But let’s go back to talking about it as the place where Paolo Desana regularly gathered a large group of friends, from Cerrina and Casale, which soon formed the base of his constituency (not political currents, but friendships and acquaintances: this was the political style chosen by Paolo…). The garden of the house in Cerrina contained a bocce court, where two or three times a week a score of people gathered: Lena prepared sandwiches and provisions, and friends could play, eat, and drink even until three in the morning (generational roles reversed (!): Andrea remembers he would have liked to be able to sleep, but it was not so obvious…).

PAOLO DESANA, AN IMPORTANT FATHER

Regarding the father-son relationship, Paolo advised Andrea to enroll in Agriculture, which Andrea did, remembering that his father never interfered in any subsequent step of his life; Andrea during the university period (the post-’68 years, 1971-1972) participated in occupations, demonstrations, and protests, also coordinating assemblies.