The two of us were wrapped in the comforters of the twin bunk, having fallen asleep watching Toy Story 2….
“You’re miles and miles from your nice warm bed, just remember what your old pal said, boy you’ve got a friend in me.”
5:55 a.m. zing zing zing. I squint and see the time; I press a five-minute snooze… I wake up four minutes later. I squint my way to the bathroom and splash my face with water. I wake up Gia and just like yesterday morning we put on the clothes we laid out the night before, lace our shoes, grab our backpacks and our sack of saved cornettos and fruit and walk to the train station- still waking up, my eyes still squinting as they adjust to the daylight. The day’s light. Light of day. Light the way. Today.
We type in “Lake Como” in the train ticket express machine, convalidate our ticket- just like always. This freedom always at our fingertips- unless of course the machine doesn’t accept my American Express. Day Trip number two- gitta due- of this weekend. A whole day. Another day that turns into days, as one day leads to the next day- but each day it’s own- and yet linked to the previous day and to the next day to come. Like the sun. It shine’s differently every day, a new sun- the same sun shining but a different sunshine.
Gia and I hoped on train number one of the three trains to get us to Il Lago Di Como. We opened up our sack of food and had a picnic on the train- no green grass on where to sit, no tree to sit underneath. Just the comfort of train chairs, free food and a friend. . At the next stop it was time for a cappuccino. We fueled up with the trains.
Milano train station- we missed the train we needed. Gia’s mysterious relative Leonardo was waiting for us at the Lake Como train station- we needed to get a hold of him. Of course my vodaphone cell phone is still dead- except for its lively alarm clock ring. We find the next train out- one hour. One hour to get a hold of Leonardo and let him know we will be late. We don’t really know who he is- but we need to get a hold of him. Running from one side of the train station to the next we run from the information center to the binaries- back and forth. We ask the information man to use his computer and when he finally let’s us- he tells us we cannot use any website except for the train website…all right. Gia pulls out her computer and tries to hack into any Internet reception. Doesn’t work. I pull out the calling card from my backpack I randomly threw into my bag this morning- we called her mom to call Leonardo. Doesn’t work. Gia and I look at each other. Just like we did in Switzerland when we were lost and hitchhiked our way back to the hostel, just like when we sprinted to make our appointment at the Scrovegni Chapel… we’ll make it. We always do. Leonardo will be there. We hope.
I didn’t even notice the frescoes inside the Milan train station the first time I was there for an hour. I noticed them on the way back- when I was there for five minutes.
Milano to Lake Como- Gia and I studied for Art History and then passed out. We woke up just in time for our arrival in Lake Como. Leonardo, Leonardo, Leonardo… I don’t know this man but I sung his name to the “Figaro, Figaro, Figaro” opera tune in my head over and over. Gia and I walked outside the train station. I saw an American looking man, nudged Gia and told her I think that’s him.
IT WAS! ALLELUIA! It always works out.
The church bells rang in Lake Como as we arrived to a little square in the small city and had some sparkling white wine- Prosecco. A glass of Prosecco later Julia and Leonardo and John Paulo and the K9 Olivia welcomed us into their Lake Como home- it felt like an American Italian home, both cultures in one. Inside a iron door, through another wooden door, up some marble steps across an ornately decorated rug and finally to the wooden door of their home- Italian style entrance into an American felt home. The kitchen equipped with about five coffee makers. Italiano.
Gia got to meet her Italian family, she got to know them. Lake Como is one of the deepest lakes in Europe- a very popular touristy place. But Gia came not to be a tourist but to become family. Relinking to her family. Like days. The year before she was family with Julia and Leonardo but she didn’t know it. The day before she was still family with Julia and Leonardo and she knew it and tomorrow she will be family with them and she knows more about it. And today she became more of family with them.
We had a family meal together, and although I am not family it felt comforting to be with a family. We ate breaded veil and pineapple and sat with coffee in our hands. They chatted about family stories and the families past and even of the family’s future.
We strolled the streets of Lake Como chatting…
“We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow
That's where we wanna go
Way down to LAKE COMO.”
“yeah baby, yeah baby, yeah!”
Gia and I saw the paddle boats. They looked like antique race cars sitting on the lake. We were ready to ride! Gia and I jumped into the race boats and peddled and sang to the middle of the lake. We had half an hour. Boats passed by, but they were far away from us. We stopped peddling and just sat in our boat. We just sat in our boat. No, we didn’t just sit. We were sitting but we were soaking. Soaking in sweat. Soaking up the sun. Soaking up the scenery. Soaking up the air. Soaking.
I wasn’t wet but I was “more soaking” than I was this morning when I splashed my face with water. I was more awake right now.
I felt the sun on my face, on my arms, and on my stomach. My skin wasn’t shy to show itself to the sun.
Soaking up the sun, peace and tranquility and Lake Como all around… my thoughts escaping… we heard a phone ring. Confused, we found a phone underneath the seat of the boat and picked it up. Some young ragazzo left his phone on the boat and we agreed to meet him at the docks to return his phone to him. He spoke a little English but was able to tell me he was wearing a black shirt. Gia and I made it back an hour later than we were supposed- the dock guy didn’t say a thing because I started telling him how beautiful the lake was…No chance for him to tell us we over timed.
No chance for Gia and I to fins a guy in a black shirt- half the people in the square were wearing black shirts…wait, 3 young guys…I signaled a telephone sign.. Yup, it was them. We handed back the phone and they invited us for coffee…slick…we had to head back to meet Leonardo and Julia and John Paulo in the square. Sorry boys.
Headed back to their beautiful home, I watched Julia make coffee and peered out their kitchen window. The trees were coming alive. Leonardo reminded me spring was coming tomorrow. Today’s fall but tomorrow’s spring. Without today, there couldn’t be tomorrow. But today is different than tomorrow. But they need each other.
We watched American News- disaster in Japan. We watched American music videos. We talked in English. We were in Italy. I could hear and see the difference of these two cultures. Both of them different, both of them similar. Sometimes I feel I am becoming both. Different and the same.
“We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow
That's where we wanna go
Way down to LAKE COMO.”
“Yeah baby, yeah baby, yeah!”
It was time to go after some coffee and talk. We took the slow train home- the last one of the night-, which technically arrived in the morning. In the dark night, in a dark train Gia could sense I was somewhat frightened. I pulled out my journal to write and my notes to study- Gia wrote in my journal:
“Test of trust in humanity with awkward train cart. (We’ll be alright car) love you”
I wrote indeed.
Everything always works out. We’ll be all right.
We are young, we run free.
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