Pinocchio and his dads

to my beloved friends

Marco and Lorenzo entered the toy shop. They wanted to buy a beautiful doll for their colleague's daughter.

They were both 50 years old and had been together for 25. The shop owner welcomed them with open arms, several times over the years they had turned to him to buy gifts for friends' children.

Over time they had developed an expertise in choosing the best toys. This time, however, they were undecided, they didn't know their colleague so well and they had never seen the little girl, so they thought that a doll was perhaps an obvious and banal gift, but equally safe!

The old shopkeeper reassured them:

- Dolls make beautiful gifts! he said.

He chose one and wrapped it up properly, then turned to the couple:

- When you have a child of your own, you absolutely must buy a doll. In fact, why don't you take it now? I have one that's right for you.

The old man disappeared into the store's warehouse while Marco and Lorenzo looked at each other perplexed. Except that they had known the man for years they would have been offended by so much impudence.

The man came back carrying a rag doll, old and antiquated, with threadbare clothes, his face just outlined with a few stitches to indicate his eyes and mouth.

- Here, his name is Pinocchio. He's a special child and it's a gift for you.

Marco and Lorenzo accepted the gift and left without saying anything. Outside the shop it was Marco who broke the silence:

- I think the old man has gone mad!

- What do we do with this hideous doll now? - Lorenzo replied.

- Actually he said he was a special boy! Not a doll. - Marco specified.

Lorenzo laughed: - Why don't you want to keep it for our future child?

Lorenzo was always joking, even on a delicate subject like having a kid. Marco, on the other hand, wasn't in the right mood and cut it short: - Come on, we're already late!

***

The next morning Lorenzo got up early as usual and started making coffee.

A soft rustle coming from the living room caught his attention. He entered the room and noticed that there was something moving inside one of the shop bags.

This did not surprise him, sometimes the neighbor's cat would enter their house and get everywhere. He opened the bag to send the cat away, but froze. Inside, the rag doll moved.

Surprise did not last long. Lorenzo thought that the doll must have some strange contraption inside, so he took the doll in his hands and squeezed it tightly expecting to find something solid when the doll screamed:

- Ouch! What are you doing? You hurt me!

Lorenzo let go and the doll fell onto the sofa:

- Hi, I'm Pinocchio, who are you?

Lorenzo went to the kitchen and returned with a pair of scissors. He wanted to open the doll to find the contraption that made it talk. He grabbed it with one hand and cut the dress at the back with the other:

- Heeeelp! Pinocchio screamed in despair.

Marco entered the room still sleepy:

- What's going on?

-He wants to kill me! Help! - Pinocchio cried.

Lorenzo left the doll, put down the scissors and sat down in an armchair. Talking dolls didn't say these things. He looked at Marco disconsolate:

- "Love, I'm not going to work today".

***

- The old man was right, he's a child - Marco said.

He and Lorenzo had been staring at Pinocchio sitting on the sofa for hours. The little boy talked and talked, told stories and described facts that he had heard in the shop. He had been there for many years, and he hoped that sooner or later his parents would come for him. The owner said they had to wait for the right family and it wasn't easy.

As he spoke, his body changed. He was still a doll, but his eyes were no longer slits stitched up with thread, but big brown, lively eyes. His little hands took shape with all his fingers and so did his feet.

Pinocchio continued:

- He said you would take care of me and that we would be a family!

***

The years passed. Pinocchio grew up, learned to walk and reached the height of a 5-year-old boy. Marco and Lorenzo loved him, but were devastated by the uncertainties.

At home they were a happy family, but outside the world was different. When they walked down the street with Pinocchio, everyone turned to look at them.

They learned not to give importance to the looks of strangers, but when their friends avoided inviting them and refused to enter their home, Marco and Lorenzo wondered if they were doing the right thing.

Pinocchio was visited by various doctors, psychologists and even a priest. No one could explain the nature of him.

Everyone agreed that he looked like a child, but at the same time that he wasn't a real child. Talking to the old shopkeeper was useless, for him Pinocchio was simply a child like many others: talkative, stubborn, sometimes a liar, very curious, messy, affectionate and sensitive.

On his sixth birthday Marco and Lorenzo asked Pinocchio to make a wish:

- I'm 6 years old, I want to go to school with the other children!

Dads didn't know what to do, Pinocchio was growing up, he couldn't live in the house forever. They would grow old, and Pinocchio was to become an adult and independent person.

But the school was a problem, the mayor didn't agree to admit a doll to school, it wasn't even registered in the registry office! It actually didn't exist! The law said so!

It was a young teacher who convinced the mayor:

- Let's give it a try and see what happens.

On the first day of school Pinocchio was excited and his parents were even more. They accompanied him to class, with his notebooks, diary and new shoes for the occasion, a nice tasty snack in his backpack. Pinocchio introduced himself to all his companions, one by one, shook their hand and said good morning.

Marco and Lorenzo returned home happy.

The morning passed quietly when there was a knock on the door. It was Pinocchio, finally! Marco went to open the door and Pinocchio ran into the house, entered the living room and threw his backpack on the floor shouting:

- Where is my mom?

Marco and Lorenzo were shocked. They had repeatedly broached that subject. Some children had a mother, others a father, others a mother and a father, still others two mothers and two fathers, some children had neither mother nor father, but they had the love of grandparents or uncles.

Pinocchio's screams didn't give them time to answer or think.

- Liars! You cheated me! All liars, you and the old shopkeeper! All the kids at school have a mom, I don't. All are real children except me! I will never be a real child because I don't have a mom! Liars!

Marco and Lorenzo were heartbroken. They tried to console him, but Pinocchio ran out of the house in a rage. They ran after him desperately, but in the street, in the crowd, they lost sight of him.

Pinocchio ran at breakneck speed, not knowing where to go, until he heard himself called from behind a low wall.

- Pinocchio! Poor fool come here!

Pinocchio turned around.

He had already met those two boys on leaving school, they were nicknamed the Cat and the Fox. Always together and always making trouble.

- Where are you going so hurry? Come with us, let's show you something. We know where you can find a mom.

Pinocchio knew that those two weren't to be trusted, but curious, he followed them to the fair. But none of them had any money and the Cat and the Fox convinced Pinocchio to sell the new shoes he was wearing.

Having made some money, they paid to enter the haunted house, full of lanterns and fake cobwebs.

Sitting at a table was a witch, but she was not like Pinocchio had imagined witches, her face was very sweet and her long blue hair conquered Pinocchio who approached her. She smiled at him and stroked his hair.

- Are you a witch? - Pinocchio asked.

The woman smiled:

- If you want I'll be your fairy, I can grant one wish, just one.

Pinocchio looked at her suspiciously:

- Do you know where to find my mom?

- Is she what you want?

- I want to become a real child and find my mom.

- These are two wishes, you will have to choose only one.

Pinocchio was confused and he didn't know what to do.

- Do your parents know you're here? - Asked the blue fairy.

- They are liars! They told me that to them I'm a real child, and that they are my parents, I know it's not true, but... but

- Go home, Pinocchio - The fairy had a stern but sweet look - If you really love your dads I will turn you into a real child. If not, come back here and I'll help you find mom.

Pinocchio ran all the way home, barefoot, with dirty and ruined feet.

Marco was the face of despair. For a moment Pinocchio thought that he would have punished him, instead his father's embrace was strong and tender.

Marco couldn't hold back the tears, he kissed Pinocchio and checked that he didn't have anything broken. He had remained there waiting for him while Lorenzo looked for him throughout the city.

When he returned, Lorenzo showered him with hugs and kisses.

Thus all three remained curled up on the sofa without speaking.

For a brief and infinite moment, Pinocchio thought the world was perfect.

Then he felt a strange discomfort in his chest and a jet of air came forcefully from his mouth.

He felt a tingling in his feet and a stinging pain. For the first time tears welled in his eyes and his cheeks felt the warmth.

Pinocchio looked at his plump hands, then looked at his dads and saw astonishment and happiness in their beautiful eyes.

The End.

***

With this story I enter the challenge "Tales Retold".

This is a retelling of Le Avventure di Pinocchio, 1883, by Carlo Collodi, a masterpiece of Italian literature.

If you want to know more about Collodi's wonderful original story:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Pinocchio