The Great Ski-Lift. Anton Soliman

a favourable moment for talking about himself in a new place. A good chance to play up the best version of himself. Self-idealized and aggrandizing images played in his memory.

      - How did you end up in this godforsaken village in the mountains? Are you here by chance? - asked the innkeeper’s wife.

      -Not quite, I'm here on holiday. Valle Chiara was recommended to me by a mountain-loving friend - an imperceptible pause before he added, - Although I was expecting something different.

      - What do you mean, sir? - asked the young woman.

      - We’re on first name terms, please. My name is Oskar, - he took a sip of beer, - Well, I was expecting somewhere unusual because my friend doesn't like conventional places. For example, he would love this kitchen. Yet, when I arrived in town and saw the ski station forecourt, I must admit to being disappointed. The landscape is depressing; it doesn't look like a place for having much fun. I don't mean to be rude but Valle Chiara seems pretty desolate.

      The present company nodded vigorously, an encouragement to continue being honest: - I mean, how can you expect that muddy forecourt to even connect up to the Great Ski Lift? It rains and there's no snow. Doesn't look like the situation changes much higher up anyway. What do you think? You’re the locals and know far more.

      The innkeeper looked uncomfortable: - You're perfectly right -he spluttered, - Valle Chiara is not somewhere quite ready for tourists yet. But believe me; it’s slightly more complicated than that.

      He glanced at his wife for a moment, who flashed an angry look back, and spoke, - I’m no expert, but the previous Mayor came up with an ambitious project for this valley.

      - I’m guessing this plan was later abandoned, - remarked Oskar ironically.

      Clara looked at him smiling; she seemed interested in this topic. Meanwhile, the soup was finished, and the next course served.

      The innkeeper reflected on the question, and after sipping his beer, decided to provide further details, - In fact, the previous Mayor was very prepared, he grew up in California with an uncle who’d moved there. Seems he studied for several years at some prestigious university. Then he returned to the village saying he would stay and help, even becoming Mayor soon after.

      - What did he do over that time? - asked Oskar.

      - The only thing he finished is that cable car you saw this afternoon. Well, some of us thought this initiative would be a massive boost to tourism, and many made investments. I myself, used my savings to expand the hotel, which was actually only still open for some lost salespeople and hunters during the season. -

      - So, what’s your verdict on the project? Seem the situation hasn’t really changed much.

      - Exactly, as I was saying, the Mayor ordered the ski station built and then promptly disappeared from the scene and Valle Chiara. I'm talking about a few weeks back. More to the point, he left the moment they finished testing. I remember him looking exhausted after all the organizing. Before leaving he expressed satisfaction and said that his work was over.

      Oskar then turned to Clara, - how do you feel about what this strange Mayor did?

      - It's hard to say, especially in just a few words. I respected him a lot initially; the man was very experienced and spent whole nights reading books. When he first arrived, I was studying in the city, but in Valle Chiara everyone knew who he was. He worked all day long and towards the evening you could spot him walking alone in the woods. Always at the same time.

      Oskar now felt hot and removed his jacket. For a moment, he remembered the first, horrible impact with the hotel's frosty welcome. Although the disjointed conversation in the kitchen felt odd, for the first time since his arrival, he felt the warm glow of a festive atmosphere.

      - Let me try to understand a bit better, - he said in a resolved yet relaxed tone, - So Valle Chiara has always been an isolated place. A few years back, a man educated in California and full of ideas returned here. This man, perhaps as a tribute to his former villagers, decided to build something that would boost tourism. First, he considered a cable car to attract skiers during the winter season. He drafted a project and when this was complete, he left the village. Am I right so far?

      - Well, I think it’s a little bit more complicated, - replied the innkeeper, - At first I also thought events unfolded in this way

       Clara shook her head. - I think the Mayor's project was interpreted badly-.

      - Do you mean he didn't want to develop tourism? So what's the point of the cable car? - asked Oskar.

      - I don't know exactly, but the Mayor never mentioned tourism, he talked about one connection, - replied Clara, her words halting and unsure, - All I can say is, apart from the village gossip, is that the Mayor was interested in connecting Valle Chiara to something. Once I heard him talk about an Experimental Connection. That's why he designed the ski station and worried over everything working properly...

      - So the cable cars are still in use - exclaimed Oskar, - Maybe there's a company running it?

      - Of course! The ski plant is fully functional and anyone can use it. If you want, tomorrow morning I'll take you to the manager, he knows all there is to know about the cable car.

      Only Oskar and Clara remained in the kitchen hall, the others had gone to bed. The woman cleared the kitchen while he started smoking a cigar offered to him by Ignazio. Clara mopped the entire kitchen in an instant. This was her last chore for the day.

      - We have a habit here of clearing everything away before sleeping. My parents are up early and the smell of yesterday's food can be unpleasant for guests, even though it’s just you for now.

      The damp left by the cloth evaporated almost instantly and the kitchen returned to sparkling clean. Just like in a cartoon he’d watched when little...

      - Sorry if I ask you a personal question, but I couldn’t help noticing you have a real clear understanding of things. Where did you study? asked Oskar.

      - In town. I returned to Valle Chiara last year, after the Academy but I don't want to talk about me, - She said passing a hand across her forehead. Then, her tone changed and she asked, - Did a friend recommend this place to you? You said the one telling you about the Great Ski Lift was a mountaineering fan.

      - Yes, that’s right. He's a bit of a character and not really into trendy places, instead always looking for worlds not yet discovered. I’m a bit sceptical that we can still find undiscovered places, - breathing deeply, he added, - This time, I trusted him but after seeing the state of the cable car, I'm not so sure.

      - What did you expect?

      - I expected somewhere more colourful. I don't mean to denigrate your village, but you must admit the area is not exactly suitable for Alpine skiing. To be blunt, I expected little wooden chalets, an illuminated modern forecourt covered in snow, a festive atmosphere and snowy mountain tops on the horizon.

      - What you say is true in terms of first impressions. Even though I was born in this valley, I admit there's nothing beautiful here. In fact, Valle Chiara is not an alpine village and I felt the same as you until meeting the Mayor. He had thoroughly researched the situation and thought that a sort of Wall hid the real landscape. That's why he wanted the cable car line, to cross a frozen expanse and reach the plateau. Don't ask me where these plateaus supposedly are, because I've never gone that high.

      - Do you mean you don't know the area where you were born?

      - I know the village well and go for walks up to the first clearing in the woods. It's not just a question of my being lazy because my limited knowledge of the area is more or less representative of everyone living here. -

      - Do you mean that people here don't travel? I find such disinterest difficult to understand-

      - Of course people travel! Some villagers know everything about the surrounding area. Many move further out for work, for example, shepherds or woodcutters. However, their geographical knowledge is of no interest to you. You are a city boy looking