Tobacco manufacture. Informations.

After the infinite journey along Suzzani street, we finally turn in S. Monica street, hoping to find someone who can give us some information. Used to the view of a high wall, we feel a bit of despondency, ‘cause looking at hundreds of windows might be interesting, but it would be also amazing to know what’s happening at the ground level. This new view gives us some breath, ‘cause the dimension is more human, and we feel less insignificant and small. This side is short and we can see the end with no difficulty. The fact that we can see our car from here makes us feel reliefed, but on the other hand we are disappointed cause it means we are at the end and we haven’t discovered that much. The façade we are looking at is not so big, but the small sidewalk and all the cars parked on it, don’t give us the opportunity to have a clean full view of it. To take this picutre we almost had to lay down on the ground, worrying of the cars passing by on the street, that not seeing us, they could run over us. Another little thrill. The building is part of the area, for sure: i can tell by the sign on it which says “deposit of monopoly products”. More than a deposit, it looks like an office building, with an entrance not so imposing. To tell the truth it looks more like the keeper’s house. Another hint of the belonging is the same style of the main building on Fulvio Testi avenue. This building can’t be in function: the shutters are down and they really look like they haven’t been opened in a long time, as if each part is glued to the next one by the dust. The building is perfectly simmetric, with the central axis given by the stair case, visible thanks to the rectangular glass cement that signs the hole hight. Humidity has eaten away the covering, showing the different layers. Some parts are yellow, too much to be caused by humidity, which makes me think to a previous colouring, like the long building behind the corner. In some parts the covering has disappeared completely, showing the bricks. Humidity here tries to take it’s way eating away the concrete between the rows. One of te shutters is slightly open to let some light inside: it really looks like it’s in that position from a long time, cause the guidelines are rusty and it seems like they could break into pieces if someone tries to close them. Right next to this building there’s an open gate, and we can see some movement. It’s a small bowiling for the elder. Inside the small courtyard there’s a bar, and from outside i can tell it’s very crowded. Old people are usually the best for informations about a site. I let my shyness aside and we go inside: the place is dark and full of smoke. I look around, i don’t want to be unpolite and interrupt conversations, so i choose to ask to the first old man i find alone and in silence. Maybe i ask the wrong question “sorry, may i ask an information?”, ‘cause he looks at me a bit annoyed and he points towards a door. An office. I look at him to say all i need is his knowledge, but he disappeared already. Wasn’t it that the elder couldn’t wait to find someone to tell theyr story too? We go at the door, i knock timidly, i don’t hear nothing, so i knock with more strenght. Nothing. The noise around me is too loud and wait for an answer is riduculous. So i open the door and go inside. Without closing the door, waiting for the lady at the desk to tell me i can go in. Instead she’s very cool and speaks to me with indifference. “excuse me, did i tell you you could come in? Can’t you see i’m busy?”. Actually there are others in the room. I apologise, but the guy outside told me the entrance was free. “so, what do you want?” “i need an information”. I try to explain her in two words who i am and what i’m doing, hoping that it is enough to convince her i don’t want to sell anything and that i’m not a criminal. It looks like it’s working, she becomes a bit more gentle, and the people around start smiling at me, to comfort me. She doesn’t know anything about the area, but only that it’s probably closed, and that the kindergarden right next is used as a deposit. I feel a bit disappointed, cause this place is inside the area. They tell me to ask the police, right next to the main entrance. We go away. Touchy i don’t forget of the welcome and i complain about it with Alessandro. We go in Testi avenue again, we pass in front of the kindergarden, where there’s someone moving stuff. From the windows we see that everything is dusty and full of boxes. It should be interesting to visit this place too, but i don’t see hy they should give me the permission to get insede and take pictures to a private place. We procede and go in front of the police station. The captain is coming out with a two others. We pass them, we esitate, we observe the main entrance of the area, but the two guys that were there at the beginning aren’t there anymore and everything is closed. I go back to the policemen, i hesitate, and go back. I act a little suspicious. All i have to do is to interrupt the conversation and ask. “i’m doing my final work on the abandoned areas of Milan... could you please tell something about this area?” “it’s not abandoned, but just closed”... there’s no difference from my point of view. Isn’t it a big area not used? The captain tells me it’s property of the monopoly of Trento, which is trying to sell it to one of the pubblic television stations of Italy. They insist that it can’t be of my interest. They think of other places around, but apparently there aren’t any. They feel lucky, ‘cause there aren’t  any around here. I have a hard time believing there aren’t any, and i bet that i i walk around i’ll find many.