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Tommy said he believes that his sister would make her own decisions and veer off in her own direction despite her parents' guidance. Both siblings had the same rules, but Tommy characterizes himself as " calmo e reflessivo" or calm and reflective, while he labels his sister as " impulsivo e indipendente " or impulsive and independent.
Tommy explained his closeness to his sister through the Italian proverb, " gli opposti si attraggono ," or opposites attract. In spite of their differences, Tommy said that he and his sister "share a beautiful relationship. We do not take anything for granted, and we are extremely close."
Tommy instinctively watches out for Maddalena and advises her on which groups to avoid. "If another boy is aggressive and annoys my sister, then I intervene and protect her.
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My nature is good and calm, but if someone were persistent, I would go out of my self and lose control -- irrational, crazy, mental," Tommy said. "Like a bull when he sees red. There is nothing worse than a good person when he is angry." Maddalena said that she occasionally seeks Tommy's assistance if needed. "If someone is aggressively flirting with me and I do not like it, I will call my brother, but usually I don't have to. He comes on his own anyway."
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Both siblings said that they are expected home at the same time. In the past, a girl staying out late was unheard of.
For example, Braccini remembers how her father "forced her to stay home and miss out on the nightlife, even the cinema." This behavior, in her father's eyes, represented a bad image and was shameful to her family. |
 
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Today however, Braccini's son informs her how girls stay out drinking on a Friday and Saturday night until 5 a.m., sometimes drinking more than the boys do.
Today, Maddalena said, she goes to bars, clubs, and cafes with her brother. They take vacations together, and she and her friends watch his basketball games. In yesterday's Cagli, Braccini said brother and sister going out to the bar together was rare. Tommy said that he does not instruct Maddalena on how to live her life, how to dress or how to act, as Braccini said that older brothers formerly did in the past.
Tommy does not like to command his sister because their tight-knit relationship is based on love and respect, but more importantly equality.
"He is my referee, my secure base. Tommy is a fixed point for me," Maddalena said.
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