Heading Home from Cefalu

No response from any farmers yet.

After class today Ilona, a fellow classmate and I spent the afternoon in Cefalu. Ilona comes to Sicily every year for at least a week. She is one of several Northern European women who gather for an annual mediterranean adventure.

We started off with going to bar with my name, ate a terrific sandwich with Tuma, red onion, sweet like sugar on a ciabatta and lemon granita. This was going to be a lovely day. We took a walking tour with a teacher from the School there, and it seemed a lot more cosmopolitan, I imagine easier to get things done than I am finding in Aspra. I enjoyed Cefalu' - it is the only town I have seen so far that has a nice beach. Sand, lots of restaurants near the beach and lots of tourists, tons of tourists. But clearly Tourist expensive too. It has gotten me thinking though, of going there for more school if I have not heard from any farmers by the end of this week. The town is more vibrant and more tourist friendly than Bagheria. Plus it is a lot bigger with lots of places to write. I am frustrated here at the Aspra school. It feels slow and kind of dead. Cefalu felt vibrant and more vital. If I have to wait to complete my wwoof arrangements I might as well do it in Cefalu.

We headed back to Bagheria on the train around 10pm. Of course we ate gelato, of course it was
delicious, of course our conversation became animated, of course a nice dollop landed on my nice white shirt. Sometimes I think I should carry an identification label: Gelato welcome here. Yikes.

The train was late of course. Ilona was a bit nervous about how we would get to her place from the station. I thought there might be a taxi we could find and told her so. I didn't know what I was thinking, I had no idea about the cabs in Bagheria. When we arrived she was tense and I had to think fast. Luckily I saw the store that Malin had taken me to when I met her friend Gaetano. It was still open, in fact just closing up. So I passed through the door beads and attempted to communicate

It was bad. Ilona's Italian was probably better than mine, but I had met Gaetano and she was nervous to talk to a stranger. There was no choice, I had to do the charade gymnastics.

At first Gaetano did not recognize me, (new haircut on Friday). Finally we understood there were no buses, no taxis, nothing at this hour. Gaetano offered to drive us to the house. This was our only option. I wasn't nervous, I figured Gaetano's desire for my housemate was our insurance that we would be brought to my place in one piece... So we got in the car with Gaetano and his well groomed friend with a bit of belly who had been checking us out.

I dropped the guys off with my housemate and escorted Ilona home. My bike was at her place, so even though it was late, I would ride home quickly.

Gaetano's friend said something after I let them inside the gate. I didn't catch it at first but luckily we reviewed the future tense in school that morning and it registered, so I answered yes when asked if I was coming back. It was strange, this brief conversation, "Ritornerai?" (are you coming back?) "Si, ritornero' " (yes, I am coming back).

I am too old to make something out of nothing, and don't know why I mention this, but it kind of felt like an appointment. Maybe it was. It kind of felt that way.

When I returned the little gathering was underway and I had resigned myself to sitting at the table and participating in the conversation for as long as it interested me assuming I could even participate. I had some feeling of conviviality for Malin, and decided to be a good sport and hang out with them a bit. Gelato-stained shirt and all.

Taking my seat between these men the conversation continued, difficultly for me, and perhaps
comically and frustratingly for them. I learn the friend is a butcher. And once they learn I am a chef, the conversation turns into a menu.

It was fun. I watched these two men talk themselves into making us a 6 course meal, talk themselves out of it and finally decide a restaurant is a better idea and when shall we go out?

So, I have a date on Wednesday. A double date with a Swedish blond, a rice frying guy and a butcher.

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