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cracked up, even Peppi. It was the first time he had truly laughed in many days. When they finally quieted down again, Tony came and sat down to take a look at the newspaper.
    â€œBest thing for you to do,” he said, flipping through the pages of the sports section, “is to find yourself another woman.”
    â€œHe’s right,” said Gino. “You can’t go through life all alone. It’s no good. You need somebody.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about, Gino?” said Sal. “Your wife’s been dead twenty years and you haven’t remarried.”
    Gino smiled and ran a hand across his slicked back silver hair. “What can I say?” he joked, admiring himself in the mirror for the benefit of the others. “I like to play the field now.”
    â€œWhat field is that,” said Tony, “the cow pasture?”
    Gino laughed. “Hey, don’t kid yourself. It’s a rare night that I sleep alone.”
    â€œThat’s because your cat sleeps on the bed,” said Ralph. “But he’s right, Peppi. Give yourself some time, then go out and find somebody.”
    â€œNo,” said Peppi, shaking his head. “Not to darken your day any more, Salvatore, but I don’t think I could ever love another woman. Never.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œEh,” Peppi said with a shrug. “What can I say? It’s like my heart is dead inside of me, you know?”
    Peppi couldn’t begin to put it all into words. He had loved his wife with every ounce of his being, but even he was astonished at how desolate the world had become for him without her. It was as if Anna had filled up everything inside of him, even the air in his lungs and the blood in his veins. Now, with her gone, it had all been drained out of him, leaving nothing but emptiness behind. How could he expect someone else to just come along and fill that terrible void?
    Peppi paused and rubbed the back of his neck. “Besides,” he went on, “it’s way too late for me now anyway.”
    â€œWhat are you talkin’ about?” cried Ralph. “It’s never too late. You’re still a youngster, believe me. Wait till you get to be my age. Besides, the way you ride that bicycle of yours all the time, you’re in better shape now than most of the guys half your age, and a lot of guys half their age. Believe me when I tell you, you got a lot of life ahead of you.”
    â€œNah,” said Peppi, shaking his head. “It’ll never happen.”
    â€œSo what are you gonna do with yourself,” said Gino, “just mope around for the rest of your life?”
    Peppi turned to the window and gazed out into the distance. “I’ve been thinking a lot about that, actually,” he replied.
    â€œAnd?” said Tony.
    â€œI’ve been thinking that maybe I’ll go back to Italy,” said Peppi.
    â€œItaly?” they all cried.
    â€œChe bozz’, what do you want to go to Italy for?” said Gino.
    â€œEh,” said Peppi, “I was born there. I might as well go back and die there.”
    â€œBut where are you gonna go?” exclaimed Tony. “Where are you gonna live?”
    â€œIl mulino,” Peppi replied, a faraway look in his eyes.
    â€œThe what ?” said Tony.
    â€œThat’s right!” said Ralph. “The family mulino. The little mill attached to the house you grew up in. I remember you talking about it a long time ago.”
    â€œThat’s the one,” said Peppi. “It hasn’t been used in years and years, but it probably still works.”
    â€œBut what the hell are you gonna do living next to an old mill all by yourself?” said Tony.
    â€œGrind some corn, maybe?” suggested Sal.
    â€œThat’s right,” Gino said, laughing. “Then you can invite us all to come over and stay and you can cook us some homemade polenta.”
    â€œOoh, I love polenta,” said