As the boat was being assembled, Bruno decided he wanted a toilet on board, not a marine toilet but a proper ceramic one with all the amenities including a hand pump needed to clear the offending remains. Touschek rose to the self appointed rank of admiral. He bought a 15 foot “pilotina” and at this stage Prof. Finally, the day came that my father decided to acquire a boat. The Touschek family always loved the sea, whenever we could we enjoyed the beautiful coastlines of Italy and not only. For years I was haunted by the thought, “why did they not use a ladder”? I was not a physicist! So, early next morning I went into the sitting room and the hole was still there. Being a pragmatic, rational and logical person I was extremely perplexed and curious to see the result of all the combined efforts. My mother ushered my brother and myself rapidly to our room before things got out of hand.
This exercise went on for hours, becoming rowdier and rowdier. Then one of them, I can’t remember who, came up with the idea of putting a post stamp adequately moistened on a coin and then proceeded to throw in the general direction of the hole in the hope that the stamp would remain attached to the ceiling sealing the hole. They spent a long time discussing the possible solution to close the offending hole.
My father noticed a hole in the ceiling (about the size of a 100 lira coin) and the discussion among the three rapidly became quite idiotic (or at least in my mind). After a few drinks the atmosphere became quite merry. I recall one instance, we had just moved into a new flat, Jerry O’Neill came to visit us, escorted by CIA agents together with Gersh Budker escorted by KGB agents. Our flat in Rome was a Mecca for many friends and colleagues, I was privileged to meet some extraordinary people. There are though, quite a few amusing moments I recall, all of which took place during the “happy” years.
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