La Strada Da Seguire: The Road to Follow

by Susan Toscan

  Despite all of their planning, it was not an ideal time to go away. Steven and Renata’s wedding was getting closer. However, both men—and Renata—agreed that it was best to go sooner rather than later. They wanted to obtain the ewes in early spring with the hope of lambs by autumn. Timing was important to their business plan, and they wanted to have the first shearing later the following year. Wool prices had been consistently good, and they were keen to become part of the ever-expanding wool industry as soon as possible.

  Agnes paid a visit to Renata to reassure her. She knew that Renata was feeling a little overwhelmed with the wedding plans and with Steven being away. “Please don’t worry. I’ll be here to help you out. And you’re so lucky to have your family as well as Steven’s parents. I think we both know that our men wouldn’t be that helpful at this stage of the planning anyway as they’re so preoccupied with their sheep!”

  “I know that you’re right, Agnes. I really don’t know why I’m worrying. My family did such a wonderful job with Lucia’s wedding; I know that things will fall into place. I guess the truth is that I really don’t like Steven being so far away.”

  Agnes was not too pleased about Michael being away either, but she knew that it was necessary. This trip was the men’s best opportunity to get the ewes that they wanted, and it was very much time to allow their project to move on to the next stage of its development. All the signs were very positive. There seemed no point in waiting—it would be time wasted, as both Michael and Steven had told the girls.

  Michael and Steven headed off in the frosty early morning and reached the small settlement of Hay, about 100 miles from Griffith, by lunchtime. They stopped at the pub for lunch and continued driving another 80 odd miles to the very small town of Balranald. It had been a long day, but they were happy with the progress that they had made. Another meal at the local pub was in order, and then they would camp on the outskirts of town. This became their routine as they headed towards the Victorian border town of Mildura.

  They shared the driving as they wanted to cover as much of the trip’s 400 or so miles over the next two days as they could. Once they reached Mildura, they would still have 240 miles to go; it would just about be the halfway point.

  The roads along which they were travelling were challenging and certainly tested the old truck. It had broken down a few times in the previous two days. The dusty surfaces were causing problems with the engine by clogging the fuel lines, which required cleaning regularly. “I think it would be best to take a break in Mildura and get the truck serviced at the local garage,” Michael suggested. “We don’t want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere if we break down.”

  Steven agreed. “It’ll probably take most of the day, so we could use the time to look around town. The break from driving will do us good.”

  Mildura was a very pretty town on the Murray River. Some of the architecture of its older buildings reflected the colonial style of the late 1800s when the town was originally settled. Like Griffith, Mildura had attracted many multicultural residents since the end of the Great War. The banks of the river that flowed through the town provided a peaceful haven for the two men to sit and relax for a couple of hours.

  The truck was ready the following morning, and Michael and Steven set off again. Once they reached South Australia, the countryside became more vibrant and the men noticed the truck was struggling with climbing more hilly countryside. “I haven’t ever been this way before. I’m amazed to see how much greener it is,” Michael said.

  “I did this trip with my parents when I was a kid, but I don’t remember much apart from the fact that I hadn’t travelled far from Griffith before,” Steven replied.

  His face suddenly became serious. He’d been building up the courage to talk to his friend regarding his feeling about their business, but he knew that Michael disliked these conversations. Steven sounded slightly tentative when he spoke. “Mate, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve been wanting to ask you how you’ve been coping with everything that has been going on. We’ve made some pretty big decisions lately.”

  “Funny you should ask me that,” Michael replied. He seemed relaxed, not resentful or angry about being asked. “I’d only recently congratulated myself on getting better at controlling those feelings of anxiety when they started happening again. It’s such a bugger; it just creeps up on me, and I don’t even see it coming. I know that when the anxiety takes over I get very angry, and I know that I get moody. It’s downright frustrating, mate.”

  “Does Agnes understand about the anxiety and how it affects you?”

  “Yes, to some extent, but she does struggle to understand fully. Hell, I don’t even understand it! Agnes is very practical; she finds the concept of anything else hard to come to terms with. She loves me, and she accepts that I can be complicated, but I know that it isn’t easy for her,” Michael replied.

  As the men drove along, their conversation took an unexpected turn. Steven had been doing a lot of thinking about marriage, and he wanted some reassurance from his friend.

  “Tell me, Michael, are you two really happy? I mean, you always look happy, and Agnes is certainly a great girl, but I often wonder how much of it is for show with married couples. I guess what I want to know is… Is it possible to have a really happy marriage?”

  “Wow, that’s a big question. My instinctive answer would be yes. Agnes and I love each other and our daughters, and we are committed to our life together. But I do have to tell you that it’s not continually hearts and roses. Agnes can be demanding and bossy. At first I found that endearing and cute, but it can grate from time to time. She tries so hard—she really pushes herself, and she sometimes imposes that pushiness on me. I don’t deal well with that either.” Michael looked anxiously at Steven. “Christ, mate, I might have to kill you after that admission. You know that all this is just between us?”

  Steven laughed. “I think that you know you can trust me by now. I do understand what you’re saying. It’s funny, isn’t it, how people have to remind themselves that they remain individuals when they get married. Even though we love our partners and we would do anything for them, inside, we still retain our own warts-and-all personalities. I’ll have to make sure that Renata knows I’m not perfect. It will come as a shock to her, but I have to be honest!”

  “You’re a funny bloke, Steven. Make sure Renata knows that you’re a real card!”

  “Speaking of our better halves, I know for sure that those rams will be happy when the ewes arrive. They’re certainly cranky so-and-so’s at the moment,” Steven said to Michael.

  “Well, they must be pretty lonely by now.” Michael laughed and gave Steven a cheeky smile. “While we’re on that subject, mate, you must be looking forward to your wedding?”

  “Well not sure I like being compared to a cranky ram, but yes, Michael, I am looking forward to the wedding. Renata is great. She can be a bit intense, but I know that’s only because she wants things done right. We know that her parents will make sure that everything goes well. I can tell you, it’s such a relief that her parents finally accepted me. I was pretty worried about them not letting us get married.”

  “Like I told you all those months ago, Steven, Maria and Frank are good people. It’s just taken them a little while to accept that us Aussie guys are all right. You might have me to thank for paving the way for you there.”

  “Right, because you are such a paragon of Australian maleness, you mean,” Steven teased back.

  “That and my sweet nature and amazing good looks,” laughed Michael.

  After four days, the two arrived in Adelaide. They made their way to the sale yards a day early in the hopes of being able to check out the stock that would be available. Trucks were still arriving and unloading sheep; it was the usual scene—noisy, smelly, dusty and dirty. Bleating sheep sounded their frustration at being manhandled into the pens. Michael and Steven were in their element. They loved the atmosphere. They talked to the old stockmen and quickly as
sessed where the best buys might be.

  The two checked prospective purchases for any signs of disease. Fly-blown sheep were to be avoided, but this tended to be more of a problem in the hotter months. Both men were happy with what they saw, and the prized Saxon ewes were very impressive. The prices being discussed seemed to be close to what Michael and Steven had hoped to purchase the stock for. They were nervous about the bidding process, but they were determined to master it.

  The following morning, they woke with the first light. They were keen to get back to the sale yards. The opportunities that lay ahead for these two young men were unlimited; although they were taking risks, albeit calculated, they were well informed and they knew their business. They had planned carefully, and they were confident with their decision to purchase the stock necessary to make their dream a reality.

  The sale was an efficient process. The Saxon ewes came up for auction quite early in the day. Michael and Steven had a bit of competition for the stock, but they managed to purchase the ewes that they wanted for a good price. They then had to arrange to have the sheep transported to the railway station for shipment back to Griffith. They managed to contact the transport people, who were already at the sale yards, and the sheep were taken away. The next time they would see them would be when they arrived in Griffith.

  Their business taken care of, the two men were now keen to head back to New South Wales. They wanted to arrive before the sheep did, and they only had a few days for the trip. Moreover, the novelty of being on the road and sleeping out in the open had worn off. Michael and Steven just wanted to get home. They made good time, and both men were very relieved to get back to their respective homes.

  Agnes and the girls were pleased to have Michael home. Frances fussed over him and made him feel very special. She excitedly announced, “Daddy, I helped Mummy make sotto. It is good!”

  Michael laughed as it was obvious that his family had been very busy preparing the meal. Agnes had given Frances the job of counting out the cups of rice for the risotto.

  As his wife had her hands full finishing the preparation for dinner and trying to watch the children, Michael sat in the kitchen with them so that he and Agnes could talk and supervise the girls at the same time. “We were really pleased with the way the sale went,” he said. “We managed to purchase 150 ewes at the price we wanted to pay, and they’ll arrive at the railway station in Griffith tomorrow. I was a bit shocked at the cost of the transport, though. We sure have a lot to learn in this business.”

  Michael was trying to talk over the noise from his daughters. He bent down and picked Patricia up from her bassinette as she was getting restless, and he clapped as Frances showed him the latest dance that she had learned. Agnes cut in. “Frances, please go and colour a picture for daddy while Mummy and Daddy talk for a minute.” She gave Michael an exasperated look. “She’s been wound up like a top all day.”

  Frances trotted off to her bedroom, excited at the idea of drawing something for her father.

  “It’s good to hear that the sheep will be here tomorrow. Will you have them taken out to Steven’s dad’s farm from the railway station?”

  “Yes. We’ve arranged for the transport truck to be at the station. We’ll meet the driver there, and he’ll follow us out to the property. It’ll be a relief to have them safely delivered. Then the rams can join the ewes, and we’ll just wait for nature to take care of the rest of the plan.” Michael gave Agnes one of his cheeky grins. “Lucky rams!”

  Agnes flicked him with a dishtowel. Dinner was finally ready, and the family sat together to enjoy the meal.

  War on the horizon

  My beloved parents,

  I am writing to let you know that Steven and Renata’s wedding day was perfect, just like Lucia and Flavio’s. Mama, you will be happy to know that Renata wore her sister’s wedding dress, just as you had suggested. With a few alterations, it looked as beautiful on her as it had on her sister. Hopefully, it is the beginning of a tradition that can be passed on to the next generation of girls in the family. Steven is a good boy. Do not worry that he is not Italian, he loves Renata and they are very happy.

  Thank you for the letter that you sent. We had also received a letter from Frank’s brother telling a similar worrying story. We are indeed very concerned with the news coming out of Europe. We pray that you will all be safe.

  Your loving daughter, Maria

  The letters from Italy had been passed around so that everyone could read the news. They told of the fear that seemed to be gaining momentum in Italy and throughout Europe as well. As the world moved towards 1938, the news seemed to be suggesting another war. This prospect would once have seemed unimaginable, but now speculation was growing, even in this peaceful and remote country area of Australia.

  In the mid-1930s, Benito Mussolini had seemed to stumble momentarily during his climb to ultimate power in Italy when he fell out of favour with the League of Nations. The league had taken issue with his aggressiveness: from 1935 to 1936 Italy had been at war with the Ethiopian Empire, which it eventually defeated and annexed into the colony of Italian East Africa. Despite the league’s reprimand, Mussolini’s reputation among the leaders of Europe, and among many Italians, continued to grow. At about this time, Mussolini saw an opportunity for alignment with Hitler’s Germany. Mussolini and his government were in awe of what Hitler had achieved, and the prospect of being associated with such a dominant force also appealed more generally to Italy’s downtrodden citizens. The Italian and German alliance was formalised in May 1939 as the Rome–Berlin Axis Treaty, also known as the ‘Pact of Steel’.

  When his Italian friends shared their letters with him, Michael tried to push away the worrying thoughts prompted by the news coming out of Europe. He recalled a conversation that he’d had with his mate Tom just the previous week. “I’m sure indications are that another war is imminent, Michael. It’s hard to believe that the world could descend into that madness again, but there certainly does seem to be strong evidence for concern.” Tom’s words sat heavily on Michael’s mind. Michael was very conscious that at his age, he would be prime soldier material.

  Some of the other shearers actually talked about the prospect of going to Europe to fight in another war as an adventure. Michael was quick to remind them of past events. “Are you blokes crazy? Don’t you remember the horrors of the last war and how many lives were sacrificed?”

  But many of them were too young to remember, and as this remote part of the world had not borne the direct impact of the last terrible conflict, these young men were naïve, to say the least. Michael was not naïve. He had very strong memories of his father after Arthur had returned from Europe a broken man with a devastating drinking problem. He had been gassed in France, and his lungs had never recovered.

  Michael struggled to shake off the sombre mood that had descended on him.

  He did not share his concerns about the state of the world with Agnes, but he knew that she too was worried, even though she would try to cover her anxiety. “It’s all too far away for us to be involved. And anyway, surely these people would not do anything to cause another war. That just wouldn’t happen; people could not forget that quickly!” The stories about the Nazi regime’s strong anti-Semitism and about the German people marginalising their Jewish commun­ities were something that many families in Australia found impossible to understand.

  Michael made sure that he kept up to date with all the news that the Messeras were getting from Italy. Frank had asked Flavio, Steven and Michael to assist him with some repairs to his tractor, and as they worked, Michael asked Frank for his opinion about what was happening in Europe. “Do you think that war can be avoided?”

  Frank looked thoughtfully at these young men who were part of his family and shook his head. Two of them were father’s themselves. Flavio and Lucia’s baby boy was only a few months old and, of course, Michael had his little girls. “Those blokes in charge over there are only interested in what they want. They do
n’t care about the average family, working hard and trying to get ahead in life. They are maniacs who seek power, and I get angry every time I think that no-one seems to have learned from the mistakes of the past. It will not end well, bello, and my heart is sad for what is to come.” The four men worked on in silent contemplation of what the future would hold for them and their families.

  Maria and Elsie saw how their men were reacting to the situation in Europe. “Elsie, Frank thinks that he is protecting the girls and me by not talking to us about his worries. Silly man—he should know by now that he cannot keep anything from me. I read his mind, and I know that he is sad and sick with worry for our families in Italy as well as for all the young men here. He is especially worried about Alessandro and his brothers. They will be swept up in this madness, and the opportunity to get out of Italy now is almost impossible.”

  Elsie put her arm around her friend. What could she say? There was a lot to worry about, but having family right where the world seemed to be coming apart at the seams must have been unbearable.

  Fear changes people

  By 1938, the general mood throughout the world seemed to be one of dread. Living in Australia, so far from the events in Europe—which Australian politicians did their best to downplay—people tried to stay positive. However, the members of the Italian community were not fooled by the efforts of the local politicians. They knew that the situation was bad and that there did not seem to be any way of stopping people like Mussolini and Hitler. When the news came in March 1938 that Hitler had invaded Austria, everyone could see the writing on the wall.

  Later that year, for one brief moment, the world was given reason to hope. At the Munich Conference in September 1938, Hitler met with the leaders of Great Britain, Italy and France, which seemed to be a positive sign that an agreement could be reached to prevent a war from breaking out. Before long, however, it became apparent that Hitler’s determination to invade his neighbours was not to be stopped. The world watched in horror as the German leader took advantage of every opportunity to expand his power and spread his influence throughout Europe.