Italy's Finest

From reading the title I could probably guess that you're thinking this story is going to be about a tall, sleek and sexy Italian stallion of which I met while traveling abroad. Or maybe you presume this nonfictional tale will be about the immaculate, mouth watering cuisine that is authentic Roman cooking. It is not, but please take a few minutes to fantasize about the hot and passionate encounter you thought this was going to be about. I'll wait --

Done?

Perfect. Moving on.

Their names, Richard and Katherine; they are the cute old couple I came across whilst gearing up to eat the best meal of my life (the BEST). Richard was a tall white man from one of the less important middle states we all forget about and he wore glasses and spoke with intelligence. Katherine was a short South African woman with brunette hair and an accident none of us could quite place. Rome was the city and Le Menza en Pasta was the restaurant. Situated down a snug alleyway, my Pops, sister and I found this place via recommendation from two Scandinavian girls we met earlier in the week. Seeing as this was our last night in Italy we wanted to experience the best of Italy and we most certainly did. Aside from the food, what made this night special were Richard and Katherine. The restaurant was rather small which made getting to know your neighbor pretty much mandatory.

I could sit here and tell you about the compelling four hours worth of conversation we shared but let's be real you don't really want to hear such shenanigans, nor does typing it interest me in any shape or form. Instead picture you're in a movie theater watching a preview that fades in and out of the good parts making you yearn for more only for it to say SUMMER 2018 at the end'" this is how the rest of the story will go.

We talked.

We laughed.

They bought us a luscious bottle of red wine.

We drank. And then drank some more.

Katherine queried about my past, present and future so I shared with her how I got to London and future decisions that I will soon need to make regarding my life.

"Oh what a lovely predicament in which to find yourself," Katherine sang gleefully in what sounded to be a Victorian British accent '" only she wasn't British (again, can't quite place the accent).

However the best part of the night was simply watching the two of them together interacting. Richard impressed by speaking of his football glory days only to be deflated by Katherine questioning his skill due to his "chicken legs'"" true love.

They shared with us a multitude of stories about their travels and how they came to settle in Italy. A Tuscan chateaux situated on top of rolling green hills is their place of residence and experiencing the world is their livelihood.

I will never see the two of them again but they will forever remain with me. Their love for life and the light in their eyes is what made that night so special. Someone once told me, "chose to inhale, do not breathe just to exist," that's exactly what I am trying to do. Meeting the two of them proved life truly is what you make it.

If only the night could have ended with a 6'3" Italian sexy man sweeping me off my feet with foreign words and strawberry gelato (who can deny an Italian bearing gelato? Not I). Instead I got a stage five clinger French bloke whose tongue tasted of pickles and Doritos... I gag at the unwanted thought, but let's save that story for another time.