A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME?

Mr Fabio Capello [the football manager who in 2007 promised to learn English in a month] has not been paid his salary in Russia since June.  He might, you would imagine, be considering his options by now but earlier this month he is reported to have said that he was only "getting near" the limits of his patience.

Pazienza, you see, is one commodity which is in plentiful supply in Mr Capello's home country of Italy [except on its roads] and it is Sicilians' favourite word. As Mr Capello is unlikely to be struggling to pay the rent, he is probably not as peturbed as you or I would be in the event of non-payment of salary but another reason might be that Italians regard such a situation as perfectly normal: every week here people from all walks of life go on strike, not for better pay, as in other countries, but because they have not received any pay at all, for months on end. Some even resort to hunger strikes.

All I can say, Fabio, is let me know when your pazienza finally reaches that limit; if you're at a loose end, I'll still be willing to be your English tutor - provided you pay me, of course. It could be a whole new ball game for both of us!