Three thousand euros in five years at that rate means repaying almost one and a half times the capital at maturity. Although I am quite prone to silly behaviours, I come to the conclusion that this idea would be useless and unnatural: there could be better ways to get in touch with the blue creature. More than a simple hello the next time I bump into her would be too straightforward for the way my brain works. What if the glow was just a simple and sudden glow? It would be useless to put energy into a blue flash ready to go off within a minute of conversation; even though I doubt that this may happen: such a deep blue colour cannot dissolve so quickly; this would be totally in contrast with the intensity of her gaze.
«Land Registry extracts were done together with the merger approval; nothing has changed since then, right, Brando? Can you pass them to me so that we can quickly go over them and check them?»
«There hasnt been any change, here they are» I reply, pushing the papers in front of me towards the notary.
Better to leave her in the world of dreams, dreams that are almost real, glowing dreams that are almost real.
«Next week we will register the deed and I will give you the updated extract» I say.
«Thank you, have a good day.»
«Ill show you the door» I answer.
When I get back to my desk, I find the notary there waiting for me in front of my desk, fiddling with an elastic band in his hands.
«You look already burned out today Brando: you look as lively as a warthog infected with Ebola virus» he says ironically while I am staring at him a little puzzled.
«Lets go to the coffee room: our clients who want to set up a company will be here shortly, shall we get a coffee in the meantime? You can stir yours, if you wish.»
«I wont have it stirred, just to show you my support.» After a few minutes, we are in the deed room again, sitting on the same chairs we sat on earlier on, with two coffee cups in our hands.
«Now, Brando, all that positive energy that is coming out from you, where does it come from?»
«I believe it is just an inner feeling. It is not on sale, I think.»
«Just as well, otherwise suicide attempts could unreasonably increase.»
«I dont think I am contagious, anyway.»
«No, I dont think so. What comes out of you is harsh if anything but what worries me is what you have inside.»
«Really? Why are you saying this? I dont look too weird or depressed today... I mean I dont look any different than other days.»
«Thats it, Brando. You are depressed and weird like many other days. However, lately, you are almost over the limit. I have known you for years now, I have never seen you like this.»
«You think so? I dont know, I havent thought about my psychological and physical condition today, actually. I got here and I got down to work with the files. I think I did even take a breath, from time to time.» Maybe the thought of the blue glow took my mind off what I was doing for a few minutes, her apparition may have shaken a regular day at its onset, but I think I am alright.
«I am not too sure, Brando. You look to me more and more... I dont know how to put it...»
«Loony?» I ask.
«No. Id rather say gloomy. As if you are trapped inside something. Trapped in there.»
«Trapped inside what?»
«Trapped inside, thats all.»
«What do you mean, trapped inside myself?»
«Yes, thats it.»
«Excuse me, notary, I have felt just fine up until two minutes ago: the day was passing just fine, like many others. Now, thinking that I am trapped within myself could make me feel distressed, it is a disturbing picture.»
«Maybe I am the only one to detect this lately: dont read too much into my words. It depends on the places we are trapped in: they dont have to be always bad places. If you have coconut trees and sun all day inside yourself, it could be all good» he replied with a smile.
«Sure. Havent you just said that I am gloomy inside? Actually dark?» I ask a little puzzled.
«Yes: mine was just a theory in fact» he answers. «Contra spem.»
«So funny» I say it with a grin.
«Lets put aside this introspective journey inside yourself» the notary goes on, «what makes you feel this way?»
«What do you mean? I am the same as any other day.»
«Has anything unusual happened to you recently? Is your matt car okay? Your parents? Is everything okay? Do you still live on your own refusing every human contact?»
«When are our next clients coming?» I ask with a sarcastic tone, to try and change subject.
«In a few minutes, I reckon. However, we have plenty of time to make a brief examination of your current life.»
«Good, how nice. Why though?»
«For no particular reason. I worry about you, about your psychophysical condition. More about the former than the latter.»
«Excellent. I am happy that you worry about my mental health. It pleases me very much.»
«So then?» he insists.
I am looking at the empty cup that I hold in my hands.
«Now I can tell you that my matt car is doing well and I guess my parents too, I mean, they are doing only too well. I add that I do not live on my own, I have occasional and normal contact with the other dwellers on planet Earth, and you are one of them.»
«Thank God, Brando, you have stopped hanging around with the aliens, this is a positive thing. Did you start hanging around regularly with somebody else, I mean, with the opposite sex?»
«No, I didnt. I stopped with the aliens, just give me some time to change my habits, meet new people to hang around with. Maybe zombies, there are so many around.»
«Very funny. Lets take a note: nothing new, the candidate does not point out any recent changes in his lifestyle. I am sure that if you behave like this, the sentence to home confinement will be revoked, sooner or later.»
«Home confinement that I was granted being trapped inside myself?» I wonder, puzzled.
«Right that one.»
«I was asking because I was afraid I had got lost.»
«So, are you dead on not trying to repent?»
«I dont think I need to repent for anything. Thats the way I am: I do not hang around with aliens, zombies nor human beings; I am gloomy and a bit down but I have always been like that. Maybe lately the whole situation has gone a bit worse, maybe I find it difficult now to put up with some situations that I used to somehow manage before.»
«Attention, please. We have here some sort of explanatory sentence which expresses a whole thought» the notary says sarcastically. «Are you talking about work in general or something more complicated?»
«It is the whole situation, what is around us: people, in particular. It is the attitude that people have towards each other. Not just in the working environment: it is something that makes me sick, it makes me feel bad.»
«People. People make you sick: disturbing. What do you mean, Brando?»
«There is some sort of pathological apathy everywhere. They all just want things and expect them without doing anything useful for themselves or for the others.»
«That has been my feeling too for quite some time.»
«Do you know the history of do ut des?» I ask.
«Sure, do ut des and do ut facias, are the foundation of private law. You are talking about a wider picture, dont you?»
«Yes, a wider and more trivial scenario. Men have always acted this way: you give something to get something else back. I think this is fair, quite normal. The problem is that now it is only a des: give me this because I am entitled to it, I want this because I am more worthy than you. The synallagma has changed: everybody expects something but nobody does anything.»
«Interesting analysis. Is that what makes you gloomy?»
«I dont know. This is for sure something that I cant stand. And there is so much more to it.»
«Talking about do ut des, did those guys from Newco Dating Ltd avail of the legal counselling service, didnt they?»
«They did, they dropped in on a Wednesday, two weeks ago. They are two guys from Eastern Europe who want to start a dating business on the internet. Actually, I am not too sure if they are real rendezvous, which are organized on the web or virtual dating, like online chats or something like that. Anyway, they were telling me that their web site is ready for the users and they are trying to create a mobile app too.»
«Right, that was exactly the idea behind setting up legal counselling service» Alessandro says. «Giving everybody the chance, especially needy people, to have free legal service for every need.»
«Wonderful idea which compels me to get in contact with many needy people for three hours a week...»
«Correct. This would be only do, without ut des: something done for a noble principle. You are really great at dealing with needy people, Brando». The notary stops and looks at me smiling. «So today we will help needy people to run the usual virtual brothel: it is nothing new, it must be the third one already. This year only.»
«I think that word of mouth is what gets them going in this environment, but massage parlours have almost disappeared» I say.
«True, I havent seen them in a while: it is probably because the Town Council close them all down» the notary replies. «Anyway, wasnt the deed scheduled for 12:30 pm? It is 12:45 pm already and they havent shown up yet.»
«They may run a little late, I fear.»
«We should look into this legal counselling service...»
«Maybe so. Often helping people in need is not taken in the right way by people, or several people consider themselves in need but they are just in need to have something for free» I say.
«Come on, lets get back to the do ut des...»
«Mala tempora currunt, Brando.»
«Sed peiora parantur» I reply.
1.2 LIFE - THREE
«Good morning, sirs. Now, we are here to register Newco Dating Ltd» the notary starts.
«Here we are» they reply almost at the same time.
«Did you check if there are other websites registered with similar names at the Board of Trade, Brando?»
«The gentlemen here actually wanted to name their company Newco Ltd. I took the liberty to point out that this name was not so original and that it would be necessary and useful to attach another word to it. So then Newco Dating came out, it sounds a bit more original.»
«Excellent, and Newco Dates it is then» the notary adds, and then he says: «Each of you will own a share amounting to 50% of the share capital. Are you both residing in Brescia, right?»
One of the two men says: «Yes, we have been living here for twenty years now».
«And the company will be based in the municipality of Bre...» the notary says this and he stops suddenly. «In the municipality of Codogno» he continues saying, with a slightly surprised tone, looking at me. «Which is in the province of Cremo...»
I look at him and I shake my head.
«Which, surely, is in the province of Piace...» he goes on saying, lowering his voice, while I shake my head again.
«Lodi» one of the two partners says. The notary looks at him.
«Of course: Lodi. It is an important town, isnt it? It is a busy city, right?» he asks while staring at the guy in front of him.
«Thats right, it is a busy town» says one of the partners. «We decided to have it as our headquarters because our computer technician and the server are going to be based in Codogno.»
«I see» the notary says. «Are you aware that if you ever decide to shift the headquarters outside the Municipality, you are going to need another notarial deed, arent you? Why not choosing Brescia as the headquarters, considering that both of you are residing in here?»
«Yes, yes, your colleague told us» says the plump partner with Magnum P.I. style moustache «Its better this way for us for... how can I put it... confidential reasons.»
«I see, I see» the notary cuts him short. «And Codogno it is» he says looking at the desk. He browses through the Statute then and he briefly points out some aspects to the partners, who do not seem to pay too much attention.
«25% of the share capital amounting to 10,000 has to be paid over by the partners to the administrative body. So, we are talking about 1,250 each» the notary says.
«Yes» Magnum P.I states, «here, all in 50 banknotes.»
«Great» Alessandro says. «You are both administrators, so you need to pay 2,500 into each others hands. As for levies, taxes and registration fees, please finalize it at the front office desk.»
«Go to the entrance door where you can see something artificially fair» I say.
«Pardon?» the plump version of Tom Sellek says, looking confused.
«I meant that to make the payment you can go over to the girl sitting at the desk at the entrance.»
«Right, okay, thank you. Goodbye» he answers a bit puzzled.
The two of them walk off the room and down along the corridor.
The notary turns to me, he looks at me and says: «Did you know Codogno, did you?»
«No, never heard of it, Ive got a better idea looking at Google Maps. Excuse me for not telling you in advance: I forgot. However, I thought I was ignorant not to know it, considering how casually the two of them were telling me about it.»
«Dont worry, Brando. I will check later on where this joyous town is located». «Im off: my wife is waiting for me for lunch at the Bistrot. Yourself? Will you have your usual sad-looking bowl of tofu with cereals?» he says sarcastically.
«Yes, something like that. See you later.»
I am supposed to be gloomy and sombre more than usual, in his opinion, I ponder as I sit back at my desk. I dont think so. I may be pensive, probably it is the fault of the blue glow. Sure: now I am blaming somebody I dont even know.
Sbandofin Facebook: search. No, they are not on Facebook. Sbandofin Linkedin: search. Nothing.
Sbandofin, search for pictures: just our building taken from below, which is the only picture on their website. Nothing much: there doesnt seem to be much on the internet apart from their website.
My smartphone vibrates and lights up: Mutter. I scroll down with my finger on the display and I answer.
«Hi Bra, how are you?»
«Hi mum, wonderfully. Yourselves there, is everything okay? What are you doing today?»
«All is well here. Nothing major: I am making the pizza dough for tonights celebrations, your father has gone to the canal. He went out at 7:30 this morning and I havent seen him since.»
«You mean, nothing major for your standards but, just out of curiosity, what celebrations are on tonight?»
«Here in Alberbhüttel its the Patron Saints Day. Last year we went there and found out that everyone cooks something and brings it to the square to share with the fellow villagers. We didnt know and went down bare-handed. Between one tankard and another, at the end of the evening, they got us to promise to make pizza for everybody for the following year.»
«That explains it all» I add. «I didnt know anything about this lovely German celebration; it reminds me of San Faustinos Day, with the difference that here we dont share homemade food and knock it down less beer»
«Yes, Brando, it is similar to San Faustinos celebration. Here on the Kiel canal each town has its own annual festival and everyone puts in a lot of energy preparing their own festival. They are spread out through the months and the inhabitants of the neighbouring towns, come to other peoples celebrations, so the town square is overflooded with people coming from three or four towns. Beer flows in large quantities for sure.»
«Some sort of an alcoholic exchange» I interrupt.
«Just think that our neighbours, those who live in the other town at ten km from here, Beringfeld, have designed some sort of a beer distribution system to go with the pizza. Something done properly: they dug five metres deep and they run the pipes under the cobblestone. Every three metres they placed some kind of a yellow hydrant, which is a real tap as an actual fact.»
«These Teutonic traditions dont seem bad at all: I didnt know that. Anyway, after one year, do these people still remember this, which was furthermore agreed upon after gulping down a few litres of beer?»
«I told you: they care about that a lot. I have been asked more or less the same question for the last year or so by everybody I was bumping into. Are you making pizza with pepperoni and frankfurters, right?»