Story of Me #1 - "Frontier boys: Mattia e Paolo"

"People are boxes that a very few ones bother to open. If you open a box, then you have to deal with everything that's stored inside" (Le fragili attese, Mattia Signorini)

"There is an empty blackboard close to the sofa. I would love if you could write something".

Now, I am a writer and "writing something" on a blank white page (or black, in this case) is my call. So imagine my happiness when I listen to such a tender invitation.

I am in the living room of Mattia and Paolo, or should I say I am in their only room, as their place is a one – room area with no kitchen and just a tiny yet comfortable bathroom hidden behind their two coloured surfboards. I am in the Canary Island of Lanzarote, and this warm little room, built out of a former office, is going to be my house for the next four days. "We do not need a kitchen as far as we have our chiosco". Mattia, 27 years old dark hair piece of Italian beauty, smiles at me when I start wondering where I am supposed to cook my rise. "Pura Vida el Kiosco" is an octagonal structure – the chiosco, in Italian - that faces the sea and the wind in the small business area of Las Maretas, in Costa Teguise. It is Mattia's dining and bar and his main business activity. The place where he cooks for others, and when he cooks for him and for Paolo, his younger brother, 20 years old for a tall and blonde presence. From where, just to be clear in this "kitchen missing drama", Mattia will cook my rice for my pleasure, and deliver me one portion of coffee cream per day, as my doctor prescribes.

Why am I here? Let's go back to the blackboard. This empty page is the exact metaphor of what I am doing here: to fill the white spaces with images and words. My photos. My words. To testify and to write about these two Italian boys who left Italy to start over somewhere else. To write about frontier boys. Because they are, indeed, even if they do not know yet.

I met Mattia under the hot sun of August. I was looking for a wi-fi connection, as always, messing around with documents and proofs about my request of residency in Lanzarote. After one-hour discussion with the local officers without success, as always in these cases, I needed a coffee. I was frustrated, tired and also a little bit disappointed about my situation, yet still managing to believe that there was a brighter side that I was not getting. I saw the sign: "Pura Vida". Pure Life. It seemed a very fitting name for what I was looking for or needed in that moment. So I went looking for the pure meaning of my life. The first thing I noticed was the spot: waterfront, sunny, silent. Flawless. The second was the general mood: relaxed, human-sized, quiet. The third, of course, was him: Mattia. This young guy greeted me with a bright smile, a slight and quick look and a comfort word. "What's wrong?", he asked, guessing why I looked so grumpy. I started with my complaining. He made me talk for a while, knowing as a real Italian why sometimes we need to complain a bit. Then, he stopped me. "Don't worry. As soon as you need sun, sea and a wi-fi connection this is your home". I was intrigued by him, I admit. Even worse. As my mentor writer Elizabeth Gilbert perfectly wrote once, "I kind of fell in love with him. I didn't fell in love [with Judson] like "Let's get married!". I fell in love with him like "Mercy!"". Because Mattia was slim, handsome, charming, plus hiding a dark side under his shining armour. A dark side that, as my nature rules, I tremendously wanted to discover. With good connection and chemistry as our allies we talked a lot without spitting a second, and at the end of the conversation we were business partners. He needed photos for his new website. I needed a story. Deal. We celebrated our fresh agreement with a cup of Lanzarote's wonderful white wine "Malvasía Volcánica", from the black lava fields of the Vulcano Timanfaya, and we decided to work together at the end of the season. Which was in December.

Sitting on a tight Ryanair seat, tapping my left foot on the carpet layer, I was anxious. We exchanged several messages, personal and business ones, but I had not seen the guy since our last cup of white wine. Plus, I needed to meet his girlfriend and earn her approval. I know what you are thinking. "You do not need anyone's approval!". Still, I was a casual girl sleeping on her boyfriend's couch. Sure she was damn right about that! I was still anxious when I finally arrived and saw him, serving a glass of coffee cream to a female customer. "Can I have one too? I love coffee cream!". He looked at me and smiled the brighter white smile. "Wait 5 minutes, I give you the fresh one". Mattia, always handsome, still charming, same chemistry.