Last days

I've mentioned before that I am retiring as professor at the University of Insubria, Como at the end of this month. I thought my last days would be tranquil, an opportunity to put my papers in order.

Not so. The university is closing the building in which we have offices. We heard rumours of this I think at the beginning of September but no official communication until  a brief letter from the Rector on the 18th of September. This was reassuring because it said we would be leaving the building by (entro) December 2013 (though others of us had a deadline of 30th September).

On Friday Patrizia came to collect Aurelio Carboni's papers. We discovered they had been removed from his locked room and placed in an unlocked storeroom next to the parking area where anyone could remove them. So I did.

But we also discovered (rumour only) that next week there will be workmen knocking down walls, and repainting our offices, before which clearly all our papers must be removed. No official notice and no indication of new offices. Judging by Patrizia's experience  it seems likely my last days at Insubria will be anything but  tranquil.