Even in his old age, Don Adolfo was a spirited man, a healer, a preacher and to the children of Altamura, their favorite playmate. Whenever he would pass through the town, he would greet people with a wave and a cheerful “buon giorno,” and if there were kids among the crowd, he would pay special attention to them.
Don Adolfo could easily step into a street game of soccer – or calcio – and his kick was as solid as the youngsters who egged him on. Threading between two defenders as much as his old legs would permit, he would hear children cheer and received their pats on the arm when he scored a goal.
Secretly, the old priest believed that the goaltenders who faced off with him were letting him score on kicks that were sometimes too soft.
Patting heads and chucking their chins after the s
