A to Z 2026 - S - Contessina’s Collection of Human Treasures

“You’re gonna want to hear this one,” Contessina said at Shelby’s door. “Just come.”

Shelby stared at her for a moment.

“You’ve been listening in,” Contessina said. “Don’t be shy now.”

“You’re rather bold,” Shelby said, “aren’t you?”

“We can be,” Contessina said. “I’ve got some soda chips. It’s safe.”

When they had both entered her home, and Michelangelo had settled, Contessina continued.

“Shakespeare. This is a man who lived many years ago. Centuries. Actually, the man himself lived a fairly anonymous life. He lived for the theater, you might say. There have been a lot of people who have tried insisting he had to be someone else, someone important, that he couldn’t have been just some nobody inexplicably capable of these works of genius.

“I find the idea insulting. He wrote a large amount of brilliant plays. You’d like them, especially, say, Hamlet, or Romeo & Juliet. He had incredible range. He could write tragedies, and he could write comedies. He wrote all of them in the backdrop of what they called the discovery of the New World, colonization of a whole continent that had lain dormant in the general awareness of advanced civilization. 

“And the only reason we know about him at all, really, is because someone fought to publish the Folio, a collection of his scripts, preserving the brilliance of his language. Only a few centuries later this would’ve been a little surprising, given the increased celebrity and emphasis on actors. Imagine if Shakespeare had been lost, if he was only known by a small group of devotees. Schoolchildren are constantly asked to study him, and few of them seem to appreciate what it is they’re being gifted. Imagine!

“If there’s a Shakespeare working in theater today, it would probably be Monfries. I’d certainly suggest you look into her, Cervone alone being worth your time, I think…”

“I’m familiar with Cervone,” Shelby said.

“I suppose you would be,” Contessina said. “But I don’t mean Cervone the person, but the play.”

“Is there a difference?” Shelby said.

“Yes,” Contessina said. “That’s exactly what I’m trying to say! But, you may not be ready for this. Shelby isn’t really your name. You didn’t think I knew who you were. Ah. I see that now. I suppose I should feel insulted. I’ll forgive you that one.”