Uccelli da gabbia e da voliera Cage and aviary birds Andrea De Carlo Translated by Claire Taylor Chapter Nine, extract I phone my secretary, tell her I'm feeling ill and can't go to MultiCo this morning. I go to Mario Oltena's house, without even phoning first to let him know. I stop at a bakery on the way, buy six little redcurrant custard slices. I climb the five flights of stairs, try the handle: the door is unlocked. Mario Oltena is in bed, hair all tousled, a cup of tea in his hand, staring into space. I ask "What on earth are you doing still in bed?" He says "I had to work till two last night". His voice is tired; there's a tiredness in the way he extends his left hand towards the package I hold out to him. He says "I had to cook dinner for forty at the house of this crazy old lady who has an obsession for inviting people round for dinner parties after the premieres at La Scala. You should see her, she's so gr...