frenetic' is relative! Anyway, you went to university and now you’re back home. That’s a start.

I have to say that the news about Jackson and Mita came as no surprise to me at all. I told him when I was there that I thought she had a thing for him. He denied it, but I could see something in the way that she looked at him… You were a bit vague on timing; was it around the time you left for Pisa? Was Luca distraught or was he already history by then?

It sounds as if it was a bit wild and passionate – and that it didn’t last very long. Thinking about it, when Jackson started going with Mita was pretty much when he stopped communicating with me, I think. Maybe earlier. It was around that time anyway. If there was talk about them leaving Italy and going off together (though I do find America a bit hard to believe!) it must have been pretty serious for the time it lasted. You suggested that the first couple of months was a real whirlwind for them, more from Mita’s perspective, naturally. I wonder what brought it all crashing down. Do you know? I can imagine her family wouldn’t have been too thrilled – though I’m not sure why I think that, seeing as I never met them properly.

I guess the ending of their relationship was the thing that made Jackson leave Lucca then? Or was it the other way round: he wanted to leave and when she wouldn’t…? In any event, the pieces are starting to fit together, at least from my perspective. In a way that’s kind of comforting. I mean, there’s been a slice of life – OK, maybe not a huge slice – that’s been absent of any reality or fact for four years. It’s good to get something plugged in there. Maybe that’s true from your perspective too; I don’t know.

I do have a girlfriend, yes. Debbie. Though I’m not sure if its serious or not. I somehow doubt it. In fact I don’t think I’ve had what might be termed 'a serious relationship' for a while. We met at a friend’s party. Usual kind of thing. Drink was involved, of course! I actually fancied her friend, Mary; an Irish girl. Even now I’m not entirely sure how I managed to transfer my emotions to Debbie. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation - and one which probably doesn’t reflect too well on me. Anyway, we’ve been going out for a little while. She works for one of the big UK retailers in some kind of administration function relating to their warehouses. It doesn’t sound too exhausting to be honest. We do the usual stuff: dinner, films - that kind of thing.

What about you? I can’t believe that there isn’t someone who is in love with you! I’m guessing that they’re not from Lucca for some reason - but you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.

My trip to Sienna next month is still on, but the way. The job is similar to this one, but the conference will be considerably smaller. I think I fly in on the Monday and then out on the Wednesday: set-up, do the job, pack-up and fly home. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to see something of the place, even if it’s only the square where they race the horses.

I think that’s about it for now. We have our final session here tomorrow and I need to grab some dinner and then check that everything’s ready and working for the morning.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Rick

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