While drawing the curtain closed in the bedroom, I saw my neighbor Giancarlo on a ladder watering the flowering plants that line the walls on Via delle Pertiche Prima. One of the neighbors does this every evening during summer. There are at least twenty plants, probably more – I’ve never thought to count them.
Tomorrow will be my last full day as a resident of this lovely lane. It makes me sad. Renzo was just over to deliver a rice salad for my supper. He sat at the table with me and we talked like old friends. We are old friends, who finally met face to face about four years ago.
“I would happily live the rest of my life here, Renzo,” I told him.
“And I would be happy if you did.”
But steps, garden, and dozens of complicated and fascinating details have decided otherwise. I no longer want to climb those twisted stairs, and even if I recover mobility, by and by, it will be months. The change must be made now.
On Tuesday, I will begin a kind of vacation at Cynthia’s large and luxurious apartment, all on one level. A vacation made unfortunately possible by the impossibility of her coming here for the time being. But she has offered to share it while I clump around in the therapeutic boot, and I am grateful.
So, Renzo was in the middle of telling me about a 19th century Italian author who wrote about life in Catania when Elia entered, wreathed in smiles (as Dickens liked to say). We had just finished extolling his virtues.
“Ears on fire?”
“No, why?” Elia is Moldovan, and though he speaks well in the Orvieto manner, some idioms he doesn’t catch. Neither do I.
“We were talking kindly about you.”
“Sorry I missed it.”
“It won’t happen again. He passed his drivers’ exam.”
“I know! That’s a big deal.”
“My fifth time. I had four times to practice.”
We then shared plans for tomorrow. The gate opened wider and Patrizia and daughter Beatrice self-admitted.
“Beatrice came back for my birthday.”
“How could I not?”
She works at the university in Bologna with two doctorates. Renzo’s son, Giovanni, is drummer for what we all hope is an up and coming band, Metarmonica. Renzo and Patrizia did well as parents.
Smiles and waves and greetings, and everyone left.
The rice salad was simply delicious.