So many of us will never forget Sisto’s generosity
It was late. Pellegrini’s staff was in tidy-up mode but Sisto Malaspina was keen to keep the conversation going. A week later, Jim Williamson learnt his exceedingly generous host was never again to engage in a joyous late evening chat.
Opinion
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WHILE Sam Newman is right to focus on how we best remember fallen heroes, we should also reflect on what we carry in our hearts and minds.
The Saturday before the Melbourne Cup, for example, was a wonderful day which highlighted all that is great about Melbourne. It started out with me spending some time at the ubiquitous Bunnings, and making sure I bought the right coloured paint to touch up the ceiling in my daughter’s bedroom.
When the painting was finished. I went with my wonderful companion to watch Bohemian Rhapsody at the Kino theatre. First we went to our favourite Japanese restaurant near the Kino where patrons have been treated respectfully and fed fabulously by the owner and manager for well over 30 years. Afterwards we watched the movie, which was a lot better than I had hoped … biopics often fall flat, but watching the last 20 minutes of Rhapsody, it’s actually hard to know whether it is a re-creation or the real thing.
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It had been a great day and a superb night. The best of times in Melbourne, you could say, but it was still fairly early — about 10pm — and it was about to get even better.
We decided to finish off the evening on the town at one of our special spots, only a short walk away … the magical Pellegrini’s. We stepped inside, soon realising that it was close to packing up time, but we decided to push the envelope and pleaded for some coffee and cheesecake … even though it had already been stored away for the night.
“Not a problem at all,” replied the owner manager, Sisto Malaspina.
The young woman serving at the bar took our order and brought a tea for my friend Sue, coffee for me, and a slice of cheesecake to share. As she placed it on the counter, Sisto leaned in gracefully and slid some cutlery in to complete the picture and the welcome. A serviette followed for each of us, as we launched into a vibrant conversation at the end of a beautiful evening about many things, but especially the film.
We finished the drinks and the food and the staff were definitely in tidy-up mode at the end of a long day, but Sisto was keen to keep the conversation going.
“And just how good is the movie?” he asked. I told him it’s a must-see and Rami Malek makes a very convincing Freddie Mercury. I also observed that the film has a lot to offer about the challenge of being the son who walks to a different drum than his father.
The eloquent Sisto told Sue and me that he related to that kind of clash of wills and as he spoke, we recognised that he knew far more about Freddie Mercury than we did.
The conversation hummed along for another five minutes and it was time for us to go. Sisto complimented us on our insights and we returned the sentiment.
A week later I was enjoying a meandering Friday afternoon tidying up around my house in Daylesford when Sue texted me asking me if I had been in the city where a madman had killed one person and stabbed two others.
I texted her, like so many others would surely have been doing, saying I was fine; but the following day we learnt that our exceedingly generous and engaging host from the previous Saturday night was the one person out of a population of more than five million people in Melbourne who was slain, never again to engage in a joyous late evening conversation.
Such moments are the worst of times, as the precariousness and fragility of life is put to the test and especially for all those who are bound closely by the inspiring spirit of such a marvellous man. And what makes all of us feel so powerless in these times is that nothing can be done to repair the damage.
I don’t pray to any god, but tomorrow, the day of his state funeral, I will console myself in the knowledge that the brilliant warmth of Sisto Malaspina’s welcome at Pellegrini’s will always prevail over the negativity and fear that sent him to an untimely death.
Greatness belongs to those who do not hate.
Surely this is the most enduring and powerful memory bequeathed to us by this heart-rending tragedy and this man who lived life so generously.
Jim Williamson is a proud Melburnian and a board member of the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation.
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