Lives of the Saints

Vittorio recalls what he knows about America. His great-grandfather in the 1890s left Valle del Sole and ended up in New York until he disappeared. Over time, more and more people from Valle del Sole left for America. However, it “had remained a mythical place” (167) for many town residents and there are many rumors about it.

Cristina remains in Rome for a week. She returns with a passport for herself and Vittorio along with tickets to Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, in Canada. Vittorio and Cristina quickly pack to leave. They move Vittorio’s grandfather to Zia Lucia’s house. Vittorio is somewhat dazed in the days before their departure.

Before they leave, Fabrizio comes to see Vittorio. He tells Vittorio that his father doesn’t want to send him to school anymore and that he got fired from the farm near Rocca Secca for throwing a stone at a rat and making a hole in a bag of wheat. He says he doesn’t mind being taken out of school because he disliked the teacher.

He gives Vittorio a cigarette and asks Vittorio to write him from America. He makes Vittorio promise to write. He has them seal the promise by licking each other’s spit from their palms.