EUGINO MONTI Part 1

Eugino Monti is a child born to a poor husband and wife. Eugino was born in a forest at the foot of a mountain near the coast of Sicily.

Despite all the economic limitations, this handsome boy was born safely in the cold night at the foot of the mountain. From that situation, the child was given the name Eugino Monti which means born well in the mountains. A simple name for a child with an immeasurable future.

Eugino became a dutiful child to his elderly parents.

He became a porter, looked for firewood in the forest and sold it, helped build infrastructure with a minimum wage, and many other things he could do. He does all the work willingly as long as the money he earns can support his stomach with his two parents.

Eugino's simple life begins to change when an outbreak of dengue fever becomes unbearable for his aging parents. Eugino became an orphan at the age of only ten.

After his parents died, Eugino descended the mountain and started walking toward the outskirts of the city.

Becoming a street busker, selling umbrella rental services, wiping other people's shoes, or helping carry someone's luggage began to be pursued because, on the outskirts of a capital city like that, that was the only job he could do to earn a penny of money to fill his stomach.

Eugino's fate begins to change when a middle-aged man with a simple demeanor becomes his customer to have his shoes cleaned.

"Quanti anni hai, figliolo?"

(How old are you, son?) the man asked Eugino.

"Ho dieci anni, signore!"

(I am ten years old, sir!) replied Eugino without taking his eyes off the rich master's shoes which he was cleaning.

The rich man saw Eugino's smile as he cleaned his shoes. It seems that the ten-year-old child is enjoying his current job.

"Cosa ti fa sorridere tutto il tempo? Ti diverti così tanto a strofinarmi le scarpe in questo momento?"

(What makes you smile all the time? Are you that much fun rubbing my shoes right now?) asked the man again to Eugino who continued to smile happily.

"Se non mi piace quello che faccio, allora il mio lavoro sarà duro, signore. E se è così, non avrò soldi per mangiare. E se non mangio, morirò. Non Non voglio che la vita che Dio ha dato attraverso i miei genitori sia così inutile!"

(If I don't enjoy what I do, then my work will be hard, sir. And if it's like that, I won't get money to eat. And if I don't eat, then I will die. I don't want the life that God gave me through my parent to be so useless!)

replied Eugino who again seemed to ignore the rich man in front of him. It was obvious that Eugino was more interested in the shoes he was cleaning than the owner of the shoes themselves.

"Allora cosa fanno i tuoi genitori quando i loro figli lavorano in questo modo? Non sei a scuola? Un bambino della tua età non dovrebbe andare a scuola a quest'ora? Il denaro è più bello per te dell'istruzione per il futuro?"

(Then what do your parents do when their children are working like this? Are you not in school? Shouldn't a child your age be in school at this hour? Is money more beautiful to you than education for the future?) The rich man kept asking if interested in Eugino with his tenacity for money.

"Sono solo in questa città, signore. Due mesi fa entrambi i miei genitori sono morti di malattia. Scesi dalla montagna per lavorare e guadagnare soldi per mangiare. Per me la scuola non era importante. La sopravvivenza era la cosa più importante. Dopotutto quando potevo contare i numeri soldi, non importa nemmeno andare a scuola. I soldi non sono tutto in questo mondo?"

(I am alone in this city, sir. Two months ago both my parents died of illness. I went down the mountain to work and earn money to eat. To me, the school was not important. Survival was the most important. After all, when I could count the numbers money, not going to school doesn't matter either. Isn't money everything in this world?) Eugino answered with his innocent understanding until the rich man smiled again, having raised an eyebrow as Eugino spoke.

"Sei davvero innocente e ingenuo, figliolo! Il denaro è la cosa più importante, ma soprattutto come puoi ottenere denaro e coltivarlo in modo che la vita sia buona. Non hai detto prima che non avresti reso la tua vita vana? E se un giorno ti ammali e non puoi lavorare per guadagnare soldi. Non morirai se non hai soldi per riempirti lo stomaco? Non è lo stesso se finisci per morire di malattia e di fame quando non puoi guadagnare soldi anche se riposi solo per un po'?"

(You are innocent and naive, son! Money is the most important thing, but more importantly, how can you get money and cultivate it so that life is good. Didn't you say earlier that you would not make your life in vain? Then what if one day you get sick and you can't work to earn money. Won't you die if you don't have money to fill your stomach? Isn't it the same if you end up dying of illness and starvation when you can't earn money even if you only rest for a while?)

Hearing the rich man's words, Eugino's shoe-hogging movement stopped. He lifted his head to look at the rich man's face.

"Allora non mi ammalerò! Manterrò il mio corpo sano!"

(Then I won't get sick! I'll keep my body healthy!)

Again, the child's innocent answer made the rich man smile and even laugh.

"Non importa, le mie scarpe sono pulite, puoi persino vedere la tua faccia stanca dalle mie scarpe, ahahah! Ferma il tuo lavoro e siediti accanto a me!"

(Never mind, my shoes are clean, you can even see your tired face from my shoes, hahaha! Stop your work and sit next to me!) said the rich man while smiling at him.

Eugino obeyed the rich man's orders and sat down next to the rich man.

With a friendly smile, the rich man offered something that excited an innocent boy like Eugino.

"Pulire le scarpe come stai facendo in questo momento non ti farà bene alla vita, ragazzo! I soldi che guadagni ti terranno lo stomaco solo per un giorno. Poi quando non lavori, non mangerai."

(Cleaning shoes like you're doing right now won't do your life any good, kid! The money you earn will only hold your stomach for a day. Then when you don't work, you won't eat.)

"Mi vedi ricco? Pensi che i ricchi non lavorino?"

(Do you see me as rich? Do you think rich people don't work?)

Eugino was puzzled by the question directed at him at this point.

"Prima di diventare ricchi, tutti devono davvero lavorare e dopo essere stati ricchi, allora puoi goderti i risultati del lavoro stesso. Quando non devi pensare a cosa vuoi mangiare domani,"

(Before getting rich, everyone has to work and after being rich, then you can enjoy the results of the work itself. When you don't have to think about what you want to eat tomorrow,)

"Quando ciò di cui hai bisogno non devi pensarci due volte per ottenerlo con i tuoi soldi,"

(When what you need don't have to think twice to get it with your money,)

"Quando non devi aver paura che i tuoi soldi finiscano anche se li mangi per cose che altre persone non possono ottenere, allora puoi essere chiamato ricco!"

(When you don't have to be afraid that your money will run out even if you eat it for things that other people can't get, then you can be called rich!)

"Ma che tipo di lavoro ti renderà ricco? Strofinare le scarpe dei ricchi renderà ricco anche te? Forse puoi, ma ci vorrà molto tempo. E quando ti rendi conto che tutto il tuo duro lavoro è vano, allora tu te ne pentirai e aprirai gli occhi!"

(But what kind of job will make you rich? Will rubbing the shoes of the rich make you rich too? Maybe you can, but it will take a very long time. And when you realize all your hard work is in vain, then you will regret it and open your eyes! )

"Ed è allora che inizi a capire che hai sprecato l'occasione di vivere una vita decente solo con i tuoi semplici principi, giovanotto!"

(And that's when you start to realize, you've wasted the chance to live a decent life with just your simple principles, young man!)

Eugino started to lower his head as he understood what the rich man was saying.

It's true, living alone at such a young age amid the hustle and bustle of the city is not easy. Even Eugino had to work hard like that when many kids his age were doing fun things for themselves.

"Non sto sottovalutando il tuo attuale lavoro. Ma sai una cosa? Ogni uomo ricco ha un lavoratore che si occupa della pulizia delle scarpe del suo datore di lavoro. E un ragazzo come te dovrebbe giocare e ridere con gli altri tuoi amici!"

(I'm not underestimating your current job. But you know what? Every rich man has a worker who takes care of his employer's shoe cleaning. And a kid like you should be playing and laughing with your other friends!)