From the corner of my eye, I spotted a colourful cape billowing in the wind. ‘Superman exists’ was the first thought. Then I realized that I am a functioning adult and there should be a logical explanation. Well, the cape wasn’t that of Superman. But it belonged to a rather colorfully dressed woman who was tending to a small child. A young boy who was staring open-mouthed at a car straight out of a storybook. I decided to know the story behind why this lady was dressed like a colourful character from a book and her rather eccentric car. A cheerful ‘Ciao!’ was enough to break the ice and a hurried conversation revealed the finer details.
Milano25 a.k.a Caterina’s lifelong mission to make the world a better place started when life dealt her a bitter blow. She lost her partner to cancer. He was only 39. But before he died, he told Caterina that she should drive his taxi, the aforementioned Milano25. ‘You are now Milano25’ he told her. The grief-stricken Caterina, a regular office-goer till then, became a taxi driver. By ferrying passengers from point A to point B in Milano25, she somehow kept a tenuous connection with the lost love of her life.
One of these passengers, Constanza, a 3-year-old told Caterina that her little brother is in heaven and she misses him a lot. The passenger’s parents then told Caterina he died due to a brain tumour. They further told her about how their family has started a charitable foundation dedicated to the study of paedriatic tumours. The story not only moved her but also gave Caterina a sense of purpose. She decided that she’ll give free rides to children being treated for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses at Meyer Children’s Hospital in Florence. A ride that will make them squeal with joy and make them forget whatever they are going through. Because these rides will not be in any ordinary taxi; but a specially designed car straight out of a child’s fertile imagination. A car that’s painted all over with popular children’s characters, a horn that emits cheerful tunes, stuffed toys, candies liberally strewn around, etc. etc. There’s also a teddy bear named Palmira. Children are told that actually Palmira is the one driving them around. Caterina pulled out all the stops to make it the most memorable ride ever.
Milano25 transformed into a taxi with the power to make anybody smile.
Caterina’s philosophy is simple. You don’t need to spend millions to ease the suffering of children. All you need is the intention to spread some warmth and cheer. Life’s hard. It can hurt. But when you reach out to others who are suffering, and aid the process of healing in any way possible, you somehow end up lessening your own pain. Caterina is not afraid of dying. But her mortal fear is that she’s not living every moment.
I was incredibly lucky to have met Caterina as she came to a popular viewing point in Florence to pick up a child who had flown in from Belgium that day itself. It was the same child that I saw her fussing over. His parents stood silently nearby drinking in the sight of their boy cooing in absolute delight as he explored the interiors of the car. I didn’t have the heart to ask Caterina what he was suffering from. But as she pulled away from the parking lot waving out merrily, the little boy stuck his head out of the window and blasted some cheerful little toots from a horn kept conveniently next to him, his tiny face wreathed in smiles.
So, yes, Superman is a fictional character. But Wonder Woman - well, she's right here in our midst tootling through the streets of Florence.
