One of the people I have held most dear to me was a man I met at the American Academy in Rome in September of 1985.  Oscar Hijuelos died last Saturday at the age of 62 of heart failure.  In truth, it is not that surprising, for here was a man with a very large heart, or cuore, as they say in italiano, and Oscar used up his heart by sharing it with anyone he was engaged with. It was his charm and ultimately his destiny.

We shared a love of life tempered by the waning golden sunlight of Roma that autumn and by our passion for all things Italian. I introduced Oscar to Firenze and that marvelous citta has never –in a lifetime of visits to Florence– seemed more magical to me, before or since, than in his lively company.  We intersected in a time and space that are of course now lost; but, I am witness to an incredible moment that changed us both in significant ways.  We were truly “innocents abroad.”  It was the best of times.

I shall miss you, Oscar. The world was a bigger, better, warmer, kinder place when you were in it. Ciao, caro mio. Addios.