Cathy Beesey Founder Stories Connecting Us

The Streets of Caltigirone Sicily  

Nearing midday the sun is strengthening. Officer Lombardo with frustration, ‘She cannot be on the streets alone, shopkeepers and tourists are complaining. It isn’t safe for Silvia.’ ‘I don’t get into trouble, I know how to look after myself,’ hands on hips Silvia shows defiance. Sister Teresa is protective, wondering how she can truly care for Silvia when she doesn’t listen and always does exactly what she wants. ‘She is a good girl, she means no harm. I will keep her with me.’ Officer Lomardo responds, ‘You say this every time and it makes no difference.’

Sister Teresa and Officer Lombardo stare at each other with intensity, there seem to be no more words. Silvia, hands on hips does not move, she watches, wondering what story to tell this time. The story of living with the nuns because her mother died and her father left is one she tells when she wants something: money for trinkets or gelato, or a quiet place to be when she should be at school. Silvia is defiant, not wanting to be a good girl; this left her as her mother did. Officer Lombardo knows Silvia’s story, from when she was first on the streets, and is now determined to curb Silvia’s wilful behaviour and keep her safe.

Officer Lombardo is exhausted: full time work, three daughters under eight, a husband who she is expected to wait on, and a mother who delights in telling her everything she does is wrong. Officer Lombardo loves her daughters with all her heart: smiling as they come to her in the morning, returning from work to hugs and watching them sleep. Her heart aches for Silvia, more so in the beginning, and in many ways still, but today her exhaustion is overwhelming. The temperature on the streets rising and she wonders: ‘Should I take Silvia to the police station? Would that make a difference?’ 

Sister Teresa is defiant and unkind to most, she will not look away. In her heart is warmth for Silvia, sharing her pain as Teresa remembers her childhood: her mother dying, she was placed in a convent. Her only option to become a nun. With a barely visible sigh she remembers her mother brushing her hair and saying her name over and over softly and gently, ‘Pia.’ Sister Teresa doesn’t want Silvia to grow up with bitterness, resentment, anger and she most certainly does not want Silvia to become a nun. A life of misery: constant praying, serving the priests and forgetting what it is to be loved by another. 

The streets of Caltagirone, this small town in the centre of Sicily, are filled with ceramics with men wandering to their favourite cafe as tourists make their way to the famous steps. A 142-step staircase to the church of Santa del Monte built from 1608. Each step is decorated with different hand-made ceramic tiles derived from the millennial tradition of pottery making. 

No one takes notice of these three in conversation except for a tourist, resting after the climb of the 142 steps and her return. Using her limited Italian she interprets some of the words of this threesome and wonders at their thoughts as they now stare at each other in silence.    

In the midday sun there are no more words and as each of these women, one still a girl; slowly and deliberately walk the 142 steps to the church of Santa del Monte they each in their own way hope the cool of the church will ease their pain, if not God. 

Copyright Cathy Beesey, October 2025. All rights reserved; this intellectual property belongs solely to Cathy Beesey.

Message from Cathy

I took this photo as I wandered the streets of Caltigirone Sicily, I couldn’t resist. I have presented this photograph as a prompt with different groups and I am in awe at the different stories written and shared. What would you write? Share with us on Stories Connecting Us.

This is a photograph I incorporated into a course for the University of the Third Age U3A Network Victoria. The course titled: Want to Write? Let’s Start! provides prompts for participants to write and at its heart is storytelling, oral and written. Discover it here https://u3avictoria.org.au