Address unknown

After a quiet weekend, Easter Monday continued that theme and we spent it doing odds and ends about the house and preparing for the week ahead, which was a bit of an unusual one. Easter being late this year meant that Italy found itself in the strange position of having two public holidays in the same week, as Thursday was Festa della Liberazione. Put this together with the tradition of the bridge days, it meant that for many the only real working day was Wednesday, and for some it meant the highly unusual phenomenon of a whole week off work. After all, what is the point of starting up for one day in the middle of the week?

Unlike some, however, we found that our services were still in demand. Stephen did his usual bobbing around here, there and everywhere, while I had a busy two days on Tuesday and Wednesday fitting into those days lessons with my keenest students who couldn’t go a whole week without the pleasure of my company. These included Mr M, who was back from his trip to the USA and feeling positive about how it went. He did comment, though, that he found it a bit difficult at times to understand what people were saying to him as the Americans don’t speak English like the British do.

Mr M’s lesson on Wednesday morning was one of the reasons why that was a particularly hectic day for me, with five lessons which included two trips to Montegranaro and back. In between, I managed to fit in lunch and dog walking whilst Stephen had to rely on his bff to pick him up and ferry him around as they sorted out whatever Manuel had deemed of importance on that day. When a black car made its way down the road whilst I was between lessons and walks, I thought at first it was Stephen returning, but when it stopped and I saw the word Carabinieri along the side I had a pretty shrewd idea that it wasn’t. My first instinct was to panic, but then thinking rationally and realising that I hadn’t done anything to require police intervention I came out of the office trying to look pleased to see them. This had little effect on the driver, an older, greying gentleman with a flinty expression, but his younger partner, spruce in his spotless uniform, smiled and apologised, saying that they were looking for some Chinese people at this address.

He obviously realised that I was not one of the persons they were after, and just like last week with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, I explained how long we had been here and that it was at least five years since they had left and that I wasn’t able to help them (just like the other three occasions when law enforcers had stopped by the house) and refrained from suggesting that maybe they, like the JW, need to update their records. The driver remained stony silent during all this, but the young officer was very friendly, and even broke into a smattering of English at one point. I did think that maybe some one-to-one tuition might improve his language skills and help his future career path, but thought better of giving him one of my cards. I didn’t want to push my luck, after all.

After that little bit of excitement the rest of the week was very, very quiet. Thursday, as I mentioned, was another holiday and most places were closed on Friday as well. Stephen, though, having got back free use of the car did a bit of bobbing backwards and forwards, brandishing the odd sole as he went, whilst the most interesting thing that I did was have my hair cut. Well, I have to look my best in case any young men in uniform come knocking on the door looking for lessons.