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I need you a lot and I wanted to send a letter to Venice to tell you that I love you and that I miss you." Now that the book was finished and he felt "empty and tired."

I had stopped on the Ponte della Paglia and, turning my back to the Basin, I was looking at the Rio della Canonica, but not to admire the Bridge of Sighs, I was looking at the Ponte del Rimedio, at the end of the canal. And I wondered when and if Papa would ever cross that bridge again to visit me. "...I send a copy of The Old Man and the Sea by air. Many thanks again for coming every morning to help me write. And certainly a big waste having to stay so far from each other. You once said we would take a risk to talk about the weather, meeting again. Not me. I'll talk about you."

Dear Papa. Why are you not now crossing the bridge of the Rimedio? I would recognize you even from a distance, for those massive shoulders of yours, that slightly heavy step of yours and the ray of sunshine that now beats over the bridge would illuminate your beard which is becoming whiter and whiter. Even from a distance you would feel that I am here and you would stop and you would turn towards me and your mouth would bend to one side, a little crooked, in that smile of yours when you are excited and happy.

Instead, while I'm here on the Lagoon, you're on the Far Island. The River, the Lagoon and the Far Island "...and I'm here talking to a typewriter instead of seeing you. I think I can remember every time I've seen you. Now everyone sees you except me. Now I have to stop and send you my love. It goes very fast and travels faster than all guided missiles and you already have it now before I finish typing this sentence. And you don't even have to take care of it. It is very durable and guaranteed for life and for all Countries. No disturbances in heat and cold. It does not rust and becomes stronger with use. It can be fed indifferently with mangoes or shrimp...