With a little help from our friends

Not bad for 12 years

By Italian law, each and every car must be inspected for its road-worthiness. In November, we took our car in for its regularly scheduled revisione, inspection. All was fine, but when we picked the car up at the end of the day, Moreno said to us, “Questa macchina è vecchia – dodici anni. Dopo questo, non farete un altro revisione. This car is 12 years old. After this one, don’t do another inspection!”

Moreno

Okay. So the next inspection wasn’t due for 2 years, which to us meant that we had a long time to think about it. A month later, the car started making some “strange” noises, so back to Moreno we went. After paying for the repairs, he reminded us once again, “Questa macchina è vecchia.” Okay, okay!

We’ve known Moreno for years and he’s always given us good advice. So, we started thinking about a replacement sooner, rather than later. Our first step: the Goldilocks Method.

For those of you who don’t know us personally, I’ll describe our perpetual dilemma: Em is 6’5″ tall. In Italy that’s technically 1.95 meters. But everybody always rounds up: He’s 2 meters tall which is not the norm, so finding a car that fits can be problematic.

Classics weren't much better

We’d heard good reports about Smart Cars. He didn’t fit, they were too small. We are fascinated with the re-release of the Fiat 500. He fit IF there was a sun roof and it was open, again too small. It was recommended that we buy an SUV, which in Italy we call a “soov,” but they’re just way too big for us. We needed something “just right,” as the story goes. The next day, after going from dealership to dealership, we concluded that our best option was to get a newer model of our 12-year-old favorite.

Gaia - the voice of reason

First stop: talk with Gaia at Lottini Insurance. She assured us that the rate would stay the same, assuming the same model, and suggested that we consider 2 things about any potential purchase: one, was a number that indicated energy displacement within the engine, and two, (and I’m not kidding) the number of watts. What? We wanted a car, not a light bulb. We clearly didn’t know what either of those things were, so Gaia helped us  out by saying “Provate per trovare la stessa macchina, just try to find the same car.” Perfect! We were off to see our trusty friend and mechanic Moreno.

We asked Moreno if he knew of a reliable used car dealership. “Certo. Moncini. Sure, Moncini.” Within minutes, we zipped around the corner to meet Angelo Moncini. We told him we were scheduled to leave within a week, but we wanted him to be looking for a newer car for us in the meantime. We all agreed—either within 5 days or in the spring. He called the next day. Yikes! Where’s that slow Mediterranean pace?

Now, paperwork is something that Italy reveres, along with the resulting bureaucracy. So when Angelo found us a car, we weren’t overly hopeful that anything could really materialize in the short time left.

Fiorella - little flower

We immediately scurried off to see our friend Fiorella at the bank in Fiesole. Within no time, we had a plan for her to make the payment in our absence. “Non c’è un problema, it’s not a problem.” She’s saved the day more than once in our various times of need! That evening with the help and flexibility of Angelo and his son Simone, we traded cars just hours before departure. Whew! What an experience. Our only delay was waiting for the newly purchased car insurance to go into effect—at precisely 6:30 pm that evening—thanks to Gaia. Also not a problem. We just got a coffee and talked with Simone to pass the time.

The next morning we flew away feeling a little amazed that we’d actually made the transaction happen in so little time. We couldn’t have done it without help from those we trust who are in the know.

Simone - would you buy a used car from this man? We would—and did!

Two days later, we received a message from Simone: it seemed that we’d forgotten to leave a crucial document with our old car. Now that was a problem. The solution—an emergency assist from our neighbor, Sandro. We Skyped him on his cell phone and within minutes, we had a scheme to deliver the document to Simone. As The Beatles said in their song, we truly DO “get by with a little help from our friends.”How did we get so lucky?!

You may also enjoy visiting our other websites:

The Journey – The Ride of a Lifetime

Under the Tuscan Thumb Blog by C & E

Uncommon Promise Story, Music and Art

New Music – Virtual CD

Uncommon Promise Video Channel

In Touch In Tuscany

It’s a Touchy Subject

The Italian touch

After having lived here in Italy for over 10 years, we’re familiar to the locals. We are known. Often, we’ve wondered if many Italians are really shy, since they seem reserved until they get to know you. Then, once you’re familiar, predictably present and pleasant, you get the true Italian “touch.”

Generally speaking, Italians are “touchy.” No, I don’t’ mean fragile or prone to emotional outbursts. I mean they love to touch you as they speak.  This “touch privilege” takes many different forms that I’ve either observed or experienced. It starts with hello.

Reaching out

“Buon’giorno, good day!” A hand reaches out to clasp yours and then they lean in for a kiss on each cheek. As conversation continues, there may be a light touch to my elbow, as if to indicate that I’m about to be told something important or perhaps a piece of “insider information.” There may be a pat to the forearm to get my attention, as though I might have mentally wandered off and need to return to the here and now so I don’t miss something interesting. Our friend, Giuliana, takes hold of my forearm and leans in when she speaks—even though we’re sitting together, side by side and I’m clearly going nowhere.

A powerful gesture

We ask the brothers, Manuele and Fabio, at the hardware store if we can take their picture and one wraps the other in a quasi-embrace for the camera. They work together, spend hour after hour in their cozy little shop, but when they stand together, they come into contact with each other.

Fiorella, our favorite bank teller comes from behind her glass enclosure for double-cheek kisses. She jokes with us about returning like spring birds after a long cold winter. We laugh as we imagine tellers at banks in the US offering such greetings and levity. It’s a real treat when we have some bank business to take care of.

The invitation

Today, our friend Giuliano was visiting a local restaurant where he collects day-old bread that he will give to the local shepherd for the flock. He’s glad to see us and his eyes twinkle. Then he touches my elbow and invites us inside to prendere un bel caffè, take a coffee with him. As we stand at the bar he tells us of a local pizzeria that he thinks is especially good. He takes hold of my forearm and adds that their seafood and pasta dishes are good too. That simple touch is the physical equivalent of an underline, or an exclamation point.

The other day, we went into Florence for a little visit with our dermatologist, Dr. Mastrolorenzo. He reached over to Emerson’s forearm several times during our 20-minute visit to emphasize what he was saying. He also patted Emerson’s hand as a gesture of reassurance and comfort. Not that he needed comfort, it was clearly Dr. M’s personal style, which was sweet and caring. We later chuckled together as we thought about our very capable and efficient doctor in the US. A pat on the arm? Never. How could she? She’s busy entering facts into her laptop. Science first.

During an impromptu lunch at the trattoria around the corner, I watched a young couple enjoy their meal. Then at one point in their conversation, he reached out and tapped the center of her forehead. She smiled and his finger lingered, pressed into her bangs. That gesture is a new one for me and I can’t begin to imagine what it might have meant—apparently a good thing.

Making contact with life

Then later in the afternoon, which begins at 3 pm, we stopped by Torre al Sasso to talk with Lucia about an upcoming dinner. As we got out of the car, she practically ran to greet us, with double-cheek kisses. As she talked, she touched. She gestured and laughed. She shared some details of her life with sighs and shrugs. Her heart was on her sleeve. Then she reached out and held my arm. And for that moment, we had a connection that can’t be described. It was as though communication had become something profound, and much more important—through touch.

Yes, Italians are definitely touchy people. They are touching people.

I am touched.

You may also enjoy visiting our other websites:

The Journey – The Ride of a Lifetime

Under the Tuscan Thumb Blog by C & E

Uncommon Promise Story, Music and Art

New Music—Virtual CD

Uncommon Promise Video Channel

In Touch in Tuscany

Study Group/Sturdy Group

About 7 or so years ago, I enrolled in an Italian language class at the local community center. It was great fun. Not only did we learn Italian, my classmates and I got to know each other and became friends. Because we were dedicated students, we decided to meet outside of class, once a week, to practice our skills and to inspire each other. The group gelled, turning into an Italian family of sorts. How appropriate.

It’s interesting to observe how groups form and define themselves. This particular group can be described as caring, sweet, kind and funny. Each member of the group has those characteristics—individually as well. We span about 3 decades, age-wise, with all the significance that brings. Allow me a brief description of each cherished member:

Vittoria

There’s Victoria, Vittoria who is a petite brunette with large soulful eyes. She’s in the middle decade—those who are making decisions and have concerns about aging parents. Vittoria is gregarious, quick to smile and someone you can count on. She’s curious and inquisitive. Sometimes there are no answers to her questions, or I should say no obvious reasons behind why a particular Italian word or phrase is the way it is. So when she asks, “Perchè? Why?” the only answer is “Perchè no? Why not?” While the “answer” may not be satisfying, Vittoria accepts it with a beautiful laugh that puts everyone at ease.

Monica

Then there’s Monica, (a difficult translation to Monica) another petite brunette. She hails from South America, so Italian is often similar to her native tongue. She’s sparkly and sweet, quick to touch your arm as she listens to you. She has teenagers, so is an attentive mom. How she fits our study group into her already full schedule, I’ll never know. She understands the structure of Italian language, which is certainly a huge part of the battle, and that helps us all a lot.

Luisa

There’s Lois, Luisa who is the most gracious hostess in the world. After at least 5 years of meeting in her kitchen every Tuesday morning, she never fails to greet each member at the door with a hearty, “Benvenuta! Welcome!” Lois is an athletic, energetic woman, full of enthusiasm and optimism—perpetually young. Her positive mood is absolutely contagious. I usually come away from study group more upbeat than when I arrived. No matter what the topic, Luisa is an attentive listener, always offering practical encouragement. Her presence is bubbly and simultaneously soothing—in many ways she holds the group together.

Rodolfo

Then there’s Rudy, Rodolfo—the only man of the group. He’s become our leader due to his great sense of organization, direction and desire. His patience with our detours and deviations is commendable. He’s a cheerful sort and laughs easily. He’s also an extremely fit individual, with salt and pepper capelli, hair. Bright and articulate, he offers insights and suggestions about how we learn, modifying our curriculum to better address our needs and goals. His observations help keep us on track. A man in the group means that we can’t defer to the feminine form of Italian words. He keeps us gender-neutral—which in Italian means using the default masculine form of words when both are present.

Paola

Then there’s Paula, Paola who is yet another petite brunette, with a razor-sharp wit. Her sense of humor is matched by her kindness. While some of us forget to thank Rodolfo for the hours he spends readying our “lesson” of the week, Paola always remembers. She’s also a techno-wiz, always at the ready with her iPhone to double check a fact or alert us to an interesting new website. In addition, Paola is a gourmet cook. She has brought us fabulous food for munching while we conjugate verbs or read aloud to each other. In her time away from the group, she seems to be a model mom. Her high school daughter is a lucky girl.

NOT Valeria - A Temporary Blond Substitute

There’s Valerie, Valeria who is the blond of the group (but not stereotypically “blond” in any way.) She’s funny and sweet. When we were in class together, I often sat beside her. She’s a very good and dedicated student—always has her homework completed and correct. But I noticed something about her. I can make her laugh, and I must admit that I can be a disruptive influence in the classroom. When we were all in a formal class together, I could whisper something to Valeria and she would turn to look at me or just laugh—then of course our teacher, the vivacious Barbara (yes, that is an Italian name) always caught Valeria “misbehaving.” I enjoyed this mistaken blame tremendously.

Caterina

Then there’s Kathy, Caterina who is the retired high school English teacher. I only include this fact, because she knows all the correct parts of speech and their corresponding elements in Italian. She sometimes explains the function of a particular word for us—in English, so that we can understand the Italian counterpart. Caterina has sparkling eyes, loves traveling and photography. The group has definitely benefited from her creative talents.

Although they are not physically present on Tuesday mornings, there’s no shortage of the influence of Italian grandmothers. Vittoria and Paola each have a nonna, grandmother from the “old country.” This adds to the spark and spice of the conversation. Sometimes, it’s as though one of them is actually there with us.

So all in all, it’s a wonderful experience. I love being part of this Italian family. We’ve taken countless photos over the years and you could identify each of us by my descriptions here. Even me.

After you’ve identified the others, I’m the one left over: I’m the lucky one.

You may also enjoy visiting our other websites:

The Journey – The Ride of a Lifetime

Under the Tuscan Thumb Blog by C & E

Uncommon Promise Story, Music and Art

New Music—Virtual CD

Uncommon Promise Video Channel

In Touch in Tuscany