Monday, April 28, 2008

from niobe's big book of painfully obvious metaphors


1. It seems like there aren't any dead ends in Rome. Every narrow, cobbled street, every unpromising alley leads you somewhere. But probably not somewhere you actually wanted to go.

2. (I'm not even sure if, in context, this really even counts as a metaphor. But, whatever.) On the way to the airport, the cabdriver was listening to what sounded (at least to someone who knows no Italian) like some kind of political talk show. I was trying to pick out a comprehensible word here and there, when, suddenly, I heard two sentences whose meaning was crystal clear: Faith can move mountains. Provided that the mountains are of a relatively moderate size.

21 comments:

thailandchani said...

I like that last line! "must be of moderate size"... yes :)

Catherine said...

LOL! I LOVE that!

Tash said...

oooooohhhhhhhh. Moderate size. I knew I was doing something wrong.

(does this mean you're leaving Rome ALREADY??)

Lori said...

Now that might be a metaphor I can get behind! I always love a metaphor that provides its own exception.

Safe travels, Niobe.

Monica H said...

My mountains are NOT of moderate size. What now?

S said...

so have you been attacked by pigeons yet? all i remember of rome is a plethora of pigeons. shudder. of course, i was six years old. things may have changed since then with regard to pigeons.

christina(apronstrings) said...

so true.

niobe said...

Slouching Mom: There did seem to be an awful lot of pigeons of different, but mostly hideous, colors in Rome. Luckily though, no reenactment of The Birds (and I don't mean the one by Aristophanes).

Anonymous said...

the painful part is that it's not all that obvious in life.

c. said...

Yes. But can it resurrect dead babies?

As for the lack of dead ends in Rome, I knew there was a reason I've always wanted to live there.

niobe said...

C: Sadly, I think those mountains are far too large to be moved at all.

Which Box said...

Really, do we really ask for that much? I think moderate size is about right. Thinking of you.

Beruriah said...

Did you see any vestment shops? For some reason when I was there it amused me to no end to see racks and racks of fancy clothing for clergy.

Unknown said...

I love the juxtaposition of faith and being realistic.

Bon said...

mountains of moderate size...ah yes. from whose perspective? do you think the cabbie does personal consults?

i hope this maze of blind alleys leads to joy. preferably soon.

JW Moxie said...

I keep thinking about that and I can't figure out how I feel about it.

Anonymous said...

Now I really want to know the rest of that conversation.

Anonymous said...

Rome is one of my favorite cities. And it is WAY better than Paris!

niobe said...

Beruriah: No vestment shops were seen. Though I definately would have taking a picture.

Wheels on the Bus: Them's fightin' words.

Anonymous said...

I hope the place one doesn't mean to go has moderately sized mountains.
:), Allypally

Unknown said...

that story about the cab is sort of weird. one might say it is a sign. but i'm not sure i believe in signs and i have no faith at all.