A Roman holiday

I hope I'll be excused in Hollywood for using the title of this beautiful movie for my excerpt, as this excerpt describes an episode that can be defined as a holyday.

Some one's shoulder pushed him slightly. 'Watch your step,' Joe said to him in English treating him as a total stranger.

'I was in mid adoration sorry,' Ray answered him

The hall was quite crowded and they kept standing silently beside each other for some twenty minutes.

'What are your impressions,' Joe asked him in a whisper breaking the silence that reigned all over the hall.

'Well I'm amazed that's my first time…'

'Do you know that Michel Angelo didn't want to paint the Capela and was forced to?'

'Oh really, ' Ray wondered without the slightest pretence.

'Come I'll show you around and explain a few things to you, I'm an expert.'

After some additional fifty minutes they left the Capela Sistina and the Vatican Museum together, and Ray led the way to the Piacere Molise restaurant, Joe told him that he was hungry.

'Is there another way out except the entrance, have you checked it?' Joe asked him as they've ordered and the waiter left their table.

'No I haven't,' Ray admitted somewhat worried.

'You won't need to sneak away from pursuers here in Italy, but you should practice it and turn it into your second nature. You'll need such simple means of last minute retreat in the future.'

'Should I check it right now, while going to the service room?"

'No Ray there's no other way out, I can see it from here, but this small restaurant with its few guests is okay. You may eat here up to Monday when you'll leave for Florence.'

The waiter returned with their order, another one brought wine; Joe tasted it and they started to eat.

'Well I like the food,' Joe remarked smiling. 'But it seems to me that you aren't pleased with something Ray, you'd better tell me what bothers you.'

'My surname and why wasn't I instructed to reach Florence, instead of loitering in Rome the next ten days?'

'Your surname is a very common name like the English Smith surname for instance. It's used as a first name too and it will serve well from now on. As for Florence, you were supposed to study here in Rome at the university of fine arts, but at the last moment two Coptic students were added to that course.' Joe was silent for a second, he ate the last piece of meat that was left on his plate, drank some wine and looked again at Ray's eyes. He did not expect Ray to react, he knew that he solved Ray's trivial problems. But he thought he should add a few more things.

'You'd better meet any one of them or some other members of the Coptic community here in Rome much later; meanwhile do visit the two Coptic churches of Santo Giorgio and Santo Marco up to Monday. Do visit these churches frequently even twice a day, but don't talk to any of the believers.'

'So our next meeting will take place at Florence then?'

'That's right Ray on Monday night at ten pm, after your arrival and the end of your arrangements there.'

'Where shall I stay?'

'It's up to you Ray, after all you're experienced enough and you can take care of yourself. We'll meet at the restaurant 'Il Latini' it's in 6/r Via dei palchetti. Any questions Ray?'

'No I'm fine and thank you.' They stood up shook hands and Joe left.

Ray returned to his seat had another cup of coffee and waited the fifteen minutes he had to wait according to the rules. It was not imperative yet in this friendly country, but he thought he had adapt Joe's advice for practice sake.

Is Joe much stricter than Vito, or have I gained experience and that's why Joe expects me to start acting as a pro should? I've changed I'm not the same person anymore. He concluded not daring to think of his real identity and his real name.

© Haim Kadman July the 24^th 2013 �" all rights reserved.