The Miracle of the Images. Welby Thomas Cox, Jr.
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he could be before the Holy Father in Rome for an Audience before the end of November...and that would be just wonderful.
Several considerations remained, looking for solutions to issues of importance. Aldo tried to confront each of them... in as head on a manner as possible. There was the ever present issue of the confidentiality of the portrait. How was Aldo to maintain the confidential nature of the portrait on a 24/7 basis. He knew that he could not keep the portrait on his person 24/7 and therefore must seek alternate safekeeping. What were the options:
Could he possible ask his bank to courier the portrait into a 'street named account'.
Could he utilize the Client/Attorney privilege, having his local law firm contract with a law firm in Rome and then ship the portrait via special courier.
Could he make a color copy of the portrait since it only measured 12 x 14 out of the frame. Send the copy as though it was the original and carry the original on his person...inside his shirt.
Could he arrange with UPS or Federal Express to drop ship via overnight the color copy when it became apparent that the Audience with the Pope had been scheduled.
Each of these prospects could establish Aldo's alibi that he did not have possession of the portrait for security reasons and thereby circumvent any would be thieves or conspirators. Or those with political power to somehow have the portrait seized by the Polizia di Stato (Italian Police) when it arrived at the Aeroporto Leonardo da Vinci in Rome.
After much deliberation, Aldo, who was an avowed practitioner of the age old adage 'if something can go wrong, it will' decided that even with the prospect that he would have Diplomatic Immunity he could not chance being searched nor did he want to have an extra color copy of the portrait out there to be seized and duplicated. Therefore he chose to place his future in the capable hands of his local attorneys, Handmaker & Handmaker. Both good Jewish boys... so the importance of the portrait was greatly reduced. They would not care about the contents of the mailing piece so long as it wasn't some form of contraband or illegal copies from museum masters.
Two days later Aldo was in the office of Homer Handmaker. Aldo had been made comfortable with a nice cup of coffee and was seated in the large conference room when Handmaker came in and shook his client's hand.
"Well Aldo...ready to sell off another fifty acres?" he smiled. "No counselor, something a little more complicated." Aldo said.
"OK shoot, I am all ears...and nose." Again an effort at self deprecation in the form of Woody Allen, the wonderfully brilliant Jewish comedian, actor and film director. Aldo loved this form of humor and had a good belly laugh at the expense of his Jewish lawyer.
"Counselor, I am the owner of a religious portrait depicting the Holy Family. I want to donate this portrait to the Vatican. I have met with Vatican representatives and they are in the process of establishing an Audience with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. For security and confidentiality I wish to retain your firm to take possession of the portrait and upon notice from me send the portrait via Courier to a law firm with which you do business in Rome, Italy to receive the portrait for delivery to me. I have chosen this methodology because I do not wish to carry this valuable piece of art on the plane with the prospect that it could be lost or damaged." Aldo said.
"Must be an expensive piece?" Handmaker reckoned.
"Well I don't know if it is all that valuable but it is one of a kind and is therefore irreplaceable." Aldo said.
"So what would you say would be our exposure if something happened to the work of art." Handmaker asked.
"So I must answer your question with a question...what is the value of the Mona Lisa or the Last Supper...they are priceless and it would be impossible to place a value or even consider a price for insurance purposes."
"But Aldo you must recognize that we will have to insure the portrait." Handmaker said.
"But this will require making copies...and having those color copies in the public domain...will it not?"
"But of course." Handmaker said.
"Then I will sign off for no insurance on the piece...we will say that the art is of no value."
"You are the client...but I would recommend against sending a priceless piece of art via courier with no insurance." The attorney said.
"You have spoken correctly and legally...but I have to consider the possible leak to the press of the copy of the portrait and the very fact that it is so valued, it becomes the target of terrorist, con artist, the Paparazzi...no I would choose to send it along by a personal courier who will hand deliver it to your co-counsel just like it was some kind of deposition...without value."
"Do you know where you will be staying in Rome?" Handmaker asked
"Unless there are changes made by the Vatican, I have planned to stay at The Hassler Hotel, but this is subject to change. I will know the day I leave for certain and will fax my coordinates to you."
They agreed that the portrait would be handled in the normal flow of business with the exception that Aldo would provide the mailing package for the Handmaker law firm so that no one would see the contents and the explicit promise that there would be no copies of any kind on either end of the transaction. Amazing, no copies of any kind coming from two large law firms...maybe there was hope for the future.
Of course Aldo knew that he would never let the original portrait out of his sight. He would carefully incorporate the original painting with three or four other paintings, placing them in a business valise with several news magazines, which should render all the art of no apparent value. If someone did ask about the value of the art, Aldo could, with no difficulty, say that the art was of no value, was in his possession as advertising mock-ups and the pieces were copies of art which was uninsured.
In order to keep Aldo informed, Homer Handmaker faxed along the name and address of the law firm in Rome; Addison and Roscanti. Aldo knew that they would only be handling a copy but upon arrival the firm would be directed to hand deliver the precious cargo to Aldo at The Hassler Hotel. The perfect trap for would be thieves or provocateurs.
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Under special delivery from DHL, Aldo eyed the package with suspicion and great anxiety. It was, after all, from Vatican City. Could it be that the sixty- three year wait was finally over. Brought to a conclusion by an act of God...a modern miracle. Could it be that Aldo would be returning to his native Italy as a Diplomat for the Holy See.
Wow...heady stuff for a kid with no home, no father and raised anonymously by two very kind people who had made him a slave to illegitimacy.
Aldo sat at his desk and gazed out the window at the beautiful autumn day. Father Francis would have to be his first call if, indeed this was the passport. After all he had started the ball rolling as the go between. Although Father Francis was a non-believer he had non the less carried the ball to the goal line and another Notre Damer would now take it over the goal line. Aldo opened the DHL folder...and there it was the red passport with large gold relief letters. Aldo looked inside and there was his photograph...his signature and his place in the world.
"Thank you Mother Mary!"
He was now processed and almost too nervous to call Father Francis, and then he would have to go by the Handmaker & Handmaker Law Office to deliver the portrait copy to Homer Handmaker, and of course he would just have to show off the new Diplomatic Passport to one of the most prestigious countries in the world.
Diplomat Aldo Selleri... it had a nice ring...what a way to go home... Aldo kept saying to himself.
"Yes Father Francis...it is Aldo, and I have just this moment received the passport sent especially by The Monsignor. Father Francis, I am so excited that I am about to burst with pride. Thank you so very much for your patience and your sensitivity to my personal dilemma. Aldo paused, but then rushed on!
Yes...yes, I know it is I who must now carry the day...but you know Father Francis, I do not believe the Blessed Mother would bring me this far in fifty years to let me fail...The Vatican does not understand it, but