From Rimini to Roma

no show tonight

woke up in rimini
to an absolutely perfect day
met everyone at breakfast
and enjoyed aloe vera yogurt

while waiting to depart for roma
a woman was returning from the beach
(it was a perfect beach day)
she was on her bicycle
one not unlike the one i have-
an old english style 3-speed
with a basket

she was maybe 65 but was very youthful
and very lovely
i thought that she might actually be hitting
on parker – just a little

she asked us if we had played last night-
they must put all the musicians up
at the same hotel
either that or we read so clearly as musicians
that she just knew-
but the point is
that she said she was sorry to have
missed the show
and hoped that we would return
so that she could hear us play

now let me just say
that this would NEVER HAPPEN in the USA
people over 50 do not go to see music
unless it’s paul simon
or possibly wynton marsalis if they are very hip

she lamented that we would not be able to
visit the beach and with that thought,
i lamented as well
i wish we could have gone with her
i know we would have found some fun

then the 4 1/2 hours to roma
through gorgeous mountains
and little towns tucked into the hills
stone barns and rows of sunflowers
just starting to bloom

i need to add
that the espresso at the rest stops
is as good as the best espresso
in the most shi-shi coffee spots in brooklyn

i’ve always wondered how it happens
is it the water?
the coffee?
the espresso machine itself?
the fact that italian is spoken
while making the café?
i have given up guessing at this point
and just chock it up to
some kind of italino-magic

arriving in roma is always something
the way the driving gets more and more
reckless and stop signs become more of
a second thought rather than an actual rule

i always think i’ll see millions of crushed humans
with their scooters wrapped around them like
tree roots around a fence
but i never do
if anyone can explain THIS to me,
i welcome the insight

we walk to a restaurant
that we had eaten at previously
and proceed to eat as if it were our last meal
the most astounding dish of the night
was homemade ricotta in a flattened dome
covered with acacia honey and pistachios
oh man was it delightful
it was a starter but could have been dessert

one of my favorite things to do in italy
is people watch
i saw some incredible specimens as we
enjoyed our meal
in the perfect night air

first one was a little fox trotting down the street with a half shirt
a tight half shirt and shorts that hardly covered anything
and wedges
it was as if she were wearing a bathing suit on the street
fully tanned and bouncy
just astounding

and then
there was an enormous woman who easily could have been
in the valley of the dolls
(a film that made me feel delicate, wallflower-ish even)
she had gigantic fake breasts
black hair with severe straight across fringe à la Tura Satana
diamond encrusted eyeglasses
like FULLY encrusted-
the whole frame sparkling in the street lights
full make up
all in black walking with very good posture as if her
titties would topple her over if she strayed at all to one side

if i were in NYC
i would guess that she had been born a man
but i’m not in NYC
so i don’t guess
i just assume she’s a woman
what i definitely do know is that she is an amazon goddess
an über-woman, turbocharged and glossy
and i could not have concocted her myself
if i tried

women are AMAZING everywhere
but in italy somehow they are EVEN MORE amazing

thank you
and good night