La partita

Giulio, a 75-year-old widower, wakes up bored, like every morning. When he realizes that it is Saturday he gets up with renewed enthusiasm: it is the day of the cards game challenge with his friend Osvaldo!. That sense of challenge makes him feel alive, he rejuvenates him: he became his reason for living. It's under 3 points. Last Saturday he lost: what anger. Coffee, shaving, lunch. At 2.45 pm he is seated at the bar table. It's 3.05 pm, Osvaldo is not there. He won: the contestant who is not present at 3.00 o'clock loses that Saturday's point. Inner satisfaction, but also a veil of melancholy. Osvaldo did not come. Giulio knows he will not even come next Saturday. He knows that his friend will not come anymore: Osvaldo died two days before. Giulio can't accept it: 3 weeks and he will be ahead.Then a deep sadness grows within him, but he must hold on and he'll win that match.