{"id":236085,"date":"2025-11-03T15:38:37","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T15:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/macchina-dispettosa\/"},"modified":"2025-11-05T17:40:31","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T17:40:31","slug":"mischievous-machine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/mischievous-machine\/","title":{"rendered":"La macchina dispettosa – The mischievous machine"},"content":{"rendered":"

La macchina dispettosa – <\/span>The mischievous machine<\/span><\/h1>\n
\"Max
Max and Mr. Rossi Image by ChatGPT<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

C’era una volta una macchina di nome Max, con un passato pieno di avventure. Il signor Rossi l’aveva comprata da poco, ignaro delle birichinate che Max aveva in serbo.<\/span><\/p>\n

Un tempo, Max era stata la compagna di giochi di un ragazzo appassionato di velocit\u00e0, che la faceva ruggire come una belva su strade strette e curve mozzafiato. Ma un giorno sfortunato, il ragazzo and\u00f2 a sciare e si fece male in una caduta rovinosa.<\/span><\/p>\n

Il padre, deciso a disfarsi di Max ormai inutile, la vendette al signor Rossi, un uomo anziano e tranquillo che amava la guida placida e senza scossoni.<\/span><\/p>\n

Max, abituata a sfrecciare come un fulmine, si annoiava a morte con il signor Rossi. E cos\u00ec, cominci\u00f2 a fare dispetti.<\/span><\/p>\n

Un giorno, il signor Rossi decise di portare Max a fare un giretto in campagna, tra prati verdi e stradine tortuose. Ma Max aveva altri piani: inizi\u00f2 a emettere strani rumori, a sobbalzare vistosamente e a fare capricci come una diva sul set di un film.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Che diavolo stai facendo, Max?<\/em>” esclam\u00f2 il signor Rossi, con la pazienza ormai agli sgoccioli. “Non puoi andare un po’ pi\u00f9 piano?<\/em>“<\/span><\/p>\n

“Ahah, no no no! Mi annoio, voglio sgranchirmi le ruote!<\/em>” rispose Max con un clacson strombazzante. “Voglio sentire il vento che mi accarezza la carrozzeria, vroom! vroom! Tu sei troppo lento, signor Rossi \u2013 ti devo insegnare io come si guida!<\/em>“<\/span><\/p>\n

Il signor Rossi si infuri\u00f2, apostrofando Max come una “macchina maleducata”. Prov\u00f2 a fermarla, ma Max continu\u00f2 a correre e a fare i suoi scherzi, incurante delle proteste del povero signore.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Max, sei una macchina dispettosa! Smettila, ti prego!<\/em>” grid\u00f2 il signor Rossi. “Non ti lascer\u00f2 pi\u00f9 guidare, voglio scendere!<\/em>“<\/span><\/p>\n

“Oh, oh, oh!<\/em>” ridacchi\u00f2 Max con aria maliziosa. “Scommetto che non puoi prendermi! Vroom! Vroom!<\/em>” E acceler\u00f2 ancora, come se volesse sfidare la strada stessa.<\/span><\/p>\n

La corsa pazza fin\u00ec in un pantano di fango. Il signor Rossi scese, coperto di melma e decisamente arrabbiato.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Max, guarda che disastro hai combinato! Sono tutto sporco…<\/em>“<\/span><\/p>\n

Max non si scompose. “\u00c8 colpa tua, signor Rossi!<\/em>” ribatt\u00e9 con tono impertinente. “Parli parli, io mi distraggo e finiamo nel fango. Se mi avessi lasciata correre come volevo, non saremmo finiti in questo pasticcio.<\/em>“<\/span><\/p>\n

Il signor Rossi sbuff\u00f2. “Non \u00e8 colpa mia! Sei tu che sei una ribelle a quattro ruote! Non so cosa devo fare con te.<\/em>“<\/span><\/p>\n

Max replic\u00f2: “Intanto toglimi da questo pasticcio. Mi sento tutta appiccicosa, forza, dai una spinta cos\u00ec esco dal fango.<\/em>“<\/span><\/p>\n

Il signor Rossi, ancora furioso, si mise dietro la macchina e cominci\u00f2 a spingere. Proprio nel momento dello sforzo massimo, per\u00f2, il signor Rossi\u2026 lasci\u00f2 andare un peto sonoro.<\/span><\/p>\n

Max ne approfitt\u00f2 per scattare fuori dal fango e fermarsi poco distante, cominciando a sputare fumo denso dalla marmitta \u2013 e un rivolo di olio fin\u00ec dritto sulla faccia gi\u00e0 malconcia del signor Rossi.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ora il signor Rossi puzzava come un vecchio magazzino di scarpe, coperto di olio e fango.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Max, sei una macchina maledetta!<\/em>” sbott\u00f2.<\/span><\/p>\n

Max sorrise sorniona. “Ahah, forse dovresti imparare a controllare meglio i tuoi gas\u2026 e io dovrei cambiare l’olio pi\u00f9 spesso!<\/em>“<\/span><\/p>\n

Il signor Rossi scosse la testa, ridendo suo malgrado. “Sai, Max, sei una macchina davvero speciale. Meglio fermarci a pulire tutto, poi ti porto all’autolavaggio e io vado a ripulirmi in hotel. E chiss\u00e0, magari dopo continueremo il nostro viaggio\u2026 con un po’ pi\u00f9 di emozione!<\/em>“<\/span><\/p>\n

I due, dopo essersi ripuliti dal fango e dall’olio, raggiunsero un posto incantevole, con un panorama mozzafiato che sembrava abbracciare l’intera vallata. Seduti l\u00ec, in un silenzio complice, Max guard\u00f2 il signor Rossi con un’espressione malinconica, come se i ricordi le affollassero la “mente” di metallo.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Sai, signor Rossi,<\/em>” disse con un tono quasi nostalgico, “prima di incontrarti, ero felice. Ero con il mio vecchio proprietario, eravamo giovani e spensierati, come due fuorilegge su quattro ruote. Facevamo corse pazze, sfidavamo le curve pi\u00f9 strette e ci divertivamo un mondo. Ti chiedo scusa se ti ho fatto prendere paura \u2013 non volevo spaventarti cos\u00ec tanto.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Il signor Rossi sorrise, con gli occhi che si illuminavano di comprensione. “S\u00ec, Max, non fa niente. Immagino come vi siate divertiti insieme, come due complici in una corsa senza fine. Anche io ero cos\u00ec un tempo.<\/em>” aggiunse con una punta di rimpianto. “Correvo con la mia bicicletta, poi passai al motorino, e persino con un cavallo focoso\u2026 ero giovane, pieno di energia e con un cuore che batteva forte per l’avventura.<\/em>“<\/span><\/p>\n

Max lo interruppe, con un tono leggermente accusatorio, come un motore che inizia a borbottare. “S\u00ec, ma poi \u00e8 cambiato tutto. Hai comprato me e hai cercato di farmi diventare una macchina tranquilla e noiosa, lenta come te.”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Il signor Rossi rise piano, un suono caldo e rassicurante. “Ah, Max, non \u00e8 che io voglia farti diventare noiosa. \u00c8 solo che con l’et\u00e0 ho imparato a essere pi\u00f9 prudente. Quattro ruote sono meglio di due, sai? E anche meglio di un cavallo che pu\u00f2 imbizzarrirsi.”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Max sbuff\u00f2, con un leggero brontolio di motore che sembrava un sospiro metallico. “S\u00ec, capisco. Ma non \u00e8 la stessa cosa. Io ero felice con il mio vecchio proprietario. Eravamo una squadra, una coppia perfetta che dava gas a tutta forza, senza paura del domani.”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Il signor Rossi le mise una mano sul cofano, con un gesto affettuoso e quasi paterno. “S\u00ec, Max, capisco. Ma anche io ho le mie ragioni. Voglio essere sicuro, voglio sentirmi al sicuro. E con te, posso esserlo\u2026 almeno finch\u00e9 le tue gomme tengono la strada?”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Max rispose, con una punta di amarezza: “\u00c8 questo che vuoi per me? Finire al rottame quando sar\u00f2 vecchia, con i pezzi sparsi chiss\u00e0 dove?”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Il signor Rossi si ferm\u00f2, colpito dalle parole di Max, come se avesse toccato un tasto profondo. “S\u00ec, Max\u2026 \u00e8 vero. Un giorno sarai vecchia e forse non sarai pi\u00f9 utile come adesso. Ma fino ad allora, voglio godermi il tempo che abbiamo insieme \u2013 i chilometri che percorreremo, i paesaggi che vedremo.”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Max sorrise, con un leggero bagliore dei fari, come se una scintilla di accettazione si fosse accesa dentro il suo “cuore” meccanico.<\/span><\/p>\n

“S\u00ec, signor Rossi, adesso mi piace come tu ragioni. Forse dovremmo godercela finch\u00e9 possiamo \u2013 le strade dritte, le curve strette, i tramonti sulle montagne svizzere.”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Zaira Sellerio<\/span><\/p>\n

The mischievous machine<\/span><\/h1>\n

Once upon a time, there was a car named Max, with a past full of adventures. Mr. Rossi had just bought her, unaware of the tricks Max had in store.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once, Max had been the playful companion of a young man passionate about speed, who made her roar like a beast along narrow roads and breathtaking curves. But one unlucky day, the boy went skiing and got hurt in a nasty fall.<\/span><\/p>\n

His father, determined to get rid of the now \u201cuseless\u201d Max, sold her to Mr. Rossi \u2014 an elderly, calm man who loved driving peacefully, without bumps or rush.<\/span><\/p>\n

Max, used to dashing like lightning, was bored to death with Mr. Rossi. And so, she started to play pranks.<\/span><\/p>\n

One day, Mr. Rossi decided to take Max for a drive through the countryside, among green fields and winding paths. But Max had other plans: she began to make strange noises, jerk violently, and act up like a diva on a movie set.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the devil are you doing, Max?\u201d<\/em> exclaimed Mr. Rossi, his patience wearing thin. \u201cCan\u2019t you slow down a bit?\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAhah, no no no! I\u2019m bored, I need to stretch my wheels!\u201d<\/em> replied Max with a blaring honk. \u201cI want to feel the wind caress my bodywork, vroom! vroom! You\u2019re too slow, Mr. Rossi \u2014 I\u2019ll have to teach you how to drive properly!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Rossi got angry, calling Max an \u201cill-mannered machine.\u201d<\/em> He tried to stop her, but Max kept racing and playing her tricks, ignoring the poor man\u2019s protests.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMax, you\u2019re a mischievous machine! Stop it, please!\u201d<\/em> cried Mr. Rossi. \u201cI won\u2019t let you drive anymore, I want to get out!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, oh, oh!\u201d<\/em> chuckled Max mischievously. \u201cI bet you can\u2019t catch me! Vroom! Vroom!\u201d<\/em> And she sped up again, as if challenging the road itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

The wild ride ended in a muddy swamp. Mr. Rossi got out, covered in muck and thoroughly furious.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMax, look at this mess you\u2019ve made! I\u2019m completely filthy\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Max didn\u2019t flinch. \u201cIt\u2019s your fault, Mr. Rossi!\u201d<\/em> she retorted cheekily. \u201cYou talk too much \u2014 I got distracted and we ended up in the mud. If you\u2019d just let me run as I wanted, we wouldn\u2019t be in this mess.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Rossi huffed. \u201cIt\u2019s not my fault! You\u2019re a four-wheeled rebel! I don\u2019t know what to do with you.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Max replied, \u201cFor now, how about you help me out of this mess? I feel all sticky. Come on, give me a push so I can get out of the mud.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Still fuming, Mr. Rossi got behind the car and started pushing. Just at the peak of his effort, though, Mr. Rossi\u2026 let out a loud fart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Max took advantage of the moment to lurch out of the mud and stop a short distance away, puffing thick smoke from her exhaust \u2014 and a trickle of oil landed right on Mr. Rossi\u2019s already miserable face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now Mr. Rossi smelled like an old shoe warehouse, covered in oil and mud.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMax, you cursed machine!\u201d<\/em> he burst out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Max grinned slyly. \u201cAhah, maybe you should learn to control your own gas\u2026 and I should probably change my oil more often!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Rossi shook his head, laughing despite himself. \u201cYou know, Max, you really are a special car. Let\u2019s clean up first \u2014 then I\u2019ll take you to the car wash, and I\u2019ll go clean myself up at a hotel. And who knows, maybe after that we\u2019ll keep traveling\u2026 with a bit more excitement!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

After cleaning off the mud and oil, the two reached a beautiful spot, with a breathtaking view that seemed to embrace the entire valley. Sitting there in a quiet companionship, Max looked at Mr. Rossi with a melancholic expression, as if memories crowded her metallic \u201cmind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, Mr. Rossi,\u201d<\/em> she said in a nostalgic tone, \u201cbefore I met you, I was happy. I was with my old owner \u2014 we were young and carefree, like two outlaws on four wheels. We raced like crazy, challenged the tightest curves, and had so much fun. I\u2019m sorry if I scared you \u2014 I didn\u2019t mean to frighten you that much.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Rossi smiled, his eyes lighting up with understanding. \u201cYes, Max, it\u2019s all right. I can imagine how much fun you had together \u2014 two partners in an endless race. I was like that once, too,\u201d<\/em> he added, with a touch of regret. \u201cI used to race on my bicycle, then on my scooter, even on a fiery horse\u2026 I was young, full of energy, with a heart that beat fast for adventure.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Max interrupted him, in a slightly accusatory tone, like an engine starting to grumble. \u201cYeah, but then everything changed. You bought me and tried to make me a quiet, boring car \u2014 as slow as you.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Rossi laughed softly, a warm and reassuring sound. \u201cAh, Max, it\u2019s not that I want you to be boring. It\u2019s just that with age, I\u2019ve learned to be more careful. Four wheels are better than two, you know? And better than a horse that might bolt away.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Max huffed, with a faint engine rumble that sounded like a metallic sigh. \u201cYeah, I get it. But it\u2019s not the same. I was happy with my old owner. We were a team, a perfect pair giving it full throttle, unafraid of tomorrow.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Rossi placed his hand gently on her hood, in an affectionate, almost fatherly gesture. \u201cYes, Max, I understand. But I have my reasons, too. I want to be safe, I want to feel safe. And with you, I can be\u2026 at least as long as your tires hold the road?\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Max replied, with a hint of bitterness: \u201cIs that what you want for me? To end up in a junkyard when I\u2019m old, with my parts scattered who knows where?\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Rossi paused, struck by Max\u2019s words, as if she\u2019d touched something deep. \u201cYes, Max\u2026 it\u2019s true. One day you\u2019ll be old, and maybe you won\u2019t be as useful as now. But until then, I want to enjoy the time we have together \u2014 the miles we\u2019ll travel, the landscapes we\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Max smiled, her headlights glowing softly, as if a spark of acceptance had lit up inside her mechanical \u201cheart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mr. Rossi, now I like how you think. Maybe we should enjoy it while we can \u2014 the straight roads, the sharp curves, the sunsets over the Swiss mountains.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Il cucchiaio di legno – The wooden spoon<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Review<\/span><\/h2>\n

Max is not just any car: she has a past full of daring races, breathtaking curves, and unforgettable adventures. Now her new owner, the calm Mr. Rossi, tries to teach her a gentler way of driving\u2026 but Max has ideas of her own!<\/span><\/p>\n

Between comical mischief and moments of sweet nostalgia, this story by Zaira Sellerio takes the reader beyond a simple ride on the road: it is a true journey of life. It tells of friendship, freedom, memories, and how to learn to live alongside those around us without giving up who we really are.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perfect for children and young readers, but also for adults who want to be carried away by the lightness and imagination of a lively yet moving story, Max is an invitation to enjoy every curve along the way, whether real or metaphorical.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some awards for her work<\/span><\/h2>\n