The Altar Boys' Picnic

Times were hard in Italy after World War Two. Work and food were equally scarce. One day my father, Celso, returned home from yet another hard day at his thankless job and announced to my mother, Natalina, that he had signed up to go and work in a town called Eshowe, where artisans were needed. “Where is Eshowe?” she asked. “Somewhere in Africa,” he replied. This book was prompted by family and friends who convinced me to record my wonderful childhood memories. My intention is to transport the reader back to the free and fun-filled days of their youth – the time of innocence and wonder – to an era far removed from the stresses and strains of today’s hypermodern world. All the characters in this short story are the actual people with whom I had the good fortune of sharing my life’s path, although some names have been changed.