After Word

I haven't had time yet to lok through my collection of gifts, swaps, badges and other memorabilia from the Jamboree but I thought I might mention one thing.

One of the receptions team was an older Italian man. His name seemed familiar to me but I didn't think too much about that because I know few Italians so it could have been similar to something from a film, book or anywhere.

A couple of days before the close of the Jamboree he engaged me in conversation and told me he was teaching English to some older Italians at the Jamboree. He had learned English at the age of 18. It transpired he had been in the diplomatic service but had only served in one English speaking country, Australia.

He observed to me that B-P never used words with more than 6 letters which made it simple to understand. This lead to a brief reference on my part to the simplicity of Shakespearean english. He told me that B-P's use of contemporary idioms seemed dated in English but worked well in translation. He then told me he had compiled a dictionary of quotations by B-P which was being sold by the World Scout Shop. At the first opportunity I went to seek out this book, bought it and he kindly signed it for me. It is called "Footsteps of the Founder"

During the Closing Ceremony he came near to me and said that Bill Cockcroft had been reading from one of his books when he quoted B-P during his speech, but not the book I had bought another one. We then said our farewells and he slipped away in to the night. Only after he had gone did I have a flash of light and realise that he was the compiler of "Playing the Game" which had provided some of the quotations for our District Renewal of Promise event. That was why I knew the name "Mario Sica".

I doubt whether we shall ever meet again but I have my memories of him and my momentoes of him.

Felicity