Milan

Chapter 16 of the thriller "An Irretrievable Step".

Chapter 16

The first week with Vito passed very quickly, Jeremy ate breakfast in his room and went out whenever the weather allowed him, or watched TV to add a few more Italian words to his small vocabulary.

He did not miss even one meeting with Vito all along the first week, and he became well acquainted with the city transportation means after the first morning in which he travelled from seven am on, all over the city. Thus he had no trouble at all to reach on time any meeting place where Vito waited for him, be it at the center or at the town's outskirts.

The last time he thought about Tami was during the flight to Milano; the moment he landed in Melpansa airport he forgot her existence almost completely.

But whenever he saw a good looking woman on his way in the street or riding a bus or in one of the parks, which he visited he remembered her. But he was so busy thanks to Vito, and their mutual daily tours that after a few seconds he would forget her completely again.

The next week at April first was Easter, he visited the Basilica and participated as a viewer in the service, which bored him to death; and on Sunday night he bought a ticket to see Verdi's opera Nabuco at the La Scala Theatre. It was the first time in his young life that he bothered to see an opera. He liked it and was not bored at all, and at the first intermission he left his seat and went to the lobby to have a coffee or a glass of some drink. He hardly crossed the main hall's door when he saw a very familiar face near the long counter, at the lobby's far side. It was Tami in the company of a middle aged couple.

He turned around and went straight back to his seat, and passed the intermission tensed with much impatience.

So it must be her parents, yeah I've identified the mother although I've seen her just once and from some distance…They took her to spend Passover with them in Italy, what a buzzer coincidence… But they will surely leave Milan and travel on… I don't have to worry, I don't believe that she'll recognize me with that beard growth of mine and my spectacles, but I'll better leave a minute or two after the intermission's end

After twenty five minutes the audience was asked to return with a series of chimes, and soon as the lights were put off, Jeremy stood up and left his seat muttering 'mi scusi' while pushing his way along the crowded raw up to the aisle. He had enough for a first visit in this famous opera house, but above all he did not wish to meet Tami or even to be identified by her despite his beard and spectacles.

Should I tell Vito about it? He wondered as he walked towards the nearest bus stop. There's no need to, and if I would have met her…? Oh forget it! He scolded himself frustrated, the need for a woman's company started to bother him.

On the next time when they had lunch at the famous restaurant Montagna di Luce on top of the mountain and while enjoying the formidable view, Jeremy brought up step by step the question that bothered him.

'I'm supposed to start studying in about ten days from now…' Jeremy started to clear his throat before ending his sentence, while they were sitting over the desert watching the mountainous view.

'Oh it's good of you to have reminded me that issue, you'll have to report at their main office to find out in what class you're registered and get the list of the equipment needed for the drawing course; as for your language course all you'll need is a pad and a pen I guess.' Vito summed the matter up with a smile.

'They'll advise you where to buy it, and I guess some of the equipment you'll be able to buy on the spot, at their store.'

'How about foreign students, I mean well you know.'

'Most of them are from Asia, the Americas and some from neighboring countries and very few are from the Middle East, just a handful from Libya, which was an Italian colony; but you won't find any of them in the drawing course. All in all there're ten to twelve per cent foreign students in this academy, and they're spread all over the different courses.

'I see,' Jeremy muttered bothered still.

'You were briefed about your conduct and relations in general, but as for your relationships with other students, it won't be too difficult they're much younger than you, you won't be too popular… So you don't have to worry at all but as for relationship with a female student, do choose an Asian not an Indian one, because the Indians are looking for work all over our region, and they're spread all over Africa and the Middle East while the Asians return home. You must feel much better now I guess.' Vito added with a short laugh.

'Well yes and thanks Vito.'

'You left some one behind didn't you?'

'That's right after some two and a half years of a very close relationship, but I've forgotten her after having landed at Malpensa.'

'That's a good start for your future relationship of that kind and it should be a superficial one, even if it's the same female all along your stay in Milan; a bashful one would be the best choice.'

'Yes that's what I thought too.' Jeremy expressed his complete agreement with his operator's view.

'Well that's our last meeting; you'll see me to the train station.' Vito remarked clearing his throat and watching Jeremy's face. Although they were all alone on the restaurant veranda, he looked around surveying the entire restaurant with the few guests inside the hall and the two waiters behind them, before he drew an envelope from his inner jacket pocket, and pushed it on the table towards Jeremy.

'There're five hundred dollars inside, it should cover the next three weeks of your stay, and the costs of the equipment that you'll have to purchase at the academy or elsewhere.'

'You mean someone else will meet me in two weeks time then?'

'That's right Jeremy, and he'll find the way to get in touch with you.'

@ Haim Kadman 2017 �" all rights reserved.