Friday, 20 March, 2020
Quarantine Day XII would be filled with turmoil mentally as I needed to reconcile two new factors into my plans, California's Lockdown Decree and the Americans government's boosting of their Travel Ban to Level 4.
As The Clash so eloquently put it years ago "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"
I talked it over with Laurie, Andy and Mike at length and with Enzo Petrillo of the Skorpions Board of Directors.
Being a bit old school, a large part of me wants to honor my commitment to the Skorpions. This was supposed to be our third season together and I do not want to abandon them in the middle of these difficult times. Still being in Italy with them hopefully gives them a small amount of normalcy in their bunkers.
After much discussion, we all came to the same conclusion that we did last week.
I'm probably safer here in The Bunker than heading home. If I did go home at this time, there would be several potential opportunities either of getting infected or infecting others if I unknowingly had it while:
1. Driving into Milano, the epicenter of the Coronavirus outbreak in ravaged Italy.
2. Then sitting in Milano's Malpensa airport for a few hours before takeoff.
3. Flying to Rome in a confined space with fellow travelers from Milano.
4. Again sitting in its airport for hours, this time in the Italian capital.
5. Then flying to New York City in another confined space for several hours with fellow travelers from all over ravaged Italy.
6. Once arriving in New York City, going through the time consuming, petri dish conditions of the Coronavirus screening process.
7. Possibly getting quarantined for two weeks in NYC at a time when Broadway shows, the Yankees and Mets are all closed down.
Although Mike cast a somewhat dissenting vote, I think that we finally all agreed that I'm safer here for a little longer.
After all of that, today, I risked exposure by leaving The Bunker.
First stop the Panificio Ducale
I needed a loaf of bread and, of course, a brioche.
Or two.
I was second in line to go in this time. Only one customer at a time allowed inside today, it was two at a time during my last visit here.
Third in line at the pharmacy
This was the first of three pharmacies that I visited today in search of an ever elusive, quality face mask. The answer all three times was the same, "Our supply of face masks is exhausted."
Sometimes, I feel exhausted too.
A few weeks ago, on a beautiful day
like this, I probably would have taken
a walk down this trail near
the first pharmacy I visited
No more.
I stopped and illegally got out of
my car to take this picture
I am indeed a lawless rebel at heart.
This monument on a round-about's island has always intrigued me but this intersection is usually too busy during the day to stop and get a photo.
Not anymore.
This monument is dedicated to the memory of Carabinieri General Salvo D'Acquisto, Gold Medal of Military Valor winner, who served in Italy's paramilitary police force. The monument listed the dates 1920-1943.
How could he have been a General at such a young age?
The answer was he wasn't, his rank was vice-sergeant at the time of his death.
So what is D'Acquisto's story? Well, it's a heroic one to be sure.
Salvo D'Acquisto joined the Carabinieri in 1939 at the age of 19. He was soon shipped to Libya just before the start of World War II. After contracting malaria, he returned to Italy in 1942 where he entered officer school graduating as a vice-sergeant.
In July of 1943, Benito Mussolini was overthrown as Italy's Fascist leader and the new Italian government switched sides by leaving the Axis to join the Allies.
Enter the Germans into Italy.
Germany's 2nd Parachute Division was deployed to a coastal defensive position near D'Acquisto's assigned area, Palidoro. While moving munitions, they, by all accounts save one, exploded accidentally.
The one dissenting view was held by the German commander of the operation who decreed that the deaths of two German soldiers was the work of unnamed local partisans.
D'Acquisto gathered information on his own and believed that no one had tampered with the munitions, it was truly an accident. He went to the commander to let him know what he had found out but to no avail. The commander said he would execute 22 random civilians of the town of Palidoro as retribution.
A search was made and the Germans arrested 22 people plus D'Acquito. They all maintained that the explosion was an accident.
Wrong answer.
D'Acquisto was tortured but maintained the citizenry's innocence as did the 22 who were arrested.
They were all handed shovels and told to dig their own graves. They would all be executed unless one of then confessed.
Given the situation, Vise-Sergeant Salvo D'Acuisto "confessed" to the alleged crime in order to save the condemned 22 by claiming sole responsibility for the "murders."
The 22 citizens were indeed released but D'Acquisto was executed at the age of 22.
I assume that his heroism led to a posthumous promotion to General in the Carabinieri at some time after WWII's end.
I'm really glad that I stopped to take the picture of the monument now.
I had parked my car in the Lidl Supermarket lot, on my return to it I saw this on the ground . . .
I've got gloves but again,
I can't find a face mask . . .
A tough choice but I passed and will continue looking for a unused one in the next few days.
Oh good, my coffee capsule
store was open!
In Italy, coffee is definitely an "essential."
Black Death Coffee seems appropriate
during these difficult times
But I passed.
I struck out again on a new
face mask purchase here at
my third and final pharmacy stop
So much for my trip out of the Bunker, I had . . .
. . . a delicious honey filled brioche
waiting for me in The Bunker!
Life got better in just a few bites.
I had also bought an apricot jam filled brioche this morning but it disappeared somewhere along the way.
Mysterious.
Finally . . .
If Edward Hopper had painted his
iconic 1942, "Nighthawks" in
Lombardia in these wacky times
Stay tuned, it's bound to become even more interesting in the days to come . . .
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