by Fay Henson
Well I don’t ‘spose they’ll mind, I thought to myself as I took a handful of nuts and crisps from the bowls which were left on the side of the bar, I guessed were there for anyone to take, but I purposely didn’t make eye contact with the bar people in case it wasn’t the thing to do.
I went outside and plonked myself down at one of the two tables and untied my All Stars and took them and my socks off as I needed to check out if I had a blister or not. Just great; a red, sore area was forming which definitely looked like a blister coming to me. I let my feet breath free for a while in the open air.
And also my left arm really ached from having held it outwards and my right shoulder hurt from continuously supporting my bag by the shoulder straps. Even my left thumb felt like it had seized up and didn’t want to bend properly. I couldn’t help myself from worrying because I knew that it was only the start.
Using my left hand, I managed to hold the ice-cold can and lifted the silver ring-pull with my right forefinger. It was really cold and fizzy and I reckon I downed half the can in one go.
The problem was, quite soon after I could feel a belch coming up and arriving at any moment, and then out it came. Very lady-like and how embarrassing. Then I thought about Mum and Dad and how disapproving they’d be if they were here with me.
I dug around in my bag to find my phone amongst all my stuff and the unravelled twenty-euro notes; found it. Both Mum and Dad had tried to call me. Well I hadn’t heard my phone ringing, probably because of the traffic along the road. I’d also received some text messages too which I had better open.
What do you think you’re doing, Caylin?! You should turn round and come back to the hotel right now. If that’s difficult, let me know where you are and I’ll get someone to come and pick you up. I don’t know what’s got into you! Dad
I supposed that text was only to be expected. I opened Mum’s next.
Dear Caylin, I don’t suppose you’d understand how worried we are about you, you’re alone in a country you know little about, and what about the language? Please come back, we can do different things together, we can make it more fun. And PLEASE contact us as soon as poss. We love you very much Mum xxx
That one too.
I decided it was best not to call them because I was sure it’d be really difficult to get a word in edgeways and really, if I was honest, I was afraid they’d talk me into going back or I’d accidently let on where I was exactly, not that I really knew anyway.
Dear Mum and Dad, I know in your opinion it’s wrong what I’m doing, but I’m 17 and perfectly capable of looking after myself. You must stop worrying about me, I’m fine and I’m happy. I want you to enjoy yourselves on the group outings, I’ll write again soon. Love you too Caylin xxx
As I was putting my phone back into my bag, I heard another message arrive, but I chose not to look at it, not then anyway, I really had to get going again because it was already eight fifteen. I put my shoes back on, put my empty drinks can into a bin, and set off again in the direction of Siena with my left arm outstretched, only this time my bag was wedged under my arm hoping it would relieve my right shoulder for a while.
Just a few metres along the path, a big advertising board caught my eye making me stop to look at it. It was a huge colourful poster of what looked like a bareback horse race in Siena and a date of the sixteenth of August. I was feeling excited, I had to go to that event. No, I was going to that event. And seeing that big poster inspired me making me really want to get to Siena and be amongst the living.
My original thoughts were right: yes, the place I had been walking through was a small village. I passed a flower shop, newsagents, bank, and a mini supermarket; all so very quiet and not a person in sight. There were a couple of long side roads with rows of houses and I could see a church. That was it more or less, then I was out of the village and from that point, without a footpath to walk along. I couldn’t wait to reach the city of Siena.
I noticed that there wasn’t so much traffic passing either, not like before. Come on, someone’s got to stop soon, I thought. I carried on walking along the side of the road and every time I heard a car or something coming from behind I stuck out my left thumb but I also had to make sure that I stepped in closer to the side so I didn’t get hit. Why was it so difficult to hitch a lift here? I wondered.
The situation I was in was changing, and I didn’t think for the better. It was getting dusky and every car passing had their headlights on. There weren’t any street lights, of course because I was away from habitation, so all I could see were the occasional outside lights of villas or homes in the distance. Even the insects had traded places with those I’d heard earlier; so many different sounds. But what could I have done? I couldn’t just sit on the side of this road and wait for the morning, I had to keep going.
Ouch, I called out, Ouch that really, really hurt. My poor ankle. I hadn’t seen the stupid drain. I prayed it was only a twist and wasn’t a sprain. I didn’t know why, but I started to laugh, partly because it made my right foot feel all weak and funny, and partly because I couldn’t believe what I’d just done. A total nightmare.
I stepped as gently as I could, trying not to put too much weight on my foot but then I began to have second thoughts; maybe it was best if I stood still, even sat down and hitched. At that rate it felt like I was never going to reach Siena and I started to feel a bit sorry for myself, again.
I wasn’t sure, but I thought I could see a junction up ahead. I decided that I should get as far as there at least before stopping. It seemed to be a good move, there was a bus stop of all things, although I didn’t think I’d seen any buses, and even a low wall where I could sit and rest my ankle. I stuck my thumb out again.
Usual thing; the cars carried on going past me. I wondered what the time was and pulled out my phone, it was just before nine thirty and I was beginning to feel up the creek. There were three missed calls. I was tired, hungry, thirsty, sweaty and had painful places. And I still had to find somewhere to sleep. If I’d known it was going to be that difficult, I don’t know if I would’ve bothered.
But finally and unbelievably a car had stopped just a few metres away and was reversing back towards me with its hazard lights flashing and pulling in next to me. Here goes then, I thought. I could hear some music and some voices. My heart beat hard as I went up to the passenger door. The window was already down and a bloke was sitting with his elbow on the window ledge with a stupid kind of grin on his face. The driver was another bloke who was leaning across to look at me, he was wearing a gold chain which was dangling from his neck and in the back was a girl who was staring at me. I couldn’t see her very clearly; I couldn’t even tell whether her hair was black or brown.
The driver asked me something in Italian, but I hadn’t a clue what it meant.
‘I’m English; you’re going to Siena?’ I said a bit nervously.
‘OK, no problem, come, come,’ the driver said.
All of a sudden, I found myself hesitating. Perhaps I’d forgotten that there weren’t only sweet old ladies driving around in cars. No, three tough-looking Italians had stopped for me and I felt like I couldn’t keep them waiting while I was trying to think of an excuse why I was thinking of not climbing into the car with them. That single moment of hesitation seemed to last forever and I wondered if they could tell. I wasn’t sure which would’ve been the best decision; to stay alone in the dark probably all night, or to get in the car with them. I didn’t think I had much of a choice and was afraid they’d take offence and do something horrible to me if I refused their kind offer.
‘Grazie,’ I managed to trawl up from somewhere whilst I opened the rear passenger door and climbed inside the car next to the girl who I felt was constantly staring at me. Almost immediately we were pulling away not giving me any time to strap myself in as I’ve always been used to. I dropped my bag onto the car floor to keep secure between my feet and fumbled
for the seatbelt; not one of them was wearing one. Stupid idiots, I thought.
I was able to let my eyes wander around the car’s interior, the model of car I hadn’t noticed. The driver with the gold dangly chain had short hair and was wearing a dark T-shirt and I thought what appeared to be long shorts, was joking about something to the bloke next to him in the front passenger seat. He also had short hair and from where I was sitting could only see part of a T-shirt. I was afraid to turn my head to the left towards the girl next to me in case she was still staring at me, but just from the corner of my eye, I was sure she was wearing a pair of jeans with rips in them. That’s all I could make out in the darkness.
The girl leant forward and said something to the driver and subsequently he turned up the radio’s volume although I wouldn’t have said that the foreign music I was hearing was great, but it was better than silence and at least it helped me relax a bit.
Inadvertently, I made eye contact with the driver in the rear-view mirror and I was sure he was smiling at me. Of course, I had to smile politely back at him before turning my attention out through the window next to me.
Next thing, I was taken a bit by surprise because the girl leant forward again saying something to him and at the same time whacking him really hard across his head with her hand. Ha, OK, I understand, I thought, he’s your boyfriend or something. You definitely needn’t worry, he’s all yours. And I made sure I wasn’t going to look at that mirror again, I wanted to get to Siena in one piece.
It looked as though we were driving through the outskirts of a large place which I was hoping would be Siena. I saw a building with large metal shutters over the windows that had a green illuminated sign with a blue flashing cross, maybe it was a pharmacy. Another sign showed that the time was ten twenty-five. I was feeling much more relaxed now that we were away from the dark rolling countryside and now passing brightly lit fuel stations, hotels and shops. It just had to be, I thought.
‘Siena?’ I asked cheerily.
‘Si, Siena,’ the driver answered.
What a relief to hear that. Well, they could have robbed me and left me somewhere way back long ago, but they didn’t and finally I’d arrived. I could feel that smile across my face again.
5
The jealous kind
Captivated was how I felt. We were travelling through long narrow streets, I assumed were one-way as the cars I’d seen were parked facing the direction we were heading. And scooters, I didn’t think I’d ever seen so many and all different types, parked neatly together in lines.
We were passing people who were sitting at tables and still eating outside small restaurants and there were loads of bars with people inside and out and music was playing. I longed to join them. I wound down my window a bit more; the air was really warm with wafts of delicious things coming from the Pizzerias. And best of all, there were groups of people like me; they were strolling around eating ice creams and some were just sitting and mucking around. I wanted to join them too.
We continued along, turning from one narrow street into another, all the streets lined both sides with tall buildings of ancient stone. A lot of these buildings had what looked like garage doors on the ground floor and others with shops, shut for the night. If I looked upwards out of the car window, I could see rows and rows of shuttered windows, and I was wondering what was behind them. And what was it with the flags? In every direction, in every street there were colourful flags attached to the buildings.
I couldn’t wait to get out of the car and I leant forward so that the driver could hear me.
‘Um, grazie,’ I said, ‘OK, here, grazie.’ I hadn’t a clue where they were heading; I wanted to stay near the main part where I’d seen there was life.
‘Where you stay?’, the driver asked me.
‘It’s OK,’ I said, ‘no problem.’ I put up my hand as if I was stopping him.
The girl next to me, who I’d never looked in the face properly, leant forward again and seemed to be demanding answers to her questions from the driver. Oh no, please, I thought. If she didn’t stop that, I was sure he’d crash into a wall or something the rate she was going on and on at him. I really should get out of the car, I thought. I was feeling kind of awkward not understanding the jargon going on between them.
With that, we pulled into a tiny parking area and the driver switched off the engine and we all opened the car doors and climbed out. There were more flags there too. It wasn’t bothering me that I hadn’t anywhere yet to sleep, I was just glad to have finally reached Siena. I picked up my bag and when I turned to say thank you, the girl was already marching up the way we’d come, stopping at a small wooden door along the row of tall buildings on the right. Ah, so this is where you hang out then, I thought. I watched her let herself inside.
‘Come, sleep,’ the driver said.
‘Um, no, really,’ I stuttered my reply.
‘No problem,’ added the other guy.
Well, perhaps they were good Italians, and if they weren’t, they’d already missed a prime opportunity to do me over and abandon me, but they didn’t. At least I’d have a roof over my head tonight, and I could rest my ankle; tomorrow I could go and check out the bed and breakfasts. The only thing that was niggling me slightly was the unfriendliness of the girl.
‘Well, just tonight will be perfect, thank you,’ I said, whether or not he could understand me; I had to say something.
‘Perfetto,’ the driver replied.
Trying very hard not to limp, I followed the two guys up the street, stopping briefly to look at a flag hanging from a lamp. That one had an orange and white pattern with blue around the edge and in the middle was a shield with a unicorn. Fancy, I thought. I went through the door left ajar into a small tiled hallway. There was nowhere else to go except up the stairs to an opened door of an apartment on the first floor.
‘Come, come,’ the driver said.
At the top of the stairs we went through the door that took us straight into a room which had a kitchen and lounge together. My immediate impression, I would have said was very scruffy. I didn’t think anyone ever bothered to put their stuff away. But who was I to criticise, these people were being good to me. I remember once hearing a really cool phrase, never bite the hand that feeds you. Maybe I should have remembered that when I left Mum and Dad behind. I was feeling uneasy thinking about them again and although I was only with them that afternoon, it felt absolutely yonks ago.
The girl was in the kitchen area taking some glasses from a cupboard and it was then that I could see what she looked like. She wasn’t that tall, had longish dark brown (not black) hair and brown eyes and I’d say she was younger than the blokes she was with, probably twenty-two or twenty-three; I guessed they were something like thirty. When our eyes met, she seemed to half-smile at me and so I half-smiled back at her.
I was dying to take my shoes off and I wanted to check out my blister and aching ankle, so I thought it’d be OK if I sat on one of the settees with the least things on it. But before I could sit down, I still had to move a newspaper, a couple of TV commanders, some keys, a plate and some clothes.
I untied the laces and took off my All Stars then peeled off my socks and put my feet flat to the bare cool floor. My ankle was a bit puffy, but I didn’t think it was as bad as I’d expected; maybe after sleeping with it elevated off the floor tonight, it’d be better in the morning. Same for the blister; it should dry overnight. I was trying to be optimistic.
I happened still to be doubled over whilst prodding my ankle, my bum pressed into the settee and my top half pushed onto my knees when the driver came back into the room. He came over to the settee and pushed the stuff out of the way and sat down next to me, where he also studied my ankle.
‘No problem,’ he said and got up off the settee and I watched him go to the kitchen area. I saw him take something out of the fridge’s ice compartment and brought a ba
g of frozen peas over to me.
‘Grazie,’ I said and I adjusted myself to a more comfortable position and raised my leg to rest my puffy ankle on a cushion with the floppy bag of peas resting on top. I didn’t know how long I could put up with the pain of the super cold peas, but I was determined to get the puffiness down.
Oh no, I thought, not again. This time it sounded like the driver was telling the girl off whilst pointing at some glasses of lovely cold beer I could see on the worktop. In fact, I reckoned it might have been because she’d filled three glasses instead of four. I’d already seen the other guy go and take one and then he went back to a room with it off to the left, so the other two glasses remaining must have been intended accidently on purpose for the her and the driver. She was leaving me out and I was feeling awkward because not only I couldn’t speak Italian and say that it really didn’t matter, but also I didn’t want to be the cause of fights between those two. I thought I heard him call her Lula.
I was deliberately looking towards the TV which had been turned on when I sensed someone was approaching me. Of course I turned myself round and right close up to my head was a glass of beer Lula was holding at arm’s length. It wasn’t difficult to see she’d been told to bring it to me; her smile was more like a scowl. Look at that, I thought, she had a simple tattoo on her forearm in the shape of a bracelet with something written like Vico. It could have been a name of a previous boyfriend or maybe it was the driver. Well anyway, even if it wasn’t, I could still think of him as being Vico.
‘Grazie, thanks very much,’ I said to her.
She didn’t say anything; so that was her choice. I watched her go back to the kitchen area to get her glass then she followed Vico to the other settee where she perched herself on the settee’s arm next to him. It was quite sickly watching her really, to see her leaning on him like that with an arm round his shoulder playing with his gold chain and stroking his hair. Well I certainly wasn’t going to be fighting with her over him, so she was wasting her time exaggerating their bond in front of me. I really wasn’t interested.