POST SCRIPT - and a friendly gesture

As is evidenced by my previous post, I spent a couple hours sitting in the sun at the internet spot, updating my blog, working on my photos, while listening to the young men playing cards at the table next to me.  These were late teens-early twenties guys, and the old men sat outside their circle watching them.  Every once in a while one of the old men would shout ecco-lo! (there it is!) when I assume the correct card was thrown down.  Of course I am sitting alone, the perpeutal observer in this town.  A woman about my age arrived, sat her mother in the sun, brought her an espresso, and moved to a different table to read the paper.  It was very busy at the Bar Roma (not really a bar but a mini restaurant/snack spot), with young people coming for ice cream, or older people visiting the butcher next door.  When I finished I packed up and started to walk home.

Chelso - the only person who really engages me, was closing the little church just across the street from me.  He called to me, called me to his car, and gave me a bag of fresh lettuce, straight from his garned and still warm from the sun.  He said he brought it for me because the botega e chiuso (the store is closed).  The other day while I was sitting alone in the square he brought me a handful of cherries.  NOW BEFORE YOU GET THE WRONG IDEA, he is a grandfather who walks his grandbabies in their storllers every day.  Nothing goingon there, just a friendly gesture.  It was so sweet and really put the finish to my day. 

I came home, washed the lettuce and ate it right out of the strainer with salt and pepper.  It was wonderful.  Tonight I will have some with olive oil and lemon, along with my soup.  It is a lovely memory that I will take with me as I end this day, and when I leave this village to go back home.  CIAO!