By John Kieselhorst
Our instructor Emanuela delivered Nick and me to Fabrizio at Bel Fico, one of Pennabilli’s favorite restaurants located on the charming town square. Ostensibly, our assignment was to “work” alongside Fabrizio and his staff for an hour or so, but in fact we were there to have a chance to talk with real Italians in a natural environment. The place was empty when we arrived at 5:00 PM, but that soon changed as local patrons began filling the barstools and benches. Fabrizio was a fabulous host, attentively introducing us to his patrons as he deftly pulled shots of espresso and poured glasses of wine for his guests.
Nick and John, a.k.a, Nico and Giovanni in Pennabilli
Nick and I chatted for a good half an hour with a family, father, mother and 13 year old daughter. Paolo, the father, is an avid cyclist just returned from a ride in the nearby hills. Mother Angela runs the fruit shop just up the street. Upon hearing that we were Americans, she spoke enthusiastically of her daughter’s plans to study in Vancouver next year. Nick and I encouraged the young lady. Travel at an early age, when heart and mind are open, can develop interests and friendships that may last a lifetime. I spoke with Paolo about his cycling day, struggling to keep up. If he rides his bicycle as fast as he speaks Italian, he could win the Giro d’Italia!
Soon we were joined by Paolo’s friend Marco, who works construction in Pennabilli and the surrounding area. Marco was in a hurry, he finished his caffè rather quickly and was off to finish a job he’d been working on. Soon it was time for Nick and I to join the others in the Esperienza group at Amacorde for a cooking lesson followed by a sumptuous meal.
Two days later Nick and I were sitting on the steps in front of the church on the square, waiting for the others to join us for a meal at the Macelleria, the butcher shop which serves as a seasonal trattoria. As we sat in the sunshine recalling our excursion to San Marino earlier in the day, a Fiat buzzed across the cobblestones and squealed into a parking slot just to our left. Who should hop out of the car but Marco, the industrious workman we had met at Bel Fico days before!
“Ciao Nico! Ciao Giovanni,” he called to us as he dashed into the Macelleria. Marco is an anomaly, a man who never has enough time in a town where time seems to stand still.
“Ciao Marco!” we replied as he flashed by.
Feeling as if we had just been made honorary Pennese (residents of Pennibilli), Nick and I smiled broadly at one another.
“You couldn’t get this in Rome or Milan or even Florence,” I said. “Here it feels like the whole town knows who we are!”
Nick laughed. “It’s as if we’ve lived here our all our lives!”