da Paolino Capri

"Do you know the country where lemons flourish? Down-there, down-there, I'd like
to go with you my love!!!"

Although Paolino De Martino didn't really believe that Goethe had ever been to
the island of Capri, or think for one moment that the writer had been inspired by his, Paolino's, garden with its rows of lemon trees bending down under the weight of that precious and deliciously scented fruit, illuminated by hundreds of intense yellow baubles ripening in the Mediterranean sun, nevertheless, that phrase had a special appeal.

He had heard it from a learned friend of his, one of those literary folks who, as far as he was concerned, read a lot but thought very little. He was in no doubt that his lemon grove which produced such an abundant quantity of lemons was the most beautiful in the whole of Capri. "Under that sky of lemons as big as stars I'd like to go with you, my love..." he repeated.

Paolo remembers it being a different story 40 years or so ago, when emotions were produced by the simple, and infinitely great, things in life; the invigorating sea breeze, the moon with its strong rays appearing like a great white sun thrown into the sky by who knows who and for what
reason.

In those days, as the sunset over the water and silence fell on the island, many an islander chose to meet in Paolino's garden, along that narrow road which abruptly transforms into a flight of steps precipitating towards the sea of Tiberio, close to Palazzo a Mare, opposite Villa Bismark, and just a stone's throw away from the playing field where the kids from Marina Grande kicked their first football. Many a fleeting meeting and secret pact of friendship were made under that sky of lemons, huge lemons with such thick pulp that they could easily be sliced into Salads.

So began the adventure of Paolino and his son Michelino (known as Lino). And like all stories where hard work and sacrifice are justly rewarded, with that son called Michelino (known as Lino) in the end they all arrived:

Niarcos, arriving on the island with his fabulous Atlanta, Leopoldo Pirelli, president of Mercedes Benz, Conte Augusta, Giorgio Falk, Cesare Romiti, Gallucci, Matarrese, Morabito the president of Isreimer, Luca di Montezemolo and Edwige Fenech, Leonardo Mondadori, Dianne Furstemberg, Tirelli, Ferragamo,Tom Cruise and Mimi Rogers, John Beluschi, George Hamilton, Lino Banfi, Lucio Dalla, Luciano De Crescenzo, Nanny Loy, Lina Wertmuller ... celebrities whose autographs are all meticulously archived and treasured by Lino since 1978: how many tales still to be told under those lemon trees where ,"I'd like to take you, sheltered from the wind and rain"?