Positano


  by John Steinbeck

  (from Harper’s Bazaar, May 1953)



  I first heard of Positano from Alberto Moravia. It was very hot in Rome.
  He said, "Why don’t you go down to Positano on the Amalfi coast?
  It is one of the fine places of Italy."

  ...


  


  ...

  Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there
  and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.

  ...


  


  ...

  About ten years ago a Moslem came to Positano, liked it and settled. For a time
  he was self-supporting but gradually he ran out of assets and still he stayed.
  The town supported him and took care of him. Just as the mayor was their only
  Communist, this was their only Moslem. They felt that he belonged to them.
  Finally he died and his only request was that he might be buried with his feet
  toward Mecca. And this, so Positano thought, was done. Four years later
  some curious meddler made a discovery. The Moslem had been buried by dead
  reckoning and either the compass was off or the map was faulty.He had been buried
  28 degrees off course. This was outrageous to a seafaring town. The whole
   population gathered,dug the Moslem up, put him on course and covered him up again.

  ...

  A number of writers have gone to Positano to do their work. Some of these
  are Americans and some are British. Nothing in the little town is designed
  to disturb your thoughts provided you have a thought.

  ...



   the whole essay