Feeding the Enemy

by J. R. Sharp

  “Momma,” she cried out to Anna.

  Anna stopped and yelled out for Pietro and at the same time started to run towards her eldest daughter. Pietro was not too far from the main house front door when he heard his name, so he made his way outside and saw what all the commotion was about. He saw Anna hugging Catherina.

  “Welcome back, Catherina, we have missed you so much,” Pietro said, hugging his daughter. “How is Gino doing?”

  Catherina looked at her father and mother with tears in her eyes and said, “Just as he was totally recovering from his wounds, they came and took him away yesterday for further service. I don’t know where they were taking him, but they were going to all the hospitals and taking all the military men who had recovered from their wounds.”

  “That means that they are hurting for men to fight and have started to round up all their wounded that have healed,” Pietro said. “We are starting to see some changes here as well. Please help your mother finish with the sheets and we will tell you what is going on here in Cimpello.”

  As Catherina entered the house she noticed right away that certain items were missing from the main room and the kitchen was bare. Most of the kitchen pots, pans, and utensils that her mother had displayed were missing along with the sewing machine, large containers, and some other furniture pieces.

  “Where is all of your kitchen items and furniture?” asked Catherina.

  “The government has taken most of the items, but we also have hidden some so we will have them later,” Pietro said.

  “They just can’t come here and take what they want, can they?” asked Catherina.

  Pietro looked at his daughter and put her face into his hands. “Yes, they can take what they want as long as they let us keep what we need to survive. We only have one bull, one cow, one horse, and only half of the chickens that we used to have. All the goats are gone and so are the pigs.”

  Catherina sat and started to cry because she knew this wasn’t good for the farm. Pietro sat next to his eldest daughter with a smile and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Why are you crying, my dear? We will be just fine; we have taken some measures to ensure our survival during this period of uncertainty.”

  “Like what, Dad? How are we going to survive without our animals?”

  He looked at his daughter for some time and let her get all of her emotions out of her system. Anna was going about her business of getting the meals ready when Valerie and Velasco walked into the kitchen to welcome their oldest sister back home from her extended leave. As she was hugging her sister and brother, Pietro got up from his chair and walked next to his wife and gave her a glance. Pietro cleared his throat and told his two youngest to go get their jackets and go outside and play because he wanted to talk with Catherina. He would call them in when he was finished. Catherina was hugging both of her siblings and told them both that when they came back into the house she had some presents for them from Treviso.

  “What do you want to tell me, Father?” said Catherina.

  “While you were gone some things have changed around here and you will be a big help shortly, and you need to know what is going on in order to make sure this farm stays running in case something happens to your mother or me. First things first, my mother has moved into your room upstairs and will be living with us for some time. She has lost her ability to walk from her old age and not being very healthy. Her apartment in town is vacant right now and we are trying to sell it. You will need to help your mother take care of her and the duties you had before you went to help Gino. Also, we are working with the Martins, Manzon, and Pelliccia farms to produce different crops each year so that we can support one another throughout the year. We are not too sure what will happen, but we want to prepare for the worst in case they start taking more than what we produce. They have already taken a lot of livestock and probably will be coming back for more. Your brother Bruno is working for the railroad company again and is helping us with any extra money he makes from the job. He also helped me hide some pots around the farm to hide food and I will show you where we have hidden them. We also have made some modifications to the house and hid all our valuables. We took the liberty of hiding all of your jewelry you left here. The Fascists haven’t started to take the valuables yet, but it is only a matter of time before they will start to need more money. Your mother is wearing a cheaper wedding band and I don’t wear mine anymore. We also went to the bank and withdrew a lot of coins and have them hidden in the house as well. If anybody asks you, we gave the coins to you and Gino for your wedding present. You cannot tell anybody about all that I have told you, especially your friends and your younger sister and brother. They don’t understand that they can jeopardize this family and farm’s future. Do you have any questions?”

  Catherina looked at her dad with a stunned look and began to look around the kitchen again; she just couldn’t get used to looking at an empty kitchen.

  “Dad, for how long will this last?” asked Catherina.

  “I don’t know, my dear, and you also need to know that Gino’s father is not doing very well. He was hit in the head with a gun by the Germans a while back and hasn’t been seen since. We think he is at his home recovering but we haven’t been able to confirm his condition.”

  Catherina got up from the kitchen table and walked up to the kitchen sink to look out the window behind the sink. She could see her mother and her youngest siblings playing in the fields.

  “Dad, I have no questions and will do everything I can do make sure this farm and this family survives. I will go see grandma now and move my stuff into Bruno’s room.”

  Chapter 5

  NAZIS ARRIVE

  IN THE SPRING OF 1940, the Fascist movement in Italy had taken over just about all government programs and their assets. Mussolini and his supporters were running the country, but there were hidden movements that wanted to topple his reign. Most were disorganized, but a few were starting to get more support as the Fascists supporters continued pillaging and supporting Germany.

  Catherina was helping her mother prepare dinner when she heard Bruno ride up on his bike. He was back from working the railroad job to help his father in the fields. It was planting season, which meant that most workers left their jobs to help out on their family farms. It was different this year than it had been in the past when it came to leaving the railroad and going back to work on the farm. Bruno almost didn’t get to come home. The Fascists almost shipped him to go to work elsewhere in the country, but he wasn’t in good health and avoided the unpaid transfer to get home in time for spring planting.

  Bruno came into the kitchen with a grin. “Hmm, looks like someone has a letter from Naples.” Catherina turned around from the sink and smiled at Bruno who was handing her the letter and giving his mother some supplies that she asked for him to pick up from his visit to the town. Anna looked at the vegetables and fruits that Bruno handed to her.

  “This is all they had at the market, Bruno?”

  “No, Mom, there were no vegetables or fruit at the market. I had to go see some friends to get what you see here. The Fascists take anything they want from the markets; so most people are not even going there anymore. It is very sad, and the only reason to go to town is to see some of my friends and find out the latest news.”

  Just then Pietro walked into the house from working the fields and saw Bruno. “What is the news for today, my son?”

  “Not much news today, Dad, just the same stuff as the other day I went to town. Ever since they took over the newspapers, you really can’t believe anything that you read. I talked with some of my friends and they are getting stripped of anything in their houses that even remotely looks like metal. I saw them going into the town hall and taking the chairs, desks, and file cabinets to give to the army. Francisco was there, as usual, telling everyone what to do and where to go next; he is such an idiot. Doesn’t he know that when this is all over he isn’t going to come out smelling very good for either side, especially if the Allies ge
t a hold of him and his goon supporters?”

  Pietro smiled at his son and put his hand on his shoulder for reassurance. He then noticed his daughter opening up a letter.

  “So, what kind of news does Gino have about his next assignment?”

  Catherina was reading the letter not even hearing her father’s remarks. Gino was still in Naples being evaluated for further service. He hadn’t done well enough when they looked at him months ago and they were monitoring his progress. He wasn’t doing well, and from his letter it sounded like he still wasn’t passing the physical fitness examinations.

  “What does the letter say, Catherina?” asked Pietro.

  “Nothing has changed, same situation as the last letter. They won’t release him anytime soon but he isn’t getting better. He says he still has problems breathing and can’t catch his breath after doing minor labor tasks. They have him working at the hospital until they figure out what to do with him.”

  Catherina wasn’t feeling too well and knew what was going on but didn’t want to bother her mother and father with the news. She went back to helping her mother in the kitchen and put the letter in the pocket of her dress.

  Bruno and Pietro went outside to sit and talk about the near future of the Zucchet farm. Pietro could see the fields that seemed to last forever. It was almost time to start getting the plow ready. It needed the annual sharpening and the harness needed mending from last year’s crops. He also needed to start to feed the horse and cows more often so they would have the energy to pull the plow; with only three animals to pull the plow Pietro worried that they wouldn’t be able to complete the planting.

  Pietro looked at Bruno and noticed that he always looked so sick and weak, but he had always looked that way even as a child.

  “What are you smiling about, Father?” asked Bruno.

  “Well, your mother and I think your sister is pregnant and are wondering when she will tell us. She has gained some weight and seems to be sick every morning.”

  Bruno started to laugh. “That means you are going to be a grandfather and I am going to be an uncle. Well I guess we better plant more seed this year since we are going to have to feed more people in the future.”

  Pietro mentioned to Bruno that the farmers would be having another meeting that week and that he needed to be there. Then both of them saw the dust from the road, which meant that some vehicles were heading in their direction. They both looked to see if it was moving fast or slow. Slow moving dust usually meant it was horses, but fast moving dust meant some type of motor vehicle. Only the Fascists or Nazis owned motor vehicles in this part of Italy. It was fast-moving dust and they both went inside the house to prepare for the worst.

  “They are coming. We need to get ready for them,” yelled Bruno as he entered the house.

  Anna and Catherina made all the preparations in the kitchen and Bruno gathered the children in the main room in the house. Pietro’s mother was bedridden and couldn’t leave the upstairs bedroom. Just as everyone got into their places, Pietro was looking through the window to see if they would make the left into the driveway of the farm. Even if they didn’t make the left, they could always come back from the other farms down the road, but they usually stopped at the Zucchet farm first during their raids.

  The dust was getting closer and Pietro was looking out the window when Bruno yelled, “We are ready, Dad.”

  Pietro nodded his head. This is starting to get old, he thought. The Zucchet family had made preparations for these events for some time now and they all knew their places and what to do during a raid. The first rule was always to give them what they want; the second rule was that only Pietro talked to them; finally, never tell them where they keep the food.

  Pietro noticed that there were two vehicles making the turn to the farm. The first was the usual vehicle driven by Francisco’s goons, but the second was a German vehicle.

  “Why are the Germans coming out here?” Bruno whispered to his father. Pietro just shrugged his shoulders.

  Both vehicles stopped just in front of the main house. Francisco made his way to the German sedan to let someone out. The German soldier looked like an officer of some type and he walked like he was far superior to anyone else. Pietro could see that Francisco was very nervous around this German officer and walked very close to him as they approached Pietro and Bruno.

  “Mr. Zucchet, let me introduce you to our friend from the north, Major Klein. He doesn’t speak Italian so I will be the translator.”

  Bruno always thought that was the reason Francisco was where he was because he could speak German; it sure wasn’t his ability to get things done. Pietro looked at the officer and noticed that everything about his uniform was perfect; in fact it was too perfect. Never trust someone who looks too good to be true. Those were the words Pietro’s father always used to say to him when he was growing up. The officer was looking at the fields as though they belonged to him, and he started to walk towards the barn that was behind the main house. Francisco followed. Pietro and Bruno did not move from the front of the house; they knew what was important to them and it was in the house. Francisco turned and was making waving motions at Pietro to come with them. Francisco and Major Klein stopped in front of the barn for a moment to let Pietro catch up to them.

  Pietro smiled and said, “So what does he want from me, Francisco? We are only a small family farm barely able to feed our family, and we make just a little money for our next planting season. You have already taken just about everything we had that was extra and only allow us enough cooking and farming supplies to barely survive. When are we going to get some type of compensation that you promised when you were taking all of our metal and precious jewelry?”

  “Your compensation will come soon enough,” Francisco said. “An Italian invasion is planned and then we will be able to pay off our debt to you and everyone else who contributed to the cause.”

  Major Klein made a comment to Francisco and he turned in the direction of the hazelnut trees. The major smiled and started to clap his hands while he walked towards the trees. Bruno was watching from the house and started to panic. As they reached the trees, Francisco was smiling and remarked to Pietro that the major grew up on a farm that had hazelnuts on it and always enjoyed them.

  “Well then he should take some before he leaves,” Pietro said.

  Major Klein grabbed a handful of nuts from the bucket and took a seat near the base of the tree. He looked at Francisco and Pietro and asked them to join him. Pietro could tell right away that the major was a veteran at opening these nuts. The major grabbed two nuts at a time and used one to open the other.

  “So what crops will you be planting this year, Farmer Zucchet?” asked the Major.

  Francisco translated the question and Pietro answered, “Beans, Major.”

  “So how many people can you feed with your beans?” Francisco asked for the major.

  “Enough to feed Cimpello for a whole year, Major.” The major started to laugh and continued to eat the hazelnuts.

  Catherina was looking out the kitchen window with Anna and they both were shaking a little.

  “What do you think they are talking about?” asked Catherina.

  “I don’t know, but your father is having a good time. I can tell by his body language. If Francisco and the German only knew what he was sitting on,” she remarked. They both started to laugh.

  “I am sure it is about the farm and what we can do for the Fascist and German armies. As long as there is conflict and wars they will always need farmers to feed their troops,” remarked Anna.

  Catherina was holding her stomach trying not to let the pain bother her or be noticed by her mother. There was so much going on with the farm that she didn’t want to add to their problems. She was hoping that Gino would come home and be able to take her and the baby she was carrying somewhere and give the farm a break from all the people. There were a total of seven people living on the farm and it was already very crowded, but that never bothered P
ietro or Anna because family always came first. Catherina had always remembered what her father would always say, “We always have room for family!”

  Major Klein got up from the chair and took a couple of hand full of nuts and put them in his pockets. Then he started to walk towards the cars and about halfway stopped and turned to Pietro.

  “You need to start producing more crops that would feed not only Cimpello but a whole battalion as well. That means twice as much as you are producing now.” Pietro looked at the major and then at Francisco.

  “This farm has been in my family for over ninety years, and we can only produce what we plant. If you and the government want more beans then you will have to give me more seed to plant. I only have enough seed from last year’s crop to produce what we normally grow.”

  Pietro knew he had enough seed to do what they wanted. But why not ask for more? He would have to do double the work for less return. Francisco translated Pietro’s concerns about not having enough seed to Major Klein who told Francisco that the Italian Agricultural Department had additional seed to give to the farmers. If Italy didn’t have enough seed he would see if Germany would supply some.

  Pietro wanted to alert other farmers right away about the major’s demands and offer to provide seed so they could take advantage of this great opportunity.

  Before the major pulled away he instructed his driver to fill up a potato sack with hazelnuts. Bruno immediately headed towards the driver to stop him from collecting all of the nuts. Pietro got in front of his son and grabbed him by his right upper arm and with one quick look into his sons eyes, Bruno stood down. Major Klein and Francisco observed what had occurred between Pietro and Bruno but did not say anything. The driver approached the trees and bent down, filling the bag with as many nuts as he could. He even emptied the bucket near the chairs.