And The Sun Rose
The first time that he heard about that association he was about twenty. He was a free, extravagant
Italian boy , the classic type of the “beat generation”. He had long side-whiskers, under very curly
chestnut hairs. His mother cried when he decided to leave, but he needed to go away, at least for a
small period, to run far from the reality that oppressed him every day. So he reached Denmark
hitch-hiking. The International Civil Service was collecting young people from the whole world and
giving them a job (usually four hours a day) and hospitality for a period of one month in different
countries. The jobs could be different: agriculture, constructions, assistance, and so on. The summer
of 1970 was just beginning.Sotoftegaard was an old farm composed by a central house built in
1830, and more recent long constructions forming around a square. It was a peaceful place in the
Danish country, a little lake with a small island in the middle, a large wood, and corn fields.The
work of the young people arrived that summer was to build partition-walls in the lateral houses to
get rooms for the school that Johns, the owner, was willing to start there.
The initial shyness of the boy was immediately converted in sprightly happiness and excitement.
The first thing that they asked him when he arrived in a sunny morning, was if he was able to cook
pizza. He got friendship during his stay, and fell in love with Marianne, a Norwegian girl, that had
chestnut short hairs cut without care, typical of those “revolutionary” years, and shining blue eyes.
Many times the young boy asked to himself why she keep wearing dark glasses that hid that
magnificent beauty.
After three days other guys reached the place. James, like others was English, he had an agreeable
and simple character. Many times after the work they played football together, destroying the poor
flowers that Johs’ wife loved to cultivate. There were Renate, from Germany, Kristina from
Belgium, Marie-Odile and Odette from France: Odette was called “maman” for her the generous
breast. Then came Tommy, a clever Danish craftsman, and Patrick, Erik, two Czech girls, one boy
from The States, and an English girl, Fiona, with the hair like Shirley Temple. Our boy had a strong
friendship with Raymond, a Breton with red hairs and a wild short beard. Raymond was a good
mixer, always disposable, and with a fantastic appetite. The days ran quickly among lunch or tea-
times, work, games, and long walk through the woods. In the evening they seated all together under
the big tree of the court, singing Bob Dylan or Joan Baez songs, drinking and smoking self-made
cigarettes. He often cooked during his stay: everyone asked always his pizza, considered the best
(and cheap) Italian food, and he was compelled to work for hours in the big kitchen to knead flour.
The big tree with his large leaves was a good refuge, and soon it become their “secret” refuge: even
twenty people could climb up, singing with their feet dangling “everybody in the tree!”. One
evening, while they were sitting outside around the fire, Raymond stand up interrupting the
sprightly chatters: “I have a propose to do” he started, putting down his glass of beer. Everyone
watched him curious. “I would like to run around the lake, to-morrow morning, to watch sunrise”.
The others exchanged meaning looks of disagreement. Someone smiling said “Do you want to get
up in the middle of the night?”. Raymond nodded with conviction. “You are crazy!”.
“I think that’s a good idea, on the contrary” said the young boy, inspiring from his cigarette. His
friend smiled to him lovely: “We could wake up at four, follow the path and ford the river with the
first light.. we can come back around eight, just before starting to work!”. Renate shook her head
convinced , so did Tommy: “If we don’t sleep, to-morrow we’ll be destroyed!”. Raymond showed
him his tongue, then sit again: “Who comes?”. They were eight, coming out from their rooms to
penetrate the last hours of the night, proud of their small adventure. The walk was long and when
they reached the little affluent of the lake, the boys carried the amused girls on their shoulders to
keep them dry. When they finally reached the opposite shore, lied on the grass tired, waiting for the
first rays of the sun. Raymond come near the boy and watched him deeply. He noticed a strange
light in his eyes. “What’s the matter with you?” he asked, perceiving the glance of his friend.
“Nothing.. it’s only that..I was wondering what were you thinking about..”
“Oh..” he scratched his head, and sighing answered: “It is so beautiful here. For the first time, after
so long time, I feel again at home. In this field, with all of you. I feel again a glad man”. The girls
shouted excited, the two friends turned to them quickly: The sun was just rising. His light was
pouring on the country like liquid gold, and everyone enjoyed its warm. Raymond took a cigarette
from the worn pocket of his jacket putting it in his mouth. Before lighting it asked him: “What will
you do, when we’ll finish our work? Will you remember this place?”. He smiled. Certainly he will
remember. He willbring it in his heart the whole life long. He will told about it to his wife, to his
children, if he would have a family one day. It would remain a part of him, forever.“I don’t know
what I’m going to do, maybe I will hitch-hike trough Europe again, then to Rome again, but maybe
I will come back”.“Will you come back really?”.
“Yes” he said to himself more than to his friend. “I will come back”.
They remained silently watching the beginning of a new day. The wind was dandling those girls
and boys, while a flock of storks crossed the sky with his light flight, to flew into the horizon-line.