Local Town Reacts Calmly to Lotto Winner as Publicity Fades
The news of the super jackpot win at Totocalcio achieved by Paolo Bazerla does not “ignite” the town. Or at least, that’s what it seems. The astonishment over the 1 billion 116 million lire collected thanks to a system of three doubles and one triple no longer exceeds the threshold of attention. Just some colorful exclamations and then the desire to avoid being bothered by obvious questions, inevitably, or impertinent ones. Nonetheless, the topic remains on everyone’s lips.
Even the friars of Fratelli di San Francesco, who on Monday evening, at the church of San Nicolò during a dialogued meeting with men and youth within the scope of the parish mission, announced the good news directly from the pulpit. Outside in the square the day after, the mood is decidedly less involved and excited. To recall the sign of the passage of Lady Luck along the lakeshore, there is the poster of L’Arena fluttering outside the newsstand. People hesitate to speak or, better, only unravel when notebooks are closed.
Reactions and comments on the win
There are no shortages of opinions. Some condemn the decision of the newly minted millionaire to come forward, others support him, and some, much more calmly, simply don’t care. He, Paolo Bazerla, absolutely refuses to give interviews. “I already told you everything on Monday, that’s enough. I have no intention of being mocked,” he quickly leaves the gift shop on corso Umberto I.
“He’s right,” justifies brother Emiliano behind the counter. Too much publicity has been given to this whole affair. Paolo does not want anyone to think he shouted his win from the rooftops out of a hunger for attention.” A thought that, gathering comments from the most talkative, hardly reaches anyone, if at all.
“Of course he did well to tell his friends about the thirteen. What’s wrong with that? It would have been a short-lived secret anyway. I don’t understand, though, why you keep talking about the win,” states a young man who prefers to remain anonymous. Many others share the same view.
“Fine, he won a billion. Good for him. End of story. I don’t see what there is to comment on,” politely responds the optician from Borgo Cavour. “The important thing is that someone from the town won,” he adds in a patriotic tone, more than a bit Bardolino.
“It’s a shame that it always rains on the wet,” quickly retorts someone else. Malicious comments are not lacking: “Let’s hope he keeps his promises and really donates wheelchairs to Villa Serena.” The retirement home on via Giacomo Leopardi, just a stone’s throw from Parking Bar where the new billionaire often stops by, already knows everything.
“We read about it, but honestly, the fortunate winner has not yet come forward,” says the mother superior, a Polish nun who speaks perfect Italian. I don’t know, perhaps he spoke directly with the parish priest who is the president of Villa Serena. We could really use some wheelchairs. The ones we have were loaned to us by the Blood Donors section.
Now, all that remains is to wait.
