Josef

“You know I am. Can you write down your proposal so I can show it to my father-in-law? You know he’s a lawyer?”

“Oh yes, I’m aware of that.”

The next day Josef was again summoned to Dr. Samuels’ office where he was presented with a copy of the contract he

had asked Dr. Samuels to prepare. Josef read through it and could find no fault with any part of it. He would be given ample

time during the year to appear in concerts and to give private lessons if he wished. A house would be provided for him and

Elena to live in, one of the temporary buildings until a new one was built within the next year. Josef liked everything he read,

nevertheless he informed Dr. Samuels he would like his father-in-law to read it before he signed.

“No problem, Josef.”

Josef showed the contract to Angelo the next day his Manhattan office. “Everything looks good to me, Josef,” Angelo

told him. “It sounds like an interesting job, one you should enjoy and do well with.”

With this encouragement Josef told Elena about the job offer; she was ecstatic. “Josef, I’m so happy for you, for us I

should say. Now, can we start our family?”

“I think we should,” he replied, taking her joyfully in his arms.

Both Elena and Josef graduated with honors in May. All of Elena’s family attended the commencement exercises.

XXII: June - December, Year 6

That summer Josef and Elena spent most of June visiting the Cellas in Trieste. Pietro was almost back to his normal

self physically but, according to Francesca, he was depressed. He misses San Reino and talks constantly about moving

back there.

“Dr. Donatelli agrees that Pietro is well enough to go home but he’s concerned that Pietro might want to go back to work.

I’m concerned too; if he does it might kill him. Talk to him Josef.”

As a result Josef spent many hours with Pietro, talking to him and present-ing arguments about why Pietro should not

return to the vineyards. Finally, Pietro said he was convinced.

Lucia, meanwhile, flashed an engagement ring at them and said she was getting married next year, possibly in June.

Giuseppe also had a steady girlfriend. Much to Francesca’s chagrin he had moved in with her.

Before Josef and Elena returned to New York Pietro and Frencesca announced they would give up the apartment in

Trieste and return to San Reino at the end of July.

Josef and Elena joined the Panelli family in early July at the lakeside cottage in the Adirondacks which they had again

rented for the summer. Elena, two months pregnant, did not participate in the water sports but exercised regularly following

instructions from her doctor. She also began writing what she called ‘The Great American Novel.’ No one else, even Josef,

was allowed to look at it.

Josef, more relaxed than he had been for the past year, learned how to fish and to operate the boat, and became more

adept at swimming. Also, for the first time in his life, he drove a car. Michael insisted that if he was going to live in the sticks

and not in the city he would need to be able to drive. It was one of the most difficult learning experiences Josef had ever

encountered.

In late August Josef and Elena left the family at the lake and moved into their new home at the music camp. They soon

discovered it was not the most elegant, nor the most modern house they had ever seen. It was a frame house almost 70

years old and still had some of the original plumbing and electrical fixtures.

“They promised to have our new home ready before the end of this school year,” Josef told Elena.

“We’ll manage fine,” she replied.

Moving was no easy task. They had been living in Angelo’s Manhattan apartment since their marriage two years earlier

and had accumulated many personal and joint treasures. Josef’s music library by itself took up all the space in one room.

Elena had only begun to gather materials essential to her writing career. All of these were moved by a moving company

Josef hired. Elena, because of her condition, was not allowed to do any lifting.

“I’ll just do the heavy looking on,” she said.

For the first part of the school year Josef had little to do at the camp. The contractors moved heavy equipment in and

began demolishing some of the old buildings and then leveling the ground in preparation for the new construction. Josef had

time to work on an orchestral arrangement he was doing for one of his sonatas, one he would showcase at a concert in

Chicago in late October. Elena continued with her novel.

The sonata, with the Chicago Symphony led by Josef, was well received. In addition to it being his first appearance as a

conductor he also played two violin solos and two piano solos, all resulting in a standing ovation.

Shortly after the Chicago performance Josef began meeting regularly with Dr. Samuels to plan the program for the

following year. At times the meetings took place in Dr. Samuels’ office at Julliard. Here they discussed many options of

what and who would be taught and the faculty members who would be asked to teach there. Meetings also took place on

site. At these meetings most of the discussions were about the use of the facilities and the logistics of operation.

They hired two women from the local area, one to do secretarial work and the other to run the computer and do the

accounting. A temporary office was set up in a small building close to Josef’s residence.

Both Thanksgiving and Christmas days were celebrated with the Panellis. With Elena almost 8 months into her

pregnancy it was not a good time to fly to Italy. After much persuasion Francesca and Pietro were talked into spending the

Christmas season with Josef and Elena.

Francesca was impressed with Josef’s position as Assistant Director at the music camp. Josef gave the two a grand

tour of the complex, explaining to them how each of the new buildings would be put to use and pointing out where his future

residence would be.

“All because of you and Pietro, Mamma. Without the two of you to encourage me I wouldn’t be what I am today.”

Francesca scoffed at this, but beamed with joy.

XXIII: January, Year 7

On January 25th Elena gave birth to Francesca Christina, a healthy 8 lbs. 2 oz. Josef was so proud, and so pleased the

nurses had to practically eject him from the hospital. But not before he played Brahm’s ‘Lullaby’ on his violin for the new

arrival. This, of course, charmed the nurses too and he was allowed to stay much longer than the usual visit.

Lucia insisted, over Elena’s objections, that she would spend time with them after Elena was released from the hospital.

Josef was thankful for her presence; until he learned how to cope with a new baby he felt helpless.

This was only the beginning of their family. Once Josef got used to the idea he wanted more; as many as Elena wished

to have he told her. During the next three and a half years two more were born. First, another girl, Anna Elena, sixteen

months after Francesca, then a boy two years later. The name Anna came from Josef’s sister Anya. The boy was named

Edward Angelo after Josef’s brother and Elena’s father. Elena decided then that three was enough.

EPILOGUE

The music camp flourished. Josef stayed at its helm for three years after it opened and received many accolades for the

quality of the program. He also kept busy with concerts, sometimes as many as three in one year.

One of the concerts was in Porec. Together with Milo Kravitz a concert was scheduled for the dedication of the

university’s new music center, which was named in honor of Josef’s father.

Also squeezed into his busy schedule were two appearances playing jazz piano in New Orleans. Here he was reunited

with Alexander Griffith.

After those three years Josef was made an offer he couldn’t refuse: concert master and assistant conductor for the

Florence Symphony. Both he and Elena were delighted with the prospect of living in Florence, a city both loved.

Josef’s career was blossoming and Elena was working on a sequel to her children’s story which had been published two

years earlier.

END OF STORY