He followed the arrow and came to the building it indicated, just as the tour group was coming out.
"Where the hell ya run off to?" came Myrna's abrasive voice. Before he could answer, she went on. "Ya missed the grape juice. No big deal. Stuff weren't that good. They tried to pass off some stuff on us that was five years old. Come on, we're gonna go on a hayride out where they grow the grapes. Huh! They expect ya to pay good money for five-year old wine. Probably stale," she added, turning away.
Following mechanically, Karl walked with the crowd to the tractor-pulled wagon and a tour of the vineyards.
* * * *
The bus rumbled its way along the darkened two-lane highway. Karl stared vacantly out the tinted window. Myrna snoozed beside him, her head wobbling back and forth against the headrest. The second day of the tour was over. Somehow Karl had gotten through the tour of Pisa and the famous tower. They had eaten at a lovely outdoor restaurant. Myrna finally got her long awaited authentic "Eyetalian" pizza. She was thrilled. Karl was tempted to point out that the menu had said, American style, but decided against it.
They were approaching Florence. The sixty-mile trip from Pisa seemed to have taken forever. Karl was anxious to get back to the hotel. He hoped to find Tonio there or at least hear that the statue had returned. The thought of the latter made him feel sad and empty. He'd fought sleep for the entire trip so far, but the rhythmic sway of the bus and the lateness of the hour finally took their toll, and he succumbed.
"Wake up you two!"
Karl felt himself being shaken awake.
"Save it for the hotel room," Myrna's strident laugh punctuated her words.
Karl opened his eyes to find Tonio curled up in his arms, his head resting on his shoulder.
"Tonio, you're here!" Karl said in a startled voice.
"Well, a course he's here. Where'd ya s'pect 'im ta be?" Myrna said sarcastically.
Looking at Tonio, she added, "Ya shore had a good ole time at that leanin' tower, but we sure weren't gonna leave ya there." She focused on Karl. "That boy would have climbed that thing a hunerd times if they'd let him."
Tonio sat up. The two men turned and looked at each other in bewilderment.
Myrna got up and walked down the bus's aisle.
"Do you remember climbing the tower?"
"Not since I was a boy...not today."
* * * *
Karl closed the door of his room behind them. He turned and looked at Tonio, who stood a few feet away. Then, as if on signal, they crossed the space between them, clinging to each other and covering each other with kisses.
"Tonio, what happened to you? Where'd you go? You were next to me one minute and gone the next." Karl had had to hold on to these questions until they were alone. Now they broke loose, like a damn bursting.
"I do not know. I was looking out the window, the man in the front..."
"Giorgio."
"Si, Giorgio. He was saying something about leaving the city. The next thing I remember is it was dark and Myrna was waking us up."
"That's the way I remember it, too," said Karl as he broke their embrace and walked to the bed and sat down. "Only I went through the whole day not knowing where you were."
Tonio joined him. The two sat for a long time, pondering the mystery of the previous twenty-four hours.
Karl turned to the young man, "I thought I'd lost you."
Tonio raised his hand and stroked Karl's cheek, which had a lone tear trickling down one side.
He leaned toward him and kissed him long and hard. "I am here now," he said.
"Let us not worry about this anymore tonight. Let us just be happy we are now here, together."
Standing in front of Karl, Tonio slowly disrobed. When he was completely naked, he stepped close to him and pressed Karl's head against the firm, flat abdomen. Karl kissed Tonio's flesh. Tonio took Karl's head in both hands. He directed his fully erect, dripping penis toward Karl's mouth. Karl looked up into his lover's face, smiled and kissed the tip. He then slowly took more and more of the magnificent organ into his mouth, until his nose pushed into the lush tangle of pubic hair. Tonio moaned his pleasure. A slow rhythm was begun. Karl couldn't get enough of the taste, smell and feel of his first oral contact with a man. Tonio moaned more deeply, increased the speed of his thrusts and then froze, clutching the sides of Karl's head, forcing himself deep into his throat. Karl could feel the warm fluid coursing into him. He swallowed over and over. He wanted more and more.
Tonio crumpled on top of Karl, forcing him to lie back on the bed. Then slowly he crawled up Karl's body, until their faces were even. He kissed him.
"We never know what might happen tomorrow," he said tenderly. "Li voglio fare l'amore me. I want you to make love to me."
"But I never..."
"Shhh, I will show you."
Using his saliva, remnants of his semen and Karl's pre-cum, he reached back and lubricated Karl's raging erection. Karl almost climaxed from the contact. Then slowly, straddling Karl's hips, Tonio lowered himself onto the rigid organ. Karl closed his eyes. He took hold of Tonio's muscular thighs. He arched himself off the bed and completed the coupling. Even in his wildest fantasies Karl hadn't ever dreamed uniting with another man would feel like this.
Opening his eyes, Karl looked up into the face of his lover. "I love you," he whispered.
Tonio nodded. He began a rocking motion. Karl didn't last long. The intensity of emotion, the sensation of the velvet smoothness inside Tonio and Karl's need, were too great. He felt his testicles contract, his penis swell. He held his breath and was carried away with the physical and emotional waves of pleasure that swept his body.
Spent, he pulled Tonio down on him. They kissed. That was how the morning wake up call found them: still united, very much in love.
* * * *
Tonio reached for the phone. "Buon giorno...Buon giorno," Antonio repeated.
"Tonio, turn the phone around. You have it upside down," Karl laughed.
"Oh, sorry. Buon giorno," he said again after righting the receiver.
"Buon giorno," Karl could just hear the voice on the other end of the call. "Ciò è voi sveglia la chiamata. Il vostro giro va per Venezia a dieci in punto."
As usual, unless it was Tonio speaking to him, Karl couldn't understand the Italian.
Karl saw him nod. "Grazie. Arrivederci."
Tonio hung up the phone, and stretched out again on top of the older man. The action caused Karl to slip from the confines of his lover's body. He sighed at the feeling of loss.
"Who was that?"
"The man that wakes us up. He says to be ready to go to Venice by ten o'clock."
Karl looked at the bedside clock: 7:01 A.M. He wrapped his arms around his lover. "I don't want to go to Venice. I'm afraid that if we do, you'll disappear again. We're not coming back this time. The tour goes from Venice to Rome." He buried his face in Tonio's luxurious black curls.
Tonio rose up, kissed Karl, and rolled to one side, lying to face him. He stroked Karl's chest lightly. "What will we do?"
"I'm not sure, but we have to figure out what happens when you try to leave Florence."
Tonio nodded.
The men got out of bed and proceeded to the bathroom, where they showered, making sure they communicated their pleasure to one another. Once more, Tonio watched fascinated as Karl shaved.
Since the tour was checking out of the hotel, Karl called the front desk to see if they could remain behind. He was told there were no rooms, they would have to check out. With that news, they proceeded to get their things ready to leave.
Room service arrived with their breakfast like the day before. As they ate, Karl began to plan out loud.
"We'll catch a cab and take a trip out of the city to see what happens. If you don't disappear, maybe we could join the tour in Venice and plan from there."
In his mind, Karl hoped that if all went well, Tonio would be able to complete the tour, and since the tour people thought he was part of t
he group, return home with him at the end of the week. This, of course, seemed highly implausible, but in light of what had transpired thus far, not impossible.
"If you can't leave the city, we'll find out where we can stay for a few days. Then we can decide what to do."
Down in the lobby, the tour group was assembling at the front doors. Myrna was waiting for them.
"They tell me this Venice place has canals for streets and ya get around in boats," she said with a degree of skepticism.
"That's true," said Karl. Before she could comment further, he continued, "Look, Myrna, Antonio and I have decided we...uh, want to see a little more of Florence. So, we're gonna stay behind and...uh, catch up with the tour tomorrow."
"Whad'ya wanna do that fer? This place's just a buncha old buildin's and museums. That there Venice sounds like it'd be more fun with boats and all."
"Yes, well, I'm sure you'd like that a lot, but, well, we'd rather see more of the art work and...and ...stuff," he finished lamely.
"Suit yerself," she replied shrugging her shoulders. "See ya when ya get there."
She left for the bus.
Just then, the bellmen began to load the travel bags on the trolleys to be taken to the bus. Karl held on to his. He began to search for Giorgio and the tour director. He found them near the front desk as they were completing check out arrangements. He and Tonio walked up to them.
"Excuse me," Karl began.
The men turned and smiled at him. "Boun giorno," they said together.
"Boun giorno," Karl responded. "Antonio and I have decided we'd like to spend more time here in Florence. Ah...we'll catch up with you tomorrow...if that's all right?"
The tour director looked surprised. He made sure Karl understood they were on their own once the tour left and that there would be no refund for the unused room in Venice. When Karl assured him he was clear on those points, they said goodbye and parted company.
"Now to find a cab," said Karl with a weak smile at his friend. Tonio took a deep breath and nodded.
They made their way to the taxi stand outside the hotel under the portico. The first two cabbies they tried did not speak English. Tonio could have spoken with them, of course, but Karl needed to be able to communicate as well...just in case. If Tonio was not addressing him, he couldn't understand Italian.
"Excuse me. Do you speak English?" Karl inquired of the third driver.
"Si, Signore. Yes, I do," said the smiling older man. "Where can I take you?"
Karl explained they wanted to drive outside the city limits of Florence, and that they would like to be informed when they approached the boundary. After they left the city Karl would give more instructions. The driver looked a bit puzzled but agreed.
Then Karl asked, "How many of us are here in the cab?"
"How many are in the cab?" the driver asked back.
"Yes, beside you, how many are here?"
Karl felt silly asking this question, but he needed to be clear on this point.
"Ah...two?" the man answered as if he thought this was a trick question. "You and your young friend." He smiled at Tonio.
"Good," said Karl. "Grazie. Now we can go."
The cab pulled out into the busy morning traffic. As they made their way through the city, the driver looked into his rear view mirror and said to Tonio, "Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"
"That is possible," Tonio said with a wink at Karl, who smiled nervously. "I have been in Florence a long time."
The driver nodded and his eyes returned to the road.
Karl held Tonio's hand on the seat between them. He could feel his heart beating faster as the ride continued.
After fifteen minutes, the driver said, "Scuza, we are almost out of the city. Two more streets and we will reach...ah... i limiti di città."
"The city limits," Karl offered.
"Si, the city limits."
"Could you slow down as we leave the city, please?"
"Si," the driver responded.
The cab slowed in the next block. Karl turned to Tonio. He took both hands in his.
The two men stared intently at each other.
"This is where Florence ends," came the driver's voice.
As the cab crossed a busy street, Karl stifled a gasp as Tonio faded from his view, rather like a movie scene fading to black.
"Stop!" he said in a low whisper.
"Signore?" the driver asked.
"Stop, stop here."
The cabbie pulled the cab to the curb, turned and looked questioningly at Karl.
Alone in the back seat, Karl asked the driver, "Who do you see here?"
"Signore?"
"Who do you see here on the seat? How many are here?" Karl asked forcing himself to stay calm.
"Just you, Signore," said the man, looking at Karl quizzically.
"Was anyone with me when you picked me up at the hotel?"
"No, signore, just you." The driver gave Karl a questioning look, raising an eyebrow.
Karl sighed. "Thank you. Please, take us...ah...me back into the city."
The driver turned the cab around and proceeded to cross the road once more.
Karl held his breath. As they passed back into Florence, Tonio materialized again. Karl let out a sigh.
"Tonio," he said aloud and threw his arms around the young man. "Tonio, you're back."
Karl caught the driver looking at them in the rear view mirror. He was smiling.
Karl broke the embrace and turned to the driver. "Can you see him now?"
"Of course," said the cabbie. He looked puzzled again.
Karl smiled.
* * * *
Karl and Tonio stood outside the building where the cabbie had dropped them.
Requesting he take them to a cheap hotel, The Colorado was the suggestion given.
"I hope he's right about not judging this place by the entry," Karl sighed.
Tonio shrugged and looked at the shabby and narrow entryway. They picked up the luggage and proceeded to enter the building. The driver had been correct. Once inside they found the simple, but pleasant, lobby. The friendly attendant, after informing them that breakfast was included and served in the adjoining breakfast room, gave them their key.
There was no elevator. They walked up to the second floor. They entered the room and placed the luggage on the rack. The room was pleasant and bright. There was a large queen sized bed sporting a lively floral print spread and an ornate scrolled headboard. A small wardrobe stood next to a writing desk upon which was a vase of fresh flowers.
Karl took Tonio by the hand and led him to the window. They stood with arms around each other, staring out at the city.
"You can't leave Florence," Karl said with a deep sadness.
Tonio shook his head. "What are we to do?"
Karl didn't answer. He took the man he loved in his arms and, laying his head on his chest, shed a tear.
* * * *
That afternoon, they left the hotel and walked around the area. The Colorado was located in the heart of the museum district. Karl held his breath as they rounded a corner and stood in front of La Galleria Dell'Accademia, the home of the David. A sign outside read: Aprir oggi, To Open Today. Apparently the Galleria had been closed for several days following the disappearance of the statue. Now it was open again. Karl looked at Tonio who managed a wan smile.
They ate lunch at a sidewalk bistro.
"Do you have any ideas?" Tonio inquired hopefully.
Taking a deep breath, Karl smiled and said, "Well, I've been thinking ever since this morning when we returned to the city."
"And..." Tonio urged.
"Well," Karl began. "First, we know you can't leave."
The young man nodded.
"So I could stay here."
Tonio brightened.
Karl continued, "The brochure on our tour said there was The International School of Florence. I could call to see if there is a chance of my getting on the faculty."
"You would
do that for me?"
Reaching across the table and taking his lover's hands in his, he replied, "I've waited all my life for you. I would do anything not to lose you now."
Having voiced a plan that could keep them together, the men strolled the streets of Florence arm in arm. Karl was happier than he had ever been in his life. He was with a man of his dreams and openly proclaiming his love for him.
They returned to the hotel mid-afternoon. Karl stopped at the desk and asked for a telephone directory to look up the phone number of the school. Having procured that much needed piece of information, they proceeded to climb the stairs to their room.
Once inside, Karl sat on the bed. He looked at the phone and took a deep breath.
Tonio lay on his stomach, his chin propped in his hands, his legs flexed, crossed at the ankles. He nodded encouragingly.
Karl picked up the phone and dialed the number. The phone rang three times. A recorded message began: "Ciao, avete raggiunto la Scuola Internazionale di Firenze."
This greeting was followed by a list of options: "Per la pressa italiana una, Para la prensa dos del español, For English, press three."
Karl pressed three and was greeted by another recorded message.
"Thank you for calling The International School of Florence. Please listen carefully and choose from our option list. For general information, press one. For enrollment information, press two. For employment information, press three."
Karl pressed three, again. After two rings he got an answer.
"Thank you for calling. How may I help you?"
Karl indicated he was interested in teaching at the school and was told that at present there were no openings. There was a waiting list for teachers in the English school, but they would be happy to send him an application which, when completed, would be kept on file.
Karl thanked the person and hung up. He turned to Tonio.
"No luck. They aren't hiring teachers right now."
Karl sat with his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.
Tonio sat up, swung his legs off the side of the bed and sat next to Karl. He gently put one arm around his shoulders, the other on his thigh. He gave him a squeeze.
Karl's Italian Adventure Page 4