LIFE’S LESSONS : Being wise to one’s environment.
Several years ago, Don Bucilla drove into the premises of the American University located in his little village in a rugged part of Sicily, Italy.
He was accompanied by his eighteen year old nephew, the only son of Don Bucilla’s late sister, who was trying to get into the university to study medicine. He had some issues with the admission ,which was what they came to sort out.
Don Bucilla, was an illiterate who had risen to become the overall Capo of the Mafia in that region. He was a “good man” , who loved his people and dispensed favours to all. He had been and was still sorting out issues for other people and he could call on such favours when the ocassion demands.
Out of all creations on Earth, Don Bucilla loved his late sister Emilia, unconditionally, devotedly…..he could literally , kill for her sake….not a big deal to him though, killing somebody I mean.
Emilia’s greatest wish was to have her only son Stefano, who turned out to be a studious ,nerdy type, read medicine and be called a Dr………instead of joining his uncle in the family business.
That was the background setting that afternoon when Don Bucilla and Stefano , his nephew, drove into the premises of the American University . In fact, Don Bucilla had played a major role in providing the land for and the subsequent construction of the university.
The VC at the time was an American, who had barely spent a year in office and in Italy.
Don Bucilla, a powerful man but a stark illiterate, he couldn’t read or write, was usually uncomfortable around “educated and “uppity” people.
So the conversation between the VC and the Don on the admission issue did not go well. The boy’s grades and score was just a bit short of the cut off point for medicine.
The VC was not ready to bend the rules to help Don Bucilla, who had helped the University before….the VC was right on that point but he was not a man who studied his environment.
But Don Bucilla, being who he was, felt these educated uppity people,… were not willing to help him because he himself was an illiterate….and that if he was like them, they would help him.
Save his face and shame, by allowing his sister Emilia’s son become a Dr, after all , everyone says the boy was brilliant…..blah blah…
Long story cut short, Don Bucilla and his nephew left the VC’s office calmly but boiling hot inside…..in fact in his mind, he had decided to “neutralize” the VC , for disgracing him … .. …..e no dey tey….that is how things work in that environment at that time.
Guess what saved the VC’s life….
Another Italian Professor, who saw the Don on his way out, greeted and inquired from him , “kile waa she ni campus Sir”?
So the Don told him everything, what he wanted, how the meeting with the VC went, how he felt bad by the way he was treated and how he will appreciate if that Italian Prof can help sort out the matter….if only for his late sister Emilia’s sake……..”please biko nnwanem”
So the Italian Professor looked at Stefano’s grades and marks again and found out that he could read “Dentistry” with what he had. The prof then told Don Bucilla that the problem is solved, Stefano will read Dentistry and he will be called a Dr when he graduates…………in fact, Stefano will be wearing white coats like all doctors and Emilia will be happy in her grave.
The matter was resolved with the VC’s consent, everyone was happy………and Don Bucilla and the Italian Professor became life long friends and equals, because of the favour he did and Bucilla told him, “Prof……..anything, anything, you want me to do, just ask……..
And that was how murder was averted by the actions of a man who was wise to his environment.