Everything Happens for a Reason

Yesterday morning I went to put on my sunglasses before heading out for breakfast, only to discover that my sunglass case was empty. Bummer! I must have somehow lost them on Thursday in Cortona, without even realizing it. I looked all over the apartment, but to no avail. They were definitely gone! And, of course, it was a brilliantly sunny day in Florence. So first thing on my agenda yesterday was to find some new sunglasses.

I quickly learned that finding an identical replacement was probably not going to happen. The pair I lost were Oakleys, and it turns out that Oakleys are difficult to find in Italy. My search was successful, however, as I ended up buying a cute pair of Burberrys (Martha, I was thinking of you when I bought them). No, I couldn’t find an Italian brand that suited me!

I hated to have to spend this extra money, but I’ve always been a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, although I had no idea at that moment what it might be. But I didn’t have to wait long; in fact, I discovered what that reason was as I was walking back toward the school after making my purchase. I happened to walk by a small ottica (optician) shop named Ditta Umberto Dei. Now, prior to today, I may have walked right by this shop without noticing it, but there was a nice display of sunglasses in the window. Even though I had just purchased the Burberrys, I decided to go in, just in case they had Oakleys. The proprietor told me that Oakleys aren’t popular in Italy as they are in America.

And then we started to talk. I quickly learned how interesting this man is. Mario Baracchi is a native Florentine, and he said that natives are hard to find these days. He was born just around the corner from his shop, which he has run since the early 1960s. The shop itself has been there since 1910, making it one of the oldest continuously operating shops in Florence. Mario told me that he was baptized in the Baptistery at Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo). He quipped, “Just like Dante Alighieri, only a few years later.”

In addition to being an optician, Mario is also a camera buff, and he was pleased to show me his vintage camera collection, which he proudly displays in his shop. Well, I couldn’t have been more excited. You see, my dad worked his entire career for Eastman Kodak, and he has a wonderful vintage camera collection himself. I asked Mario if I could bring my dad by when he and my mom arrive in two weeks, and he said that he would be delighted.

In addition to showing me his camera collection, Mario also showed me wonderful photos from World War II and from the 1966 flood. During the war Mario and his family were separated, with members on both sides of the Arno. The Germans had blown up all of the bridges except the Ponte Vecchio, leaving his family stranded on both sides. The Germans then lined the Ponte Vecchio and the river banks with land mines to prevent anyone from crossing, particularly the Allied troops. Mario tried anyway, in an attempt to reach the rest of his family. He and a friend made it to the banks of the Arno, on the opposite side, when a land mine exploded, killing his friend and severely wounding Mario. He also told me how they went years during the war with no real food and how thrilled they all were when the British and American troops arrived to liberate them.

Mario then continued with his storytelling, fast forwarding to the 1960s, when another tragedy struck Florence. You see, Mario was running his shop during the disastrous 1966 flood. His shop, of course, was flooded, and he showed me photos that illustrated how high the waters reached. Incredible! His shop was virtually destroyed, but he rebuilt it and has been running it ever since. Unfortunately, his wife passed away several years ago, and Mario told me that running the shop is what keeps him alive today. He keeps it open every single day, including Sunday. Walking into his shop is like stepping back in time. You can bet that if I lived in Florence, Mario would be my optician! I can’t wait for my parents to meet him.

I am so glad to have met Mario, and if I hadn’t have lost my sunglasses in Cortona, it probably never would have happened. Yes, everything really does happen for a reason. To Mario, il mio amico nuovo (my new friend)!