Another wonderful day, this time in Lucca with Anna and Roberta. Left my car at Anna’s house, and she miraculously managed to find a free parking space just outside the walls of the city. They are getting ready for Lucca Comics & Games, Oct 30-Nov 3rd so there were plenty of detours, street closings and tent constructions underway. We walked around, met Roberta for lunch. We had a great time, talking, laughing and planning our next rendezvous: Dublin, Ireland in July 2025, then walked around some more. Even though I’ve been to Lucca many times, I never tire of it, there is always something new to discover, especially with people who know the city as intimately as they do. Before ending our afternoon with a walk on the walls surrounding the city, we walked the narrow streets filled with shops. We even walked past Franco Montanelli, Charlie’s favorite men’s wear shop. Over the years he had bought some really nice clothes there. The store front was empty, they had moved to another location but still within the walls of the city. Anywhere else in the world, I easily walk in and out of stores without buying anything. Here, I would have a serious shopping addiction: I want to buy everything: shoes! purses! kitchen stuff! linens! clothes! Christmas ornaments! garden art! Oh, man, it’s a good thing I came with only carryon, I lierally don’t have space for any purchases.
Before I left for Lucca this morning, I found Stella’s son alone in the office. I thought it would be good time to settle my account a few days early because both she and he had meetings in Florence, Thursday & maybe Friday. I did not want to pay at the last minute or risk getting lost in the shuffle. Since he arrived about a week ago, he has been a man of few words, all business, rarely smiled and never laughed. I tell him what I would like to do. He looks at me and says but you are a guest of my mother’s, you do not pay. I say nonononononononononono! He smiled and began to laugh. I say this is not a joke. He says I never joke, I am very serious, in fact, people tell me I am too serious. I say OK, then seriously, I am friend of your mother’s and also a client. I can be 2 things at once. Just then Stella entered the office and she said yes, you are my guest and that’s that. I wag my finger at her and tell her that’s not right and left for Lucca.
Roberta and her daughter Chiara on her iPhone
and her sister, Anna