First off let me start by saying our thoughts and prayers go out to all who died and those continuing to be affected by the Japanese earthquake and subsequent tsunami.
In the wake of the disaster that struck Japan last month the Italian media was alight with news of the impending radioactive cloud that was due to pass over Italy. To cap it all rain was forecast to hit the mountains at the same time. I felt it was only right to tell the kids about what was going on before they found out about it from their friends at school. We never seem to get time to watch the news and it was only by chance that we got a newspaper that told of the two days to go before the clouds stuck the country.
While trying to play down the risks, I explained to the eldest children what had happened and what the media was saying was going to happen. With the likelihood of heavy rain it was safer to tell them not to stay out in the rain and to keep their hoods up. Okay so this was a bit of an overreaction but to tell the truth who among us knows what the real damage could be so it’s always better to be cautious.
When the rains began I was driving home and, quite by chance, listening to the news on the Italian radio. I say by chance because in the mountains the radio is extremely hit and miss with what seems like thousands of channels all trying to broadcast on the same frequency. While the radio phased between two channels, alternating between dance and rock music, the news started and I managed to catch snatches of the latest instructions from the ministry of health about the situation. I was pleased to hear that there was to be no risk to the human population but there was a slight risk to fish. What a relief. It meant that I could tell the children it was really all clear and they could stop going round with their jackets pulled over their heads. They’ve got coats with hoods but they were not considered fashionable enough so jackets were worn instead. I’m
still wondering how it is fashionable to be seen walking around with the collar of your jacket pulled over your head.
Anyway, I started to tell them the good news about what I’d heard and how the only likely effect was maybe to fish when one of them piped up and asked. ‘Will our fish be okay?’
‘Pardon?’ Came my puzzled reply as I desperately tried to remember whether we had any fish in our growing menagerie.
‘You know. Our fish.’ She responded full of concern.
‘Which ones?’ It was the safest reply as I still tried to recall even having a fish pond. Maybe we had some in the little stream outside the house. I was baffled.
‘The goldfish. Will they be alright?’
The realisation stuck me and I remembered that we did indeed have two goldfish. I laughed.
‘What’s so funny?’
‘Well unless they are going to open the lid, jump down off the windowsill and creep outside while nobodies looking then I’m pretty sure they are going to be okay’ I replied to my concerned 12 year old.