VI
Simona and the Goldfields
1929-1934Gino returned to Perth at the beginning of January 1929 and stayed with Luigi Badiani. He seemed depressed and unwell. In this state of melancholy not even memories of Elena, or the p********e in Kalgoorlie, his experiences in Gwalia or his life in Italy could inspire positive thoughts; they simply passed through his mind as static images, or as something beyond reach or irretrievably in the past. Nino wrote to him on his father’s behalf and enclosed a letter of his own in the envelope, thus beginning to cement a friendship that would last throughout their lives. Gino found the energy to respond, and took the opportunity to apologise for not having invited Nino to Christmas lunch. He had wanted to, but Aldo had preferred to keep his son jealously to
