Disclaimer: This story is entirely fictional and not intended for minors or those judged unable by law to read this material. Any resemblance to actual people is purely coincidental.
The author reserves all rights to this work.
LONDON ROMANCE
PART THREE
PHILIP: EUROPE
The next morning, I awoke to strange sounds. I remembered that I was no longer in Hong Kong. The strange sounds were the birds singing. Where I lived in Hong Kong, all we heard when we woke up were the cars and buses that moved beneath us at street level. I felt rested and I began to look forward to the activities today. Emily would be bringing me to the travel agent to get my tickets.
I got off my bed and stretched. It was a different kind of feeling here. I looked out of the window to see a nice garden. Emily was there planting something. I looked at my watch: it was quarter past eight. It was late. I could hear David and Gwen bid goodbye to their parents. I quickly got out of my bedroom and went towards the bathroom. I could hear Richard speaking to Andrew downstairs. That meant that I wouldn't be holding anyone up when I was in the bathroom.
I came down to the kitchen about twenty minutes later. Richard saw me coming down the stairs and greeted me, "Good morning Philip. I hope you had a good rest."
"Good morning Richard. Thank you, I had a good rest. However, I think I slept a little too much." I noticed that Andrew was no longer around. I presumed that he had gone to school.
"You're supposed to be on holiday. Any way, you probably didn't sleep well in the aeroplane. This rest would do you good."
I smiled. "You're right. I didn't really sleep on the plane. I woke up so many times."
"Well," Emily said. I turned towards the back door where she had just entered. "Why don't you sit down and have breakfast. We've got wheat-bix and bread. Do you want toast?"
"Good morning Emily. Thanks, toast sounds good."
"Good." Emily washed her hands and began to prepare breakfast for me.
"Coffee or tea? We've got both. We usually drink tea but I find that coffee helps me when my gout acts up."
"Oh, I forgot. Has your condition improved?"
"Yes. The medicine does wonders. I just have to remember to look carefully at what I eat. I cannot take beans and nuts but I couldn't help having a second helping of baked beans at lunch yesterday. So, what would you like?"
"I'll have coffee please. That's my usual morning drink."
Richard poured some coffee into my cup. I took a sip and realised that it was not sweetened.
"You'll need sugar ... Here it is."
"Thank you."
The three of us talked as I ate my breakfast. Emily and Richard took extra cups of coffee just to keep me company. After breakfast, Emily said that she would bring me to the travel agent at half past nine. She showed me the room where the television was.
"Watch something on the telly. I'll go and get ready."
"Thanks."
I was channel-surfing. There was nothing really interesting on the telly. I settled on a documentary on the breeding habits of rainbow trout.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Emily called. I switched off the television. "Do you have your passport and your money ready?"
"Yes," I replied, "They are all in my little bag."
"Good. Let's go."
Emily took me grocery shopping after we finished with the travel agent. We went to this very large supermarket. It was a different experience altogether. I was used to narrow aisles and shelves that were heavy laden with cans and packets. Here, the aisles were wide and everything was neatly placed.
We finished our shopping and we got home to cook lunch. I insisted on helping Emily. I explained that I used to help my mother with the cooking. The mention of my mother brought my mood down.
"What's the matter Philip?"
"Nothing. I guess I still feel guilty about leaving home the way I did."
"Do you want to call home?"
"No. I left home because I had an overbearing mother. I love her, it's just that if I stayed at home, I'll be more and more unhappy ..."
"I understand, Philip. Let's change the subject to something happier. Richard had some news last night but he didn't want to tell you this morning because it was still not confirmed."
"What news?"
"Well, don't tell him I told you. A friend of his needed an inventory clerk at a restaurant. He was willing to let you have a go at the job. You'll be on probation for a week. If you do well, he'll make the arrangements for you to work here. Let's see. You'll be away for about 11 days and that means that you'll just have eight days left. You'll have two days to spare because you'll have a day off during your trial."
"That's good news. But it still has to be confirmed right?"
"Well, his friend is the manager of the restaurant. The owner needs to approve on hiring a foreign worker. Richard knows the owner well and I'm sure that everything would work out alright."
"I hope so too."
"Come, let's get finish cooking our lunch."
I made my way through the crowds in the main train terminal of Rome. It was very crowded. I was a little tired. I had spent the entire night on the train. It was a long journey, unlike the previous one from Zurich to Vienna. The train from Zurich to Vienna was just under 10 hours and I had boarded it pretty late. Thus, I was able to get to sleep almost immediately. The others in the sleeping car with me were quiet and I had a good rest.
This time it was just over 14 hours and there were only two boys in the sleeping car with me. They were very talkative. They did not talk very loudly but they were not quiet either. I tried to ignore them but was unable. So I politely asked them in English to keep it down because I was trying to sleep. They quietened down for a while but the volume increased. They were speaking in a language I didn't understand. It was not German nor French. I guessed it was Italian because we were neither heading to nor coming from Spain. I politely asked them to keep it down a second time. Again, the volume decreased significantly but after 20 minutes or so, the volume increased again. I gave up. I didn't want to become rude. I hoped that they would get to sleep soon. I waited as patiently as possible. When they finally became silent, which meant that they were asleep, I managed to drift off to sleep. My rest was interrupted when we were reaching Padua. The boys were alighting there and they got up and started moving their backpacks. I woke up. I was glad to hear them moving out of the car but had barely gone back to sleep when my watch alarm went off. I had to get up because the train was reaching Rome.
Maria had told me to wait for her at the magazine stand next to platforms 2 and 3. I didn't have to wait long; someone spoke to me in highly accented English, "Hi! Good morning! Philip?"
"Yes," I answered this pretty young woman, "Maria, it is nice to finally meet you."
Without warning Maria hugged me and blew a kiss on my left cheek and then on the right. I was momentarily surprised but managed to give her a similar kind of 'kiss' on the right.
"How was your journey?" she asked.
"I suppose it was not too bad," I admitted. I didn't want to sound like a bag full of complaints.
"Good, let me take you to my home first for breakfast and then I'll take you to the Bed and Breakfast."
"OK."
We took the underground and we chatted a little along the way. She taught me some words of Italian but she said that the younger Italians knew some English and would be able to understand me. However, I needed to know some words in Italian just in case I met with older folk in the shops. She said that she was able to bring me around the first day, but couldn't get away from her work. I told her that I'd manage.
"We get off here," she instructed as we exited the underground. She led me up to the ground level and then said, "We'll need to walk a little from here. I was greeted with a winding main road and we walked for just a few minutes before turning into a side street.
We reached the bottom of one of the blocks of flats that were found all around the area.
Maria smiled when she saw me looking a little confused. "In Rome, the buildings around the historical areas have to be painted in earth tones. So you see the buildings in different shades of brown."
She rang a buzzer and spoke some words of Italian and the door buzzed and we were able to enter. We went up a flight of stairs. I found that Maria stayed on the third level. The interior of the flat was not as monotonous as was outside. Maria's family obviously loved bright colours. The wall was a bright cream, and the curtains and cloths that covered the other furniture were brightly coloured. It was certainly an interesting combination. It brightened up the room and it was certainly not gaudy.
"Ah!" I heard a voice from inside the house. "Buongiorno!" an elderly lady called out to me.
"Buongiorno!" I greeted back. I didn't really understand all that Maria said to the lady, but I heard 'mama' and my name. I guessed she was introducing me to her mother.
"This is my mother, Philip," Maria said.
I extended my hand and I remembered what Maria taught me in the underground train. "Piacere."
"Piacere! Benvenuto!" Maria's mother seemed glad that I was able to handle those few words of Italian.
I was ushered to the kitchen area.
"I hope you don't mind eating in here."
"No. I thank you for giving me breakfast."
"Nothing! Niente!" Maria exclaimed. I noticed that the Italians seemed to have a way of speaking as if they are exclaiming all the time.
Breakfast was simple, bread and ham, coffee and a fried egg. Maria brought out a small Italian dictionary for travellers. "You will need that to look up certain words when you go out on your own."
"Grazie."
Maria smiled. "I see that you are trying to get into Italian already. Very good!"
After breakfast, she brought me to the Bed and Breakfast. Actually, she was dating the son of the owner and she said that there was a discount involved. Her boyfriend was at work so I did not have the opportunity to thank him. I thanked his mother though. Signora Martini was a widow and lived with her only son Gianni.
After I left my luggage, Maria brought me to Vatican City. It was a twenty minute bus ride from the Bed and Breakfast. I had my camera handy and she helped me to handle the people selling trinkets around St. Peter's Square. There were chairs and barriers all around the square. I was told that there would be a great celebration the next day at the square with the Pope presiding. I managed to get into the St. Peter's Basilica and was in awe of the statues and carvings in there. She also brought me to the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. After coming out of the Sistine Chapel, I was rubbing my neck. Maria laughed. "I'll need to recommend you a masseur for your neck!"
She took out her cellphone and called her boyfriend. He was joining us for lunch. She led me back to St. Peter's Square and we walked along a very wide road leading to St. Peter's. Maria told me that we were walking towards the 'Tevere River'. It took me a while to realise that she was talking about the River Tiber. We took a bus from a bus stop nearby which brought us across the river into what Maria described as the centre of Rome. We alighted at a place where there were tramcars and the road surrounded a ruin of some sort. Maria told me that it was Largo Argentina. We walked for a while and then Maria told me that that was where we were to wait for her boyfriend.
Soon a man walked up and kissed Maria. She introduced us. I was shocked. Gianni was one of the sexiest men I have seen. Maria was one lucky girl. I smiled and shook his hand, hoping that my eyes did not betray my lust. I was going to be in close quarters to this man tonight!
Gianni proved to be a very nice man. We had lunch at a small restaurant that was next to the Pantheon. The Pantheon was an old structure that was originally a Roman Temple and it is now a church. It had a huge skylight in the roof and it seems that the inside of the building never gets wet even when it rains. I found it hard to believe but I didn't want proof because it would mean the end of a beautiful day.
Gianni had to go back to work and so Maria led me back to Largo Argentina. There we took a bus that, according to Maria, would lead us to the Colosseum. We passed by a magnificent structure which had some soldiers guarding it. Maria told me that the place is Piazza Venezia. She explained that 'piazza' meant 'square'. It was one of the reference points I needed to know in case I got lost and then I would be able to ask for directions more easily.
In the end, she brought me to the Roman ruins as well. Since we had some time left before the rush hour, Maria brought me to the Basilica of St. John Lateran. It was a beautiful building. The ceiling had huge gold pieces as part of its decoration. I began to understand how Martin Luther must have felt when he came to Rome. No wonder the Protestant Reformation occured!
After the day of sight-seeing, Maria handed me a tourist map. She circled certain places that she thought I'd like. She apologised for not being able to take me around the next two days. I told her that it was not her fault, and that with the map, I'd be able to get around. After a stop for a cappuccino, she brought me back to Gianni's place. She said that Gianni would bring me to meet her for dinner.
I reached the room and greeted Signora Martini. Though less than a day in the Italian capital, I was getting used to using short phrases in Italian. I guess that it was because Italian is a little easier to pronounce than the very guttural German that I had to use in Switzerland and Vienna. I took my bath and changed.
I heard Gianni when he came back. I had left the door of my room ajar. He popped his head into my room and asked if I was ready for dinner.
"I'm all ready. Are you?"
"Just a moment. I need a bath."
"Take your time."
Gianni just grinned. He went into his room and I didn't see him till he appeared at my doorway again and said, "I'm all ready. Usually, Italians don't eat until about eight o'clock. But for you, Maria and I will make an exception."
"Thank you."
Gianni was dressed in a very sleek long sleeved T-shirt that was very body hugging. I tried to pretend that I didn't notice and really forced myself not to look at him after two glances. I was sure he was bound to notice. However, he didn't say anything. He grabbed an umbrella.
"Just in case," he said whilst grinning.
Maria was also dressed to kill. I felt a little out of place because I was dressed in a plain shirt and jeans. We went to a square where there were many young people. There were several restaurants there and Gianni led us to one at the corner. Maria had reserved a place and we were escorted into the interior. The interior was really typically Italian: the lights were dim and there were candles lit on the table and in the background was some violin music. Gianni ordered after I said I have no dietary preference. It was a really nice meal. We had to talk a little louder because everyone seemed to be talking loudly in the restaurant. We talked about the day and the pictures that I had taken and the grandeur of the church that we visited. Gianni gave me some suggestions on where to visit the next two days.
After dinner, Gianni told me about the square that we were in. He said it was the Field of Flowers. I didn't see flowers nor any field, but Gianni said that in the mornings, one could still see the few flower stalls that were left. I could imagine that if the square was filled with florists pitching their wares in the open, it would look like a field of flowers. Gianni pointed out the direction of a place that I could visit the next day. It was called Piazza Navona. I began to feel like a third party on a date. Gianni and Maria were side by side with their arms round each other like it was the natural thing to do. I felt out of place. We walked for a while within the square when I decided what I needed to do.
"Maria and Gianni, I had a wonderful time. However, I'm feeling a little tired."
"I'll take you home then," said Gianni.
"No no," I replied. "You two need time together. The night is still young for you but I'm old. I'll get home on my own. I'm sure I'm able to. I'll just take the bus 64 and get to the railway station and then get on the train towards Viterbo and then alight at the next station. Then I walk down to ground level and I'm at Aurelia. From there, I'll be able to find my way, right?"
"Yes! You learn fast. Are you sure Gianni can't take you home?" Maria asked.
"Look young people, you probably don't get to go out like this. Carry on and do what young lovers do. I'll just get in the way. Enjoy yourself and make use of the opportunity this night has given you."
"Thank you, Philip," said Maria. Gianni just grinned.
I bid them farewell and left them to enjoy themselves. I wasn't really tired but I wasn't going to spoil their evening together.
The trip home was uneventful. The train was not really crowded and so I had seats to choose from. I reached 'home' safe and sound and greeted the mistress of the house. She asked me about dinner. It took us a while to get our messages through but I managed to tell her that I had a good time and that Maria and Gianni were still together. I even took the time to explain that I insisted that they continued the night together.
Signora (or Missus) Martini suggested that I watch a bit of television. There was an old movie on. I had seen this movie many times and so the dialogue in Italian did not matter to me much. The movie ended and I continued to watch for a bit. Gianni came home then. He saw me watching TV and he flopped down beside me on the sofa.
"Thank you Philip."
"It was nothing. How do you say it here? ... Niente," I said with a grin.
He grinned. Then, as if he had just remembered something, he asked, "Would you like to have dinner here tomorrow night? Maria would bring some stuff here and she would help my mother to prepare dinner."
"That would be good. Thank you."
"OK. I'll tell my mother and Maria then," he said. Then handing me a card, he said, "Here are Maria's and my telephone numbers."
"Thanks," I replied as I took the card from him.
"Good night, then," he said, getting up.
"I guess I'll turn in also. Good night."
I awoke at about six the next morning. My watch alarm went off next to my ear. I got up and found Signora Martini up and about. I greeted her and went into the toilet to wash up. I did it quickly, not knowing if Gianni had woken up yet. I moved back to my room and changed into my jeans and a polo shirt. When I emerged from my room, I met Gianni. He had just woken up and was in pyjamas and a torn T-shirt that showed his abs. The material was thin and so I could see the outline of his nipples. He was a very sexy man. Almost immediately, I chided myself for thinking lustily at my friend's boyfriend. I knew that thinking didn't mean that I did anything wrong, but I didn't want to spoil a friendship that just started.
He was still rubbing his eyes when I looked up from his chest to his face and greeted him with a grin, "Buongiorno, sleepy head!"
He smiled when he saw me. "Buongiorno! Want some breakfast?"
"Yes!"
He joined me at breakfast with his attire from bed. I sat next to him instead of opposite him. It would give me less temptation to stare. However, once we started talking, the tension seemed to disappear. I chatted with him and found out that he started work at eight on certain days and nine on other days. That day was a nine o'clock workday. I told him that I would plan my itinerary after breakfast. He told me not to hurry because most of the places did not open before nine.
In the morning, I went to the Trevi fountain and then to the Spanish Steps. From there I walked down the street that housed some of Italy's famous fashion houses. I didn't buy anything because the merchandise was really way over my budget. I ended up at Piazza del Popolo. From there I got into Villa Borghese. It was a huge garden with Art Museums. I came out of the gardens and sought a pizzeria and bought myself a piece of pizza and a can of drink. Then I sat at the steps of the monument in Piazza del Popolo and started to eat.
I started to notice the people moving across the square. Many girls walked by. Most of them were pretty. Mature but handsome women also passed the way. There were a few couples with children in tow. Of course, there were the young gentlemen: bearded or shaven, thin and handsome. They had different coloured skin and different coloured hair. There were suddenly so many of them. I began to notice the different noses, the chins, the dimples on the chin and on the cheeks of those who smiled. The way many of them wore their sunglasses or ordinary glasses seemed glamourous to me. I began to realise that all the things I admired were all the things that I lacked.
A group of German youth walked by. I feasted my eyes on their light hair and blue eyes. Many of the other young men that passed by wore tight shirts showing off developed pecs and flat stomachs. Tight jeans showed ample butts and the jeans were filled such that there was a crevice between the two gluteal muscles. I began to get aroused. As I looked, I realised that some of the young men were getting bald. Though they had thinning hair and were more mature, their flat stomachs and amply-filled jeans were still present. I realised that I was also getting a reaction somewhere in my trousers. I forced myself to look at the old women. I turned my eyes to notice the older men who had round and protuding tummies, flat butts and haggard looks. It seemed to work because I lost my erection. Looking at the beer tummies and flat bottoms reminded me of myself. I became depressed.
A whistle from a policeman shook me out of my thoughts. I heard someone mention Piazza Navona. It was the place Gianni had pointed out to me the night before. Not wanting to sink into further depression, I forced myself to look at the map and find out how to get there. I located the bus stop and waited about twenty minutes for the bus, during which I continued my people watching and my depressive thoughts.
I had to walk from the bustop to the square. There were quite many people heading that way. Moving through the street, I was suddenly stopped by a young man. I was immediately attracted to him for he was very good-looking. He asked me for my little finger and, when I offered it, began to twine a set of different coloured threads from my finger. He talked to me in English, asking me how I found my visit. His voice was sweet and definitely sexy. His face had a five o'clock shadow. His eyes were big and dark brown. He didn't look Italian, more Eastern European. I could feel my loins being aroused as he came closer to me as he finished speaking. He wrapped the 'woven' thread around my wrist. When he finished he asked for ten thousand lire. I just took out my money and gave it to him. He smiled a sweet smile, pocketed the money and disappeared into the crowds. I was certainly smitten by the man and it took me a while to realise that I was just conned. I paid more than three pounds for some coloured thread. I looked around but couldn't see him anymore.
I resigned myself to just walking into this square which had three fountains in the middle. It was not as beautiful as the Trevi fountain but had its own special character. Surrounding the fountains were artists selling their wares. There were a few Chinese men using decorative lettering to write names. There was a woman who was able to paint beautiful paintings within minutes using a palette knife. There were those who were selling water-coloured pieces and pen sketches. I sat on one of the benches in the square. I had a mixture of emotions in me. I was feeling lonely, inferior, angry for being conned, sad and most of all lost.
I had read in the net that a survey in Rome found out that one in every ten Roman men are gay. I looked into the square and saw many people. I could easily find fifty Italian men here. The rest were tourists. I wondered if there were five gay men in the lot. I looked at my watch, it was already four. I remembered that I'd promise to be back for dinner.
The next day, I had to be at the train station at seven in the evening to catch the train to Paris. I spent the morning going to the Basilica of St. Mary Major and a few other churches. Then after having my lunch in a Chinese restaurant, I took a walk towards the nearest underground station. I suddenly saw a shop with the rainbow flag hanging outside. I recognised the six coloured flag as that of the gay movement. However, it was closed. I was curious as to what I may be able to find inside, but when I went closer to look at the shop's opening times, I found out that it would only be open at four. I made some calculations in my head and realised that I couldn't wait. I would miss my train if I'd waited. With a sigh I walked towards the underground. I had lost my interest to see any more of the Italian sights. All I knew was that I had to follow my schedule and get to the train station on time.
to be continued