L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 14 L'Italo-Americano LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE D ear Readers, The same boat, but a d i f f e r e n t float... Figura- tively speaking, all of our parents were "in the same b o a t " w h e n t h e y b e g a n t h e i r v o y a g e a c r o s s t h e Atlantic Ocean. However, w h e n M a r i s a C o l o m b o Russo of Salinas, Califor- nia, wrote the story of her first class crossing in 1933 o n t h e l u x u r y l i n e r S . S . Conte di Savoia and shared it with me, I became very aware that, although every- body was in the same boat, making the crossing in first c l a s s i n s t e a d o f s t e e r a g e was, amenities-wise, akin to crossing the Atlantic in a yacht versus a rowboat. Marisa Colombo Russo was born in Genova, Italy on May 17, 1926. Her father, A n g e l o C o l o m b o , w a s a purser on the luxury liners o f t h e d a y a n d w a s a w a y from home as long as three months at a time. In 1929 Italy was just beginning to unite under Mussolini's new r e g i m e , a n d h e r f a t h e r , although sympathetic, did not want to join the party — a must if you were to have a job in Italy. So he and his family sailed to the US. A year later Marisa, who was then seven, was accom- p a n i e d b y h e r p a t e r n a l grandmother on a trip back to Italy for a summer vaca- tion at their country home in Travo. As Marisa remembers, "Our accommodations were l u x u r i o u s ! B e c a u s e f i r s t class was virtually deserted due to the Depression, we were given 'royal quarters'! T h e S . S . C o n t e d i Savoia was a true floating palace. " O u r s t a t e r o o m w a s w a l l p a p e r e d i n g o l d b r o - cade, and all the blankets and spreads were crimson in color. During the trip, we especially enjoyed the com- pany of a very nice Italian p r i e s t : F a t h e r R i n a l d i became our chaperone and proved very helpful when we visited Casablanca and Monaco. "I soon found first class a very solitary place. The only passengers on that voyage w e r e P r i n c e U m b e r t o o f Savoia, who kept to himself i n h i s ' r o y a l q u a r t e r s , ' a m i d d l e - a g e d l a d y f r o m Monaco who wore so many jewels she sparkled like a C h r i s t m a s t r e e , h e r t e n dogs, all housed in a special kennel on the deck, and a young couple who were just seen at meals, probably hon- eymooners. "I did make some friends in the ship's playroom, but as usual I preferred adult company and many a day I would entertain these pas- sengers with my recital of various poems of 'adult cal- iber.' Soon I had my own fans and I was less lonely. " T h e g a l a d i n n e r t o o k place on our fifth day at sea. We were nearing the end of our journey. The dinner was an extra special event, and in first class, formal attire w a s r e q u i r e d . S i n c e t h e 'lonely' Italian Crown Prince U m b e r t o h a d b e e n i n h i s private quarters most of the j o u r n e y , t h e C a p t a i n thought it only proper to invite him to his table to share the gala dinner and entertainment. He accepted w i t h p l e a s u r e a n d a b o u t sixty guests were rounded u p f r o m s e c o n d c l a s s , a l l specially selected, of course. Father Rinaldi, a bit of a royalist, was thrilled to be given the honor to 'break b r e a d ' w i t h t h e s o n o f his King Emmanuel! "My grandmother, the eternal busybody that she was, had previously met the Captain through my father the evening of our depar- ture. She asked him if he w o u l d l i k e m e t o r e c i t e a very moving poem entitled 'The Last Farewell to Italy of the Italian Emigrant' (L'ad- Advancing our Legacy: Italian Community Services CASA FUGAZI If you know of any senior of Italian descent in San Francisco needing assistance, please contact: ItalianCS.org | (415) 362-6423 | info@italiancs.com Italian Community Services continues to assist Bay Area Italian-American seniors and their families navigate and manage the resources needed to live healthy, independent and productive lives. Since Shelter-in-Place began in San Francisco, Italian Community Services has delivered over 240 meals, over 900 care packages and made over 2000 phone wellness checks for our seniors. dio all'Italia dell'Emigrante). T h e o r c h e s t r a f i n a l l y s t r u c k u p t h e M a r c i a Reale (Royal Anthem), and everyone stood up... then t h e l i g h t s d i m m e d a n d i t w a s m y t u r n . I t o o k m y usual bow...I was on! I deliv- e r e d t h e t o u c h i n g v e r s e s with all my heart and soul. A f t e r a l l , I k n e w h o w a n emigrant felt in his heart. I w a s o n e m y s e l f ! I m u s t admit, my beautiful ode was a true tear-jerker and in the end, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. " W h e n I t o o k m y l a s t bow, the Prince rushed up to shake my trembling hand. He congratulated me and placed an ever-so-gentle kiss on my forehead, then patted my cheek. "Brava!" he said. T h e n h e t o o k m e b y t h e hand and walked me over to w h e r e m y p r o u d g r a n d - m o t h e r w a s s e a t e d a n d thanked her for the wonder- ful gift offered to the Royal Family and the Country! *** My father Vincenzo did not embrace air travel and only would travel afar by ship. By the 1970s, the cost of running these big expen- sive luxury liners was too h i g h , t h e a i r l i n e s w e r e unbeatable competitors and despite generous subsides f r o m t h e I t a l i a n G o v e r n - ment by 1875-1976 the great days of the Italian Line and their Luxury passenger fleet were over. My father Vin- cenzo finally took to air trav- el. ***

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