Begging and borrowing- reflections of a trip through ITALY

An article by the Virginian Pilot's Kerry Dougherty reminded me of a trip through Italy with my college friend Nicole.

While in college at Radford University in late 80's early 90's- I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to study abroad. One semester was spent in England at Middlesex Polytechnic. Usually every weekend a group of students would head to different locations - Amsterdam- if memory serves me- was probably our first weekend trip. We also visited Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.

After the December semester was over and exams were finished three of us decided to go to Italy for a few days. Danielle, Nicole and I were very excited. Danielle was interested to learn more about fashion, Nicole (the spitting image of a young Liza Minelli) wanted to discover her Italian roots and I was just going along for the ride cultural educational experience... We left London and we headed to Rome, Florence and Venice.

Nicole, for some reason, had run out of money and I was basically bankrolling both of us. At each location Nicole would have to find a phone booth to call her dad to have money wired to Italy- that in and of itself was a nightmare because we didn't really have a day to day plan on where we would be. Lo and behold, the money never materialized. Frustrating for me- but I am a nice friend, and she did pay me back, so no one suffered any broken kneecaps.

At the phone station in Venice, Danielle and I patiently waited while Nicole, once again, had to phone home. I remember that this was a different phone station than the others we had visited- I remember that Nicole had paid before she made the call. This was way before the Euro, so she used my Lire.

Nicole finishes her call and we attempt to leave the phone station. Not so fast... the lovely Italians behind the counter started yelling at us. I think what they were trying to convey is that Nicole... owed more money- Capisce? Well for some reason none of us could understand- probably because we were being yelled at in Italian, and we thought she had paid. I tried to ask what was going on- but the donna simpatico told me in English to SHUT MY MOUTH... so I did. They couldn't believe that Nicole didn't have any money- as she was dripping in gold, Gucciand a funded by Michelle, new Italian leather jacket- but she really didn't - I had the money- Mama Mia-how to explain that? The carabinieri were called and Nicole didn't have her passport on her- so Danielle and I were told to go get her passport while she was taken to the police station by the hunky cops. Fantastico- Danielle and I were not happy campers- it was freezing cold and we wanted a hot beverage and we had to traipse all the way back to the pensione to get Nicole's passport. When we arrive at the police station we find bella Nicole is chummy with the handsome cops and drinking warm beverages... Danielle and I debated on leaving her- we were so mad!

At any rate, there is a moral to this story- when you are traveling and have to use a phone to beg for money, leave the Gucci and the gold and the leather at home!

LA VITA e BELLA in Italia and here in Hampton Roads! If you want to know more about the Hampton Roads market CALL ME, you don't have to use a pay phone!