No Idea

Caterina
died last night

We only met her once
the day we moved in
she smiled
welcomed us to the building
looked happy
and healthy
with pale blue eyes
and a genuine lift
in her wrinkled lips

Certainly
there was no hint
that there was less than two months to go

Camilla
our other neighbour
told us a few weeks back
that ‘her upstairs’ was ill
caught something down on the coast
was supposed to be a relaxing weekend
but came back coughing
with something nasty on the lungs

Loves to gossip
does
Camilla

Today
I saw the window was open
a respiratory machine
stood to attention
unaware
it had been disarmed
its clear plastic tubes
sagging
and no longer in use

It’s all very public in Italy
- death, I mean
two signs have been erected
one outside the flat
and one
outside front door of the building
down on the street

They basically say something along the lines of
“Roll Up, Roll Up... This Way...
etc etc”
in addition
an A4 piece of paper
will be stuck to the notice board
at the local church
declaring
the death

I can’t help but wonder
who types it out
do they use Word?
how do they decide the font and
do they keep a template ready
which they simply update each time?

The body stays at home for two or three days
locks are opened up
drabs of mourners,
visitors
traipse in and out
like sad museum goers
here to see the ‘new’ relic
recently added to the collection

I feel dumb
holding bags of sparkling tinsel
as I pass them
on the stairs

This afternoon as I was looking for my keys
an image sprang up in my mind
Camilla came stepping in slippers
waving her hand
ready to give me another unrequested update
but I drifted
the mental image before me
becoming clearer
as she spoke about arrangements
or something

the friendly
smiling old lady
from the first day we moved in
...yes
I remember
and I see her
“Caterina” she said he name was
and now nothing
no more
just the hold of those pale blue eyes
that had no idea