was early afternoon of July 3, 1998 , I'm sure. Me and Anna, who besides being colleagues were also friends, were returning from the annual "March to the Sea" a day before with my Golf LPG. That year we could only do the first part of the excursion that took us every year Piacenza Apennines to the sea in Liguria with the large group of adults, children and youth association OTP-Gea. Pace of Zovallo above Ferriere, there were due to return to Piacenza to finish urgent work and others reached by car only after a week, directly to the sea cables Blackboard where in the meantime the party had come on foot.
quietly back using the main road Aveto, the famous old road splits in Piacenza-Chiavari stomach through the mountains, when shortly after Rezzoaglio found a half-hearted and unlikely hitchhiker. That is more reassuring. Tall, tanned, thin, white hair of medium length, about sixty years. But elegant slacks, white shirt and a backpack.
We were in the midst of a veritable "forest wilderness." An area between Liguria and Emilia uninhabited and uncrossed other vehicles for some time.
Such a person, in that place, he really needs help . In a vague nod we stopped and simply said that we had to go to Cremona, to reach the Swiss Consulate because they had stolen the car autogrill near Genoa and had indicated that as the shortest path.
He introduced himself as Philippe in an Italian safe, with a strong French accent. The well was also a tear to Piacenza and the fact that we would stop in for a swim in the river Marsaglia Trebbia and to stretch my German shepherd, the mythical Trudy, faithful companion of the years of singles.
began to tell us about the Mercedes that had been stolen with all documents and the money while he was in the bathroom, probably by intercepting the code of the automatic closing with a scanner, while his daughter was reaching in Monaco. To the Commissioner of Genoa were very polite but could not help much, since it is a Swiss citizen was an extra for them anyway. From the Consulate had simply said, without giving any assistance to reach them. Those "assholes of the Swiss" . How can we not hear him utter satisfaction in Switzerland by a doc?
was in no hurry because much of the Consulate of Cremona was only open in the morning. not asked us anything, it 'money, it' hospitality. It was enough to take him a step toward its goal and the fact that he finally found someone who was giving a hand was of great relief.
Simple, cheerful, inquisitive, ironic and intriguing . We made a lot of questions now showing a great culture base on everything, as well as excellent knowledge of Italy and Italian culture. Obviously, since we had reported that he was married to a life with a Marche, who died a short time for a brain tumor. As he told us later he had been a great love for this woman that her neighbors had never agreed to the last, which had had a daughter. The illness and last days were agonizing and we described them with rich details, including the last day would pass without him to think, then give him the latest recommendations on not letting go, to continue to live, because their life had been full and satisfactory. Anna was in tears and told him while there, I do not know how, we were having dinner together in the arbor of the Trattoria Santo Stefano in the center of Piacenza, to enjoy an excellent selection of wine and food abundant Piacenza. The idea that sleep in the station in Piacenza to take a train to Cremona in the morning we had not even taken into consideration.
However our offer Host unsolicited praise us and reassured us that it would be widely grateful once back in Geneva, Switzerland, where he lived and was the owner of a factory for artificial snow cannons, but very environmentally friendly and built with an innovative system we explained in a clear and comprehensive. His secretary would send chocolates and other gifts of thanks. And of course we would have to be his guests at his chalet in St. Moritz.
then slept at my house , where we continued to talk all know the Italian music and we listened to this masterpiece of the first "Fleurs" Battiato (author knew very well) and maybe a few pieces Paolo Conte Gutturnio sipping a final before bedtime.
The next morning, after having "served" a clean shirt for him to appear, accompanied him to the station with much embarrassment and asked if I could give him some money for the train and any other charges incurred in the day, not sure that would aid received by the Consulate. left him 100,000 pounds that reassured me many times, I would have been returned by his secretary immediately after she had returned from holiday (and certainly if there was her office, rather than in Normandy with his family, he would have done so immediately me and solved all but sometimes when things should go wrong with my daughter and the little boy I did not felt it move from Monaco to ...").
I went with him to the station because I knew that summer many commuter trains were canceled and the little train to Cremona was cleared more easily. It was not there. Never mind I said, I had to switch from a customer near Cremona in the following days. I would have done the same morning so I could take him a few more kilometers.
away from a nice person so I'm sorry, I admit .
During the trip left me all his contacts the house in Geneva, the chalet, the office. It is the image on the right, scanning the note written in his own hand which I had maintained in the drawer after 12 years.
Why it took me really long to admit to myself that something was wrong, since money and shirt were not returned . And even the chocolates had never arrived. Not just phoned in the following days, because it seemed nice, with one so noble and elegant. There was surely some mistake.
I tried a couple of months later but the numbers were unreachable and years ago the Internet was not as efficient and transparent. Even I tried recently, after moving in I went up the ticket, his name on the lists and Swiss on Google. I found the address in Google Maps, also watching the aerial photo of a house that appeared in an elegant area, close to the lake. I tried factories cannons for artificial snow around in Geneva. But after so many years, I gave the explanation, how to find a man over seventy years that perhaps he had changed residence and perhaps reached his daughter in Monaco?
A heavy doubt that he was duped by the time I , but pride gave me logical explanations. was enough to have lost my card. Although the way to find me .... but maybe who knows ... yet his stories were all so consistent and so apt to the person ... Basically I am especially sorry to have lost sight of, even before the money or a shirt.
Yesterday the shock. Moving into the automatic feed of Italian newspapers have said that the new real-time news is not read, I see the Corriere della Sera, entitled " France hunting for" Max the Swiss. "The hitchhiker swindler who deceives Alpine motorists with its tear-jerking stories. "
Long apnea. There I immediately thought.
I opened THIS LINK. 10 lines, the photo and my breath turned into a coarse laugh.
Strange feeling a positive right?
Yet immediately and definitely liberating. After all I knew. But a close loop remained open with emotions so strong really gives a feeling of relief. Discover
soon to be one of thousands that we have fallen further gave me relief.
All are starting from
BLOG SPECIAL: THE STOPPER MAX SUISSE , opened by one of the many scammed. where in addition to listening services on the subject of the French national radio you can find reviews of hundreds of people who met him. A few grievances. Many of the stupa, the lift, the admired. You read so many names and the
nationality used by "Max le Suisse , for what it actually turned out to be the
seventy Matt Schaub Originating in Switzerland than in the past has been arrested several times for fraud and other financial crimes in the country for Switzerland. It states that for years amazing variations of the same script. A "cheated" even managed to take the picture that appears atop this post.
When I left my testimony in the blog and the comments of several French newspapers was the only one to talk about his presence in Italy 12 years ago. But already this morning, along with fresh fresh reports of those who saw him in France yesterday and today, has been added to another Italian who gave him a passage between Cremona and Mantova "more than 10 years ago" . It occurs to me that is what garnered him after I had accompanied him to go to Cremona nonexistence Swiss Consulate.
Reading the comments one by one is fascinating in its own way. The characters played, the situations, the woman who accompanies him at some point for some time, even the mail that said, the fake phone calls with the famous secretary, his son in Italy, the daughter, the engineer, the geologist , the different nationalities employed.
an incredible story. Who purchases a different charm than I remember. But almost buy points and value.
I am one who feels no rancor and even I agree with those who write "Chapeau".
The only disappointment for me is that there really Philippe de Montfort . I would really like to have as a friend and you can continue to attend that Philippe.
The rest is a story in my head by the discovery of new born yesterday and I think a lot of surprises still in store!
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