Shawn Assignment # 6

What do I want from Italy? Do I want a thing? Do I want tangible, solid, evidence that I was here? Memories fade, and I’ve never kept a journal. How will I know I was here…
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To the Suburbs of Naples I Boldly Go…

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…I need to find a taxi. Right. Now. It is too hot and I must look like an idiot walking up and down this street. What am I thinking? This place is tiny. I barely saw any taxis in Naples, so why would there be one here? Maybe they just look different here. I should have waited next to the empty taxi. But I found it so quickly I thought there would be another. And then I was only gone for five minutes...

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Everything was going so well. I took the train fine. Got off at the right stop. Of course it was the last stop. I even asked for help to make sure I wouldn't miss the stop. I'm sooo close. Just one more step and I'm there.

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I am just going to pretend like nothing is wrong. I will not ask for help, I will walk like I have a purpose. I'll go....this way. Yeah. This way. I hate the noise my bag makes, but it's better than wearing it like a backpack. People, teenagers. Ugg. Smile like you're not lost. Oh look, a child and her mother. They look safe. "Parlo Inglese?" She doesn't.

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It's pretty here, at least. I can see the ocean. I think I'll miss that in Rome. I will never be able to live somewhere without being near some large body of water.

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Enough. I just have to swallow my pride and go back to the station. I'll ask for help there. I'm gonna have to walk past all those people anyway. I can't keep walking in what I strongly suspect to be the wrong direction. Now I go uphill.

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"Parlo Inglese?"

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"No." He wants me to follow him. Oh, this other guy speaks English. "How do I get a taxi?"

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"Where are you trying to go?"

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"Here." I show him the address of Erica's house because I know I butcher the pronunciation and it's just quicker this way.

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"Oh, you can take the bus." Feelings of resignation. A taxi would be so easy...if they were here.

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"Here, you can buy a ticket here, and I will walk you to the stop, it's just in front."

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"Thanks."

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How will I know if it's the right bus? He didn't actually say the number. Look, a woman. She's waiting at the same stop. I'll ask her. "Will this bus take me to (point at piece of paper)?"

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"No. I will tell you."

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"Thanks."

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Oh, here's another bus. She's nodding at me to get on. She smiles. Ok, here goes. I should call Gianmarco, tell him the change in plans. "Hey, it's me. I couldn't find a taxi so I'm taking the bus. The guys at the train station says it goes right to your neighborhood."

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"Ok. Get off right after you see a bread factory."

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The driver isn't even announcing the stops. How am I going to know when to get off. I don't have any sort of distance or time reference. Look for the bread factory. Bread. Right. Um, I feel like it's been too long. This is a highway. What am I going to do? Uh oh. I need to ask someone. What? Is he talking to me? Yes. He's asking...oh, he's asking where I'm going. I'll show him.

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"You've gone too far. I will help you. We will get off at the next stop and I will show you the bus back."

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"Oh, thank you, but you don't have to do that. If you can give me directions, I'll just--"

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"No. It is fine. I will go with you."

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He keeps insisting, and to be honest I will probably get lost again. But I'm still worried. I hope it works out. I should call Gianmarco again. He's laughing. Fine. Oh no. My batteries are almost dead.

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"Gianmarco, I need to go. My phone is almost dead and I may need to call you again."

Okay, we are getting off the bus. No, I'll carry my bag...Or you can. It's too heavy to run away with, and I want to trust him. He's hard to understand.

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"Where are you from?"

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"Nigeria. I came to Italy a few years ago. I learn English to go to the US someday."

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This is awkward. I really can barely understand him. This looks like a bus stop. Ok, now I can thank him and sit down to wait. There's another woman waiting for the bus. She says she is going to the same place as me. Her English is good. She says she is from Sweden and she came here to study Italian.

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He's not leaving.

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"I stay with you until the bus comes."

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"You really don't have to. You've already done so much. Thank you."

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"No, no. It's okay. I do this for you, and you do this for someone else. God will reward me."

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God? He's talked a lot about God so far. I smile and nod a lot at what he is saying. Did he say that Africans are ignorant? Yes he is. He believes only through the true God can they grow. And that white people are so much more advanced because of God. Does he really believe this? He seems to. Whoa, what did he just ask?

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"Your number, so I can call you to tell you when I get to the United States?"

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Smile and nod and pretend to misunderstand. "What? I'm not sure what you said." He repeats again, and I smile and nod and hope he thinks that I am pretending to misunderstand.

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"Are you understanding me?"

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"I think so."

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He looks a little miffed. Now I just want him to leave. He really has been nice, and I feel guilty but this should be the end. I'm ready to go. But I think the bus should come soon; it's been awhile. Oh, the bus should have come twenty minutes ago.

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The bus isn't coming. We didn't miss it, it's just not coming. It's gonna be two more hours before it comes. I'll call Gianmarco again.

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"I think it will just be easier if we come pick you up."

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You have a car...seriously. I was led to believe you didn't. Why didn't you mention this earlier?!?

"Yeah, I think that would be best. I'll go stand on the main road." Now I have to explain.

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"Thank you so much for all your help, but my friend is coming to pick me up, so I better go stand somewhere where he can see me." He walks with me to the main road, where he leaves to continue where he was going. He seems to be in a good mood. I watch him go and am glad he is gone. He was nice but...

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It's almost over. My phone is ringing. "Hello?"

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"Where are you exactly? Could you give me some landmarks and/or street names?"

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"I don't see any road signs, but I'm by this hotel." I give him the name.

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"I don't know where that is. Anything else?"

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My batteries are realllly low. "Hold on, I'll call you back." I need to find the cross section. I don't see any people around...There's someone. He doesn't speak English either. Maybe if I gesture enough he'll understand. Oh well, at least I've made a complete fool of myself for the 10th time today. Gianmarco's calling again.

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"We see you. We're pulling over."

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Thank God.

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Oh, the car is Davide's, Erica's neighbor. Nice of him to come and get me. Who's the other girl? It's not Erica's friend Flavia because I've seen pictures. Gianmarco tells me this is the road where the prostitutes hang out. Wonderful. At least it's broad daylight.

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"You are waaay far away from the right stop." Thanks Gianmarco.

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They live in a gated community. Up a big hill. Davide drops us off in front of a house. Gianmarco and I walk inside and a little old woman greets us. She doesn't speak any English and I don't speak Italian. We smile a lot and rely on Gianmarco, who says she made us lunch.

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"Grazie." I'm starving. She shows me upstairs to the room I will be staying in. It's an office. I spot a picture of Erica as a baby. Back downstairs. Food.

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A giant plate of pasta with white sauce later, and I get up because I think we're done.

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Gianmarco laughs. "We're not done yet. That was just the first course. There's still a ways to go."

I shouldn't of eaten so much pasta. Looks like some stereotypes are true. Oh well, I'm game.

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