.... if you live in Sicily and he is Raffaele, that is:
It was my fault yesterday as I lingered too long at home during the long lunch break [which I don’t usually have these days] and, of course, once I relax and cuddle up with my Simi I don’t want to bestir myself and go out again! So I didn’t get to Raffaele’s at 3 – 3.30 pm as planned, but at 4 pm. By then it was quite busy there and I asked him if he could get me “done” before 5, as I had a class then. “No problem”, he replied. I then settled down to read his magazines as usual, reader, but was beginning to panic by 4.30. “Ce la facciamo - we’ll do it”, promised he. Finally, at 4.40, I asked him if he could just do a comb-through and he repeated, “We’ll do it”, this time adding a “Won’t we?” to anyone in earshot. Then he burst out laughing as I checked my watch against his clock, explained again that I couldn’t risk being late and that I had to get across to work which would take 4 minutes from the second I left the salon. This last caused more fits of laughter as the idea of being precisely on time for anything, let alone a little early, is regarded as utterly eccentric here. “OK, OK, a comb-through it is”, he conceded in the end so I left feeling able to face the world and my classes at 4.55 pm.
Today I went there for a proper blow-dry at 1pm [they work through the siesta hours on Fridays and Saturdays] and, as I had to be back at work by 2.30, began to wonder if we would even manage it today. “Oh yes, we will !” exclaimed Raffaele, uttering the welcome instruction “Fai lo shampoo a Pat” to one of his assistants at 2.05. "Pat, my dear Welsh lady", [I have trained him not to say "English"] "you used to relax here but now you look at your watch all the time", lamented my lovely Raffaele. I must do something about this worrying tendency, reader.
It was my fault yesterday as I lingered too long at home during the long lunch break [which I don’t usually have these days] and, of course, once I relax and cuddle up with my Simi I don’t want to bestir myself and go out again! So I didn’t get to Raffaele’s at 3 – 3.30 pm as planned, but at 4 pm. By then it was quite busy there and I asked him if he could get me “done” before 5, as I had a class then. “No problem”, he replied. I then settled down to read his magazines as usual, reader, but was beginning to panic by 4.30. “Ce la facciamo - we’ll do it”, promised he. Finally, at 4.40, I asked him if he could just do a comb-through and he repeated, “We’ll do it”, this time adding a “Won’t we?” to anyone in earshot. Then he burst out laughing as I checked my watch against his clock, explained again that I couldn’t risk being late and that I had to get across to work which would take 4 minutes from the second I left the salon. This last caused more fits of laughter as the idea of being precisely on time for anything, let alone a little early, is regarded as utterly eccentric here. “OK, OK, a comb-through it is”, he conceded in the end so I left feeling able to face the world and my classes at 4.55 pm.
Today I went there for a proper blow-dry at 1pm [they work through the siesta hours on Fridays and Saturdays] and, as I had to be back at work by 2.30, began to wonder if we would even manage it today. “Oh yes, we will !” exclaimed Raffaele, uttering the welcome instruction “Fai lo shampoo a Pat” to one of his assistants at 2.05. "Pat, my dear Welsh lady", [I have trained him not to say "English"] "you used to relax here but now you look at your watch all the time", lamented my lovely Raffaele. I must do something about this worrying tendency, reader.
18 comments:
Often the things we most wish to ignore about ourselves are those that we hear from others...Pete recently expressed no desire to see me doing anything more than I am already. This was just after I turned down the new job that wasn't a job. I do enough voluntary activities; providing free well-researched and compiled content for a commercial enterprise to place on their website so everyone can see how good they are...for nothing! The love of it. Nah, been there, done that!
Now back to you WL...being very busy is fine if you are happy with it. Raffaele might just be a bit too laid-back.
Am sure the visits with your hairdresser are worth it, treat yourself and give yourself the time to relax, you deserve it :-)
What I wouldn't give to be there sipping a chianti or whatever.
It's all right for the Italians to be late but not the Welsh!
This problem with punctuality and anything that has anything to do with being on time! I like how my husband always says fra otto, otto e mezzo whenever making dinner reservations. In the states if you didn't state an exact time to the quarter hour (or even less!), it would throw off the entire reservations system!
Raffaele has the right take on life but I know how you feel when that clock ticks on - and on. Is there a way for us to learn to become more relaxed about time and deadlines?
That would really stress me out, I hate being late too!
It seems that everything in Sicily is kind of, I won't even see unpredictable, more unquantifiable.
Things happen when they happen and everything is more a guideline than a defininte plan.
It seems you are taking a whole island in hand...
Hi, Book Owl. Glad Pete is laying down the law there. I must admit I'm a bit too busy at the moment! Thanks, nunyaa - I intend to do just that! And as I keep saying, you would be very welcome, James. Quite right, jmb! Hi, Rowena. Yes, and it drives me barmy when concerts, etc., start 45 mins late as well! Hi, flutterby. I can't help thinking he has got his priorities right, too!
Hi, cherrypie. Here you sort of learn to take things at a different pace but I do worry about it when I'm working. Yes, unquantifiable is probably the word, Crushed...
I'm afraid I live my life like that too. But it used to be boring before, so I'm not complaining.
Maybe Raffaele has a point..."you used to relax here but now you look at your watch all the time",
I nearly always leave quite a bit of time to get to wherever I am going...appointments etc can;t stand being rushed or in a panic!!
Is it true the Siesta is dying throughout southern Europe? I read an article (specifically about Spain, unfortunately) that suggested hardly ANYONE bothers with it and they just like to knock off work as soon as possible, afternoon snooze or none!
I think as teachers we learn to live by the clock and it's a habit that's hard to break.
Excellent post, Italy to a "T"!!!
Hi, Ellee. There is that about it!
Ciao, Anne. I usually do that, too, but it's impossible at the moment with work. Ciao, Gleds. I don't think it will ever die out completely down here - it just gets too hot to work in the afternoon! In the north of Italy, yes, I think it is a dying habit. Leslie, that is true - it's hard to stop clockwatching if you are a teacher! Many thanks, TT.
See? Raffaele has spotted the change in you - reverting to Britishness! That's not what you went to sicily for. So make sure you do some relaxing as well!!
You are absolutely right, Liz!
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