November 16, 2023
Volume 53 - No. 46
An American in Italy Part II of II
by Sean Dietrich
“You American?” he says.
unlike 7Up for adults.
Rome. I am in my hotel bar. There is a guy next to me. He’s from Missouri, he tells the bartender. Little town called Belton. He is maybe mid-seventies.
“I’ve been called worse.”
“You visiting for business or pleasure?” he asks.
He asks the bartender for a beer. The barkeep speaks very little English. He pours the beverage in a pint glass, and leaves the bottle. The old guy takes a sip. He thanks the bartender. Then he looks at me a beat too long. I can tell he wants to talk. So I smile, to let him know the door is open.
We shake hands. He says, “I’m from Missouri.” “Birmingham.” “You guys play banjos down there?” “Only when we’re not winning national championships.” The bartender brings my beer. Peroni. Sweeter than American beer, not
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“Neither. I’m a professional porter. I carry my wife’s bags.” “Been there. Done that.” He uses his thumbnail to start peeling the label on his bottle. “This my first time overseas.”
“I have, at times,” I said. “What about you?” Shrug. He glances up at the television above the bar. European TV is a different animal. Right now the television is showing contestants who appear to be water sliding in the nude. “Can I be honest?” he says.
“Same here.”
“I don’t know.”
“You enjoyed yourself?”
“I came here with an American tour group. And so far, I’ve just been em-
Italy
See Page 2