Un incontro a Roma

"We have red wine and white wine," says the waiter. He pronounces every word slowly. "Which regions?" asks Marco. The waiter thinks. And he thinks. "Chianti for the red. Prosecco for the white." More thoughts. "Also Barolo." He seems uncertain.

The waiter returns with the wine. It takes him five minutes to pour two glasses. They wait patiently. "To meeting new people," says Marco. They touch glasses gently. "To new people," repeats Giulia and smiles. The wine is good. Not excellent, but good.

"What do you do on the weekend?" asks Marco. "I paint Saturday morning. I visit the markets for inspiration." Giulia loves her routine. "On Sunday, I correct students' work. They write about art. Some essays are very... creative." She makes a grimace.