Friday, April 25, 2008

where all roads lead


In the dark of the early morning, the taxi driver asked where we were going and when I said Rome, he nodded and said that it was almost like Paris. At the airport, we thronged around the gate, jostling to be the first through the door. A little apart from the crowd, leaning up against a wall, was a dark-haired man, a backpack on his shoulder and a dark-haired girl's arms around his neck. She was whispering something that must have been goodbye and she rubbed her knuckles against the streaks of tears on her cheeks.

The flight was short and when we woke up, the sky was blue and we were in Rome. There was no-one at the customs booth and we walked quickly, our steps echoing in the almost-empty airport, to the baggage carousel. As the procession of black suitcases revolved past us, I turned and saw the dark-haired man with the backback. But his backpack was on the floor and he was passionately kissing a blonde hello.

27 comments:

Aunt Becky said...

Wow. That's big pimpin'!

Ms. Planner said...

When in Rome...

c. said...

He certainly get around now, doesn't he?

c. said...

Argh! GETS

Bon said...

god, i love travel just for the chance to look at people, at the world, with the intimacy of strangers.

i've never been to Rome. i look forward to seeing a bit through your eyes.

Mrs. Spit said...

Oh My. . . .

S said...

what a louse!

Aurelia said...

Oh my, he certainly gets around doesn't he?

Unknown said...

Ah, those kooky Europeans...

LawMommy said...

Gah. MEN!
(Although I suppose I shouldn't bemoan the ways the bring lots of divorce clients through my office door...)

CLC said...

Why am I not surpised? Men!

k@lakly said...

bastard.

Tash said...

Maybe one was a sister? (Ducks tomato)

No one checked our passports in Italy (Florence airport) either. two weeks after 9/11. Huh.

Kami said...

I didn't see that coming. A girl in every port apparently.

Julia said...

Ouch!

On a cheerier note, are there pictures of gelato in our future?

Monica H said...

aww, that's so sad.

Lori said...

No way!

I think I would have had to at least given him a really mean stare!

Beruriah said...

lovely story

thirtysomething said...

Well! Sneaky little bastard...

on a different note, looking forward to pics of Italian delectables now..

christina(apronstrings) said...

hee, hee. c'est la vie.

(hey! he wasn't smooching your mojito friend??)

Coggy said...

That made me chuckle. Bad boy ;o)
I'm off to Rome at the end of May so please let me know if you find some good places to eat or hang out and watch Italian life go by. Ciao!

ms. G said...

Well, that's enough to make a girl go cynical....

Antigone said...

*Men*

Christine said...

what a little jerk. yet, this also made me laugh. . .

Maggie said...

No way! Did you just stand there with your mouth hanging open?! Probably not, because you are much cooler than me, but I would have totally just stood there and stared in amazement. Sheesh!

Your pictures are gorgeous, by the way, and I am totally jealous that you are in Rome...that is SO COOL!

Magpie said...

That is a short story. Right there.

Angela said...

Oh god.