I’ve had a number of everyday encounters with Very Nice People in Italy. Each time I go to a restaurant or ask someone for directions in my broken Italian, people try to understand me and try to help me. There have also been several Incidents of Extreme Niceness over the last couple of weeks that have really stuck out to me as being out-of-the-ordinary even in Italy.
1) The Generous Whistling Man:
We stumbled home after 11:00 on Wednesday after working with Maestro Rapisardi through dinner. Since we don’t keep any food at the house and grocery stores usually close early out here, we were desperately hoping to find a restaurant open but beginning to resign ourselves to going to bed (very) hungry. But, the little bar under our apartment was open! We actually hadn’t been here before and we were worried they might only have coffee and alcohol. They did have some little sandwiches and mini-pizzas, though, so we each ordered one of these and a big bottle of water and go to sit down. He cheerfully brings us our food, then runs back out with an extra plate of little toasted pieces of bread with different spreads on them. He disappeared back inside and then also brought us out some pickled vegetables! He didn’t charge us for any of the extra food and just seemed anxious to feed us. Shortly thereafter, when Antonie dropped us off at home after visiting Castle Coira, as she attempted to turn her car around on the narrow street outside our house, he ordered her out of the drivers seat, got in, did a beautiful turn-around, and parked it facing the correct direction for her. The next morning, I had my morning coffee downstairs and he gave me unasked a glass of water to go with my coffee and he made himself a shot of espresso and drank it with me and chatted. This is actually even nicer than it sounds because in Italy you don’t have guarantees of free water. Generally at a restaurant you order large bottles of water that add 1-3 euros onto the bill. You definitely don’t get water without asking for it the way you do in the States. After we had our coffee, he jumped on his bike and rode off whistling a happy little tune.
2) The Incident of the Leading Landscapers:
On our way to Castle Coira, we got a little turned around when our GPS wanted us to go in a bus/taxi only lane. The two men working on the side of the road waved to us and explained that we shouldn’t drive in that lane (I think that fines are involed). They offered to speak German and French with us when our comprehension was less than perfect on how to get back onto the Autostrada (which is a much more involved procedure than getting on an interstate in the US). Eventually, they hopped in their car and led us a couple of kilometers to the autostrada, then waved at us where to get on!
3) The Helpful Helpful Host:
We stayed out a little late chatting with a Maestro di Scherma in Padova, and then were unable to call our B&B whose check-in closed at 9:00. We drove all the way out there anyway, arriving around 10:30 to a dark home. THey left us a note on the door telling us to call the same number that hadn’t worked before when we got in. We banged on doors, rang bells, and desperately tried the useless number that we had been given over and over again. In desperation, David and I walked down the narrow, dark road back towards the Autostrada towards a restaurant that I had seen earlier. It was less than a kilometer away, but it felt longer because it was dark and scary and I had no idea if we’d be able to find a place to sleep that night. Also, we were still wearing our sweatpants, though I had tried to dress up my under-armor by putting a button-up shirt on over it that didn’t completely cover it, and I forced David to put a t-shirt on over his under-armor shirt. When we got there we were conscious that everyone was pretty nicely dressed – we were definitely bringing down the joint. I asked the host if it was too late to eat, and he said that the kitchen was closed except for pizza (which actually was perfect). Then I explained to him in broken Italian how I had arrived to find the B&B closed up tight and no one answering the number and I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to get into my room and have a place to sleep tonight. He took my note away from me and told me to go eat and not to worry. He stopped by our table after our pizzas arrived and told us that he had gotten in touch with the B&B proprietors, they would meet us at midnight at the B&B, and he would give us a ride back there after we had finished our dinner. Not only did he figure out how I could get my room, he went the extra mile to make sure we weren’t walking along that narrow, frightening road after dark!
ps – as i write this post,the Very Nice Whistling Man brought me out some more free yummy pickled veggies, some potato chips, and some bread with spread!
pps – The Very Nice Whistling Man was apparently worried because I tried to order half a liter of prosecco (the usual way to get wine on tap) but he didn’t have prosecco on tap, but only by the glass or bottle. I told him that two glasses were fine. But then he offered to open a bottle and pour half a liter of it for me into a carafe, and I said that glasses were fine. Then he brought us our glasses, but was worried that the prosecco wasn’t cold enough so he brought some more, colder prosecco and poured it into our wine glasses to top them off and then brought us a little bowl of ice!
