She lost her sight due to a serious illness, but a 55-year-old woman's great passion for reading found support in a fifth-grade boy who reads books for her.
The protagonists of the story are a lady from Vicenza, Paola Toldo, and Erik, a 10-year-old boy, who has long established a friendship with the woman, who periodically lends her books, struck by her desire to learn about her.
Paola is originally from Valdastico (Vicenza), but now lives in Verona, where she met Erik's family of Albanian origin, who lives on her landing.
"Erik - says Mrs. Toldo - grew up knowing my situation well, which he lived day by day".
The woman has no children, and she affectionately looked after the boy as he grew up.
She still managed to cultivate her passion with audiobooks, but one day she received a voice message on WhatsApp: it was Erik, who was reading to her the first chapter of a book she had received as a gift, "Il piccolo alpino", written in 1926 by Salvatore Gout.
"It was a beautiful thing, imbued with humanity - says the 55 year old - Even yesterday he sent me another vocal chapter, even though I had told him not to worry about me, and to pay more attention at school and at play".
Erik is attracted by ethical ideals, and he is intrigued by the archaic terms that he finds in the texts: "he told me, for example, for him 'pel' is an error, and so we discuss it".
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