Josef

At the time Josef Rankovic was born, in October, 1983, the small city of Porec, in the Croatian section of Yugoslavia,

was the hub of a small seaport community on the Adriatic Sea. That all changed in 1991 when Croatia declared its

independence. Following this declaration fighting erupted between the Serbs and the Croats who made up the citizenry of

Porec. Many of the city buildings were destroyed during the fierce infighting between the two ethnic groups.

One of the buildings destroyed was the apartment building in which Josef and his family lived. Another was the small

university at which Josef’s father taught music and where Josef was being taught piano by one of the professors. Josef was

the only member of his family to survive the devastation. His father, mother, two brothers and a sister, all musically talented,

were killed.

Fortunately he survived, and with the help of two fishermen, made it to San Reino, a small fishing village on the Adriatic

near Trieste, Italy. While living with a family in this tiny enclave Josef’s musical interests were rekindled by the discovery of

an old, valuable violin in the family’s attic. This led to his taking violin lessons, his acceptance into a music conservatory in

Florence and later his emergence as a child prodigy on both the violin and the piano.

The story of his early life was recounted in a prequel to this story in the novella entitled JOSEF: FROM THE ASHES OF

WAR. Our story continues with his life a short time before his 17th birthday.

I: June - July, Year One

Summer was beginning and Josef had lived with his sponsor, Signor Dante Marchetti, at the Marchetti villa outside

Florence for three years. They had been fulfilling and rewarding years. All the musical resources of Europe were always at

his fingertips. He had access to any conservatory or music library when he needed to research a subject or listen to a

particular composer’s work.

During those three years he had also been commissioned to perform at four concerts on both violin and piano, three in

Europe and one in the United States. All the concerts had been enthusiastically received and Josef was acclaimed

worldwide as a virtuoso on both instruments.

His composing had also flourished. Three etudes for violin and one sonata for piano had been published by an

international music publisher. Also, the diary he had written of his early childhood, published four years previously, was in its

third printing and still a best seller, in several languages.

Josef now felt that the time had come for a change in his life. He had discussed it several times with Signor Marchetti,

and also with his good friend and former advisor at the conservatory, Signor Benedetto Vicenzia.

One evening, after attending a concert together at the conservatory, Signor Vicenzia reminded Josef of some advice he

had been given a few years earlier by Maestro Bonino, Conductor of the Florence Symphony. “Remember when Maestro

Bonino advised you to have fun while you are growing up and not miss out on the joys of being a boy? We are both

concerned that you are missing that, Josef, and would like to see you relax more and put a little more fun into your life. We

have seen other young people with a lot less talent than you reach adulthood without ever knowing the joys of childhood.

Then, when they became adults, were not ready to accept the responsibilities.”

Following this conversation Josef discussed it with Signor Marchetti. The signor was very understanding and

sympathetic to Josef’s needs. “The question now becomes, Josef, what do you wish to do with your life for the next several

years? Do you want to forget about music for a while? Do you want to travel, or live in a different place where you can

change your life style? Whatever you wish, I will be happy to help you do it.”

“I never want to forget about music,” Josef replied. “It’s the most important part of my life. But perhaps I can devote less

time to it for a while. I’ve been thinking a lot lately of my own family and where I lived as a young boy. Now that there is no

longer any fighting there perhaps I can go back and visit.”

“Would you go alone?” Signor Marchetti asked.

“I’m not sure. Maybe Pietro or Francesca would go with me, or Antonio, if he’s not busy fishing. I think I’ll go back to San

Reino for a while and talk to Francesca. She’s a wonderful person and I miss her very much.”

“I’m certain that can be arranged,” continued Signor Marchetti. “Now that the phone lines have reached San Reino your

friends might have a phone. Have you tried calling?”

“I hadn’t thought of that. I’m certain they have a phone; Pietro would need one for his vineyard.”

“There’s the phone, Josef. Why don’t you call them now?”

II: July - August, Year One

Although Josef corresponded frequently with Francesca as well as many other friends in San Reino, his last visit to that

tiny fishing village had been at Christmas, time, six months previously, and that was a short visit. He’d had a concert to

attend in Florence and then one to prepare for in Paris. As a result, his time with his second family recently had been

limited. And that was how things had been for the past three years; any visits he found time to squeeze into his busy

schedule were far too short. This time he had no immediate plans and could extend his visit as long as he wished.

Josef declined Signor Marchetti’s offer to fly him to Trieste as he had done so often in the past. “I think the train journey

will give me a chance to start slowing down and to be relaxed when I get to San Reino,” he explained to his friend and

benefactor.

As arranged on the phone Pietro was at the Trieste railroad station when Josef arrived. On this occasion Francesca

was with Pietro and Josef was met with warm embraces by both his adopted parents. The 22 mile journey to San Reino

was filled with non-stop talking by Josef as he described his need to change his life style for a time. “To return to being a

boy,” was how he explained it. He also mentioned his desire to visit Porec.

For the next several weeks Josef relaxed at his one-time home in the family vineyard. Gone were the games of hide and

seek and other children’s games he had played with Giuseppe and his younger sister, Lucia. At 13 Lucia was no longer the

little tomboy who followed Josef and Giuseppe everywhere they went. She was now a tall, slender version of her mother and

showed every sign of becoming a beautiful young lady.

Pietro’s wine business was flourishing, to such an extent that the work was too much for him to manage, even with

Giuseppe’s full time help. He needed to find another qualified man to help him. The problem with finding a helper was there

were no young males in San Reino, and to bring one in from outside was difficult. No young man wanted to live in a place as

isolated from the rest of the world as San Reino.

Josef helped as much as he could but Pietro knew that any help from this source was of a temporary nature. As a result,

Pietro and Giuseppe both put in many days of 12 hours or longer. Pietro was also showing signs of wearing down.

Francesca expressed her concerns about this to Josef. “All this work is making Pietro old before his time. But we don’t

know what else to do. If the work isn’t done the vineyards will shrivel up and die, and then we’ll have no livelihood.”

Josef also visited Antonio’s family frequently and went on one short fishing trip in which Antonio’s 17 year old daughter,

Luisa, was first mate. Once again Josef was thankful he had a talent he could use and not have to spend his life using every

muscle of his body every day. The life also had taken its toll on Antonio. He was not the vigorous man Josef had met when

Antonio rescued him from a shipwrecked existence seven years before. He now showed many signs of aging. And, as

strong as she appeared to be, the work was too difficult for Luisa. It would be a matter of only a year or two before she left

the family to start a family of her own.

Two months after arriving in San Reino Josef brought up the subject, with Francesca, of his desire to visit his birthplace.

“In a sense I need to retrace my roots. I also want to see what is being done to restore the city now that the fighting has

stopped. It’s possible I will be able to make contact with some of my family’s friends at the university; if it has been

reopened, that is.”

Francesca was concerned that such a visit might be traumatic for Josef. “Are you sure you are ready to return there”?

she asked. “It may bring back painful memories, memories that will be too much for you.”

“I’m aware of that, Mamma. That’s why I hope you will come with me.”

“Oh, Josef, I will be happy to come with you but won’t it cost a lot of money?”

“I don’t know, but I have to go. And I have plenty of money from my concerts; or I will have when my trust becomes

available in two years. In the meantime, Signor Marchetti will pay all the expenses. He wants me to, as he puts it, rediscover

myself.”

III: August - September, Year One

Although it had been seven years since Josef left Porec, some of the devastation caused by the Serb-Croat war was still

evident. Much of the rubble had been cleared away and crews were working with large construction equipment in other

areas that were still in disrepair.

Except for the harbor, which had received relatively little damage, Josef found few landmarks he could recognize. The

apartment building where his family had lived, of course, had been destroyed, as had the university where his father taught

music, and the school Josef had attended.

A new university was under construction in an area adjacent to the old one. Also, temporary government buildings had

been built while new ones were in the works. An old hotel, one of the few buildings which had received no damage, had

rooms available. Josef and Francesca were able to book adjoining rooms.

Josef immediately began making telephone inquiries with various city officials. He told them his name and his father’s

name and his connection with the university. Most of the professors were either dead or had left Porec. One name elicited

a positive response. His old music teacher, Professor Milosevic, was still living in Porec but had retired. Josef resolved to

visit him as soon as it could be arranged.

The first evening Josef took Francesca on a walking tour of the section of the city where he had scrambled for his

existence during the ten months he was a street person. Francesca was appalled at the conditions that still prevailed.

According to Josef they had been even more dismal during his homeless phase.

By chance, when it was time for their evening meal they were in the neighborhood where Anton had his restaurant and

had provided a temporary home for Josef during those early years. Josef decided to seek out the restaurant, if it still

existed. To his delight it was still in operation. When he and Francesca entered it looked exactly as Josef remembered it.

As Anton was nowhere in sight Josef sat Francesca at a table and sat himself at the piano. As soon as he began

playing a rollicking selection of Dixieland jazz numbers Anton appeared at the door to the kitchen. He looked at Josef with a

bemused look on his face and then strode over to the piano.

“Who are you, and where did you learn to play like that?”

“I’m Josef, and it’s been seven years since I was last here and I’ve been taking lessons.”

Anton looked more closely at Josef and then recognition dawned. “You are Josef? I never would have recognized you.

Where have you been and where did you learn to play that well?”

All of this dialogue was in Croatian, none of which Francesca understood. Josef took time out from his conversation

with Anton to translate into Italian for her benefit. At this Anton mentioned he spoke some Italian and would try to continue in

that language if Josef would introduce him to the lovely lady.

Switching to Italian Josef said, “This is my adopted mother, Francesca Cella. I lived with her and her family for some

time in San Reino, which is in Italy, near Trieste. Now, before we continue our conversation, can we get something to eat?”

“You will be my guests,” said Anton. “I feel I owe it to you after treating you so shabbily last time I saw you. That incident

made me think about my drinking and take better control of my life. Besides, I want you to tell me what you have been doing

with your life.”

After enjoying a tasty meal of Anton’s special recipe goulash, topped off by a delicious slice of pie, Josef briefly

recounted his experiences after he left Anton’s, including his musical training at the conservatory in Florence. Francesca

interrupted several times to state that Josef was being too modest about his accomplishments. When he finally finished his

tale Francesca could keep quiet no longer.

“What Josef, in his modesty, did not tell you, Anton, is that he is an accomplished musician on both the piano and the

violin. He has appeared as a soloist in many concerts all over the world. Not only that, he has published several of his

compositions, and also a diary of his early childhood.”

“All because Francesca’s husband, Pietro, who is my adopted father, gave me a valuable violin and encouraged me to

develop my God-given talents,” Josef replied.

“And am I going to hear you display your talents,” asked Anton.

“You’ve heard some on your piano. I don’t have my violin with me tonight, it’s back at the hotel. But I hope to put on a

concert while I’m here, a free concert so that all the people can come. I would be pleased if you attended.”

“And the piano,” continued Anton. “Will you also put on a piano concert?”

“I hadn’t planned to, but I will be happy to play for you and your clientele right now if you wish.”

“I would be very pleased if you played now,” said Anton.

Josef returned to the piano and began playing Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” In spite of the piano being grossly out

of tune his rendition was superbly done. The dozen or so diners at the restaurant were fascinated and urged him to continue

playing for another half hour.

As they returned to their hotel Francesca commented, “So that’s the man you wrote about who got drunk and hit you?”

“Yes,” Josef replied. “But most of the time he treated me well. It was only when he was drunk that he was abusive. I

hope he meant it when he said he had reformed.”

IV: September, Year One

The next day Francesca stayed at the hotel writing a letter to the family in San Reino. Josef asked at the hotel desk for

directions and made his way to the city offices. Here, he was directed to an office where records were kept of residents of

the area: addresses, birth dates, marriages, and so forth. Josef inquired about his former piano teacher, Professor

Milosevic. “I don’t know his first name,” he explained. “I knew him only as Professor Milosevic.”

The clerk, after examining the records, noted that there were three Milosevic families living in Porec. One of them was a

young family that had recently moved there from another city, a second was a middle-aged woman. The third was the most

likely to be his former tutor. He was a man in his seventies who lived with his wife on a small farm on the outskirts of the city.

“His name is Janus Milosevic, could he be the one?” asked the clerk. Josef replied he didn’t know but he would visit them to

find out.

After obtaining this information Josef returned to the hotel to have lunch with Francesca. From the hotel they were able

to take a taxi, a rarity in Porec, to the address Josef had been given.

As they approached the farm they could see that it was rundown and apparently had not received much recent care. An

elderly woman answered Josef’s knock. Josef introduced himself and then said, “I am looking for Professor Milosevic,

Madame. Is this his residence?”

The woman squinted nearsightedly at Josef before replying, “Yes, it is; what did you say your name is?”

Josef repeated his name and spelled it for the woman who shuffled off to the rear of the house leaving Josef and

Francesca standing at the door. When she returned she was accompanied by an old man bent almost double at the waist.

Josef knew immediately that it was his old teacher but wondered if the man would remember him, the man had aged so

much.

When the man reached them Josef put out his hand and grasped that of the professor. “Professor Milosevic, I am Josef

Rankovic. Do you remember me?”

The man peered closely at Josef before responding. “Yes, I remember you, Josef, but I thought you were dead. I

thought I was seeing a ghost. Come in, come in and tell me about yourself.”

Josef introduced Francesca and requested they converse in Italian then accompanied Professor Milosevic and his wife

to a small parlor furnished with old fashioned, overstuffed furniture. As he got closer to the professor he could see tears

forming in the professor’s eyes.

After they were all comfortably seated Josef again recounted the events in his life leading up to his reappearance in

Porec. The professor listened raptly, interrupting occasionally with a question. When Josef finished the professor was

almost in tears.

“I knew you were talented, Josef, but you have far surpassed any future I expected of you. Your father would be

exceedingly proud.”

“I think I was motivated far more than most boys my age by knowing that my brothers and sister would have become

accomplished musicians. I did it for them.”

“You have done admirably, Josef. But why, after all these years have you returned to Porec? It must be painful to you.”

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