It was a vermilion sun that rose over up over Palermo that day. Comfortable and quiet would not be the best words to describe it... More like angry rays of intruding light accompanied by the roasting heat of hell. Even the sporadic chirping of birds was less sing-song and more akin to agitated spats; like acid dripping off demon's tongues as they gleefully anticipate profound calamity. And this was how she recorded it – though her journaling would not be remembered for many months to come. Her furious trance state writing was invoked at the behest of a higher power with grand purpose that key moments would be recorded for their future consumption. And as the scorching rays of the rising sun traversed the spectrum from red to orange to glaring yellow – unseen and unheard spectral denizens howled and cried out from their perches all around the La Palm. This was so because the enemy's most enjoyable pastime is deceiving good people in the quest of recruiting them into his dark service.
Anticipating the long trip in the morning, they had hit the sack immediately after their notable experience at the bar. Finally adjusted to the jet lag, Don was up by 9:00 that morning, albeit with a bad hang-over. His first waking observation was that Les was not beside him in bed; a rarity as she love to sleep. Looking up, he puzzled at the sight of her across the room, back to him, naked. She was leaning over their bags doing something that stuck him as odd. At first, he thought she was fishing for a garment or something, but he quickly realized she was actually stashing something in her suitcase.
He gave her a complimentary and said, "Good morning lover," but then, she oddly stood straight up, arms falling to her sides, and she just froze there with her beautiful back to him. "What's the matter honey?" She offered no response, and just stood there frozen. As his concern mounted, he was on the verge of sliding out of bed and going to her to see if she was okay, but at that moment she turned around and smiled... "Oh, good morning honey!..." Don quietly asked, "Whatcha up to honey?" "Oh, I'm just excited about the trip and meeting your uncle, so I thought I'd get a jump on packing." Don said, "Ah huh... Good deal honey and I'm glad you're psyched up for it..." and he made a mental note to check her bag later...
He issued a loud yawn, reached for the room service menu, and began studying it. After calling down for a pot of coffee, some fruit and croissants, he noticed to his pleasure that she had slipped back into bed beside him. He shut his eyes pretending sleep, and suddenly at light speed was on all fours. She squealed in delight as he threw off the covers and grabbed her by both her ankles and started pulling her to the end of the bed. Now it was her turn to feign sleep, as he yanked on her legs like a dog playing tug-of-war, and they both began laughing hysterically at the ridiculousness of it. Don fell back in bed beside here, and after a long good morning kiss they got up and began pulling themselves together and packing. Don beat her to the shower, and when he got out he wrapped a towel around himself and strutted into their room singing:
"Joliet, Champlain, Cartier, and LaSalle
Are all explorers from the country France
Through the Northwest Passage they tried to go
But the Spanish Armada wouldn't give em a chance"
Les clapped her hands on her ears, "No, no, Donny, not the explorer's song, please, not before breakfast!" But he continued, mercilessly...
"We're on the road to Alia, ALIA!
Forging bravely forth! Explorers we Are!
Oh Yes, we're on the road to Alia!"
This was one of his routines when they traveled, and it always endeared him to her, but she had a vicious hangover and pleaded, "Donny, please, mercy..." Realizing his bellowing might be a bit excessive, he acquiesced, "Oh okay honey, I'm just trying to get us psyched," She grimaced, but with a gleam in her eye, suggested, "How about you psyche us up when Louiggi gets here..." "Consider it done!" He snapped to attention and gave her a Roman Salute, and his towel dropped to the ground exposing him - instigating another outburst of giggles.
Non-plused, Donny switched gears. "Breakfast should be here any minute my love and we can finish packing while we wait." She replied, "Louiggi said he will be in the lobby at noon so we have plenty of time." Glancing back at the table clock, he replied, "Yeah, it's not even 10:00 so we're doing good."
He was truly excited. They were heading into a lost world, where people still lived close to the land, and grocer still wrapped your goods in paper. He knew that Uncle Santo's family raised hogs, made furniture, and had extensive olive and lemon orchards. "Do you realize what an adventure were going on?"
Walking up behind here, he wrapped his arms around her and they tumbled back onto the bed. That lead to another tickle fight, and she protested furiously at first, then they were play fighting all over the bed. Lesliea was a classic dirty fighter; seeking any advantage to being tickled into submission, and Donny being far more ticklish then her, she quickly got the upper hand yanking his towel off again.
In an instant, she had him on his back, and adjusting herself above him the play fight metamorphed into something else. She paused teasingly, and put an index finger to her cheek... "Honey, do you really think we have time..." He cut her off. "Shut up!" "Yes love..." She looked down at him and snarled, "You jerk... I'll show you how to explore!" Their love making was intense; even explosive, and as usual - the timing was perfect. Just as they finished, there was a knock on the door. Scrambling to cover as the houseman keyed the lock and called into the room, "Buongiorno, room service..." Les quickly threw on her robe and Don fixed his towel again, and called to the houseman, "Please come in. You can just leave park it here by the bed." The porter wheeled a cart to the front of the bed and gave the tab to Don. He sent the man on his way with 20 Euros, and they immediately turned their attention to the coffee, fruit bowls and croissants. Fully awake and savoring the French roast, Les turned the television on for noise, and they tried to sift what they could from the local news in Sicilian dialect.
Don continued to pack their things while Lesliea dressed and applied war paint. She wasn't big on makeup, and didn't need to be. She was blessed with beautiful Mediterranean features and required only subtle applications of eyeliner and lipstick. Donny decided on comfort for the road trip, pulling on a light blue Italian Merino polo, and he selected beige chinos thinking they would be loose and cool. Finally, he slipped on his brown loafers and pocketed his iPhone, wallet and passport. Les slipped into a casual one-piece dress with a light flowery print and they pulled the remainder of their gear together. Les rang for the porter and the man arrived before they were through their 2nd cup of coffee. They allowed him to load their bags on to the cart while they did a final room check. Don asked the man to take the luggage to reception and they would follow him down in a few minutes.
With one last look out the window, Lesliea turned to him and hugged him furiously saying. "I'll never forget our time here honey but I'm looking forward to meeting your uncle and his family in Alia." He held her face in his hands and gently kissed her on the lips, "This truly is an adventure isn't it sweetie?" "Yes darling. I'm very excited." "Well then, shall we hit the road to Alia?" She replied enthusiastically, "You betcha! Lead the way big boy!"
Don noticed a slight foreboding in his gut as they walked to the elevator and he thought he knew why too. He covertly studied Lesliea to see if she was having similar misgivings, but she was seemingly unconcerned, smiling, and apparently ready for the road trip. He thought to himself, Adventure, yeah right; I wonder what weird freak house crap awaits us in Alia? Uncle Santo? Maybe we're about to meet Uncle Santo the Sorcerer? How about Mafia Uncle Santo the Sorcerer...
Back at the elevator foyer, Donny glumly quipped, "Are you excited about 2 hours of Louiggi lecturing us on the key points of the Sicilian country side?" She gave him a pat on the back and consoled, "Come on honey, you love the guy. The two of you had me in hysterics yesterday." "I know, he's alright, I guess I'm just a little hung over and cranky, eh?"
The lobby was bustling. There was even more activity than when they had arrived. It was Friday at mid-day and hordes of tourists were checking in. Their luggage was all over the lobby and Don and Les reluctantly waded through the expensive European perfumes and luggage carts; taking a place at the back of the line to the reception counter. To their surprise, a porter came and ushered them to an empty bay and Maria, the girl who checked them in personally processed their checkout. She greeted Don with a big smile, and then, pouted, "Seignior Cuillo, are you leaving us so soon?" Don waffled, "I'd love to stay Maria, but you know how it is, business..." Les jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow... Grimacing, he rephrased, "Uh hum, we're so sorry to go but my wife and I are going to Alia." Les chimed in, "Yeah, Alia where WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY..." The two woman exchanged curt glances as Don waited uncomfortably until breaking the standoff became a necessity. "I wish we could stay longer Maria, but when we come back to Sicily we'll be booking you, eh, booking the Palm again." That instigated Lesliea to quietly sneer out of the side of her mouth, "In a pigs eye!" Don shot her an angry glance but was taking by surprise when she grabbed his arm and pulled him close enough to whisper in his ear, "Keep it up mister and you'll be in a body cast before I straighten out Mr. Wiley Coyote again!"
Brushing off the threat, Don turned back to Maria and said, "My uncle lives in Alia, and we're going for a couple of days to see the family and sample Sicilian village life." "Oh, that's a wonderful Mr. Don!" Then gesturing towards Les she quipped, "You no have family here?" Les replied in a sweetly exaggerated Italian accent, "No, I no have a family here..." Donny nervously interjected, "She actually does have a lot of family in Syracuse Maria, which is where we're going after Alia..." "Syracuse! My uncle live there," and cocking her head at Les she sneered, "You think we related?" Always able to hold her own, Lesliea quickly replied, "I don't think so honey; different species..." That did it. Maria blurted, "What you say to me?" Don intervened, "Okay, okay, honey please go see if Louiggi is outside?" But Les was ready for battle. "Why don't you go Donny and I'll stay here and chat with Maria" Don pointed to the lobby doors and firmly said, "Scoot!" She glaring first at Maria the gave Donny the look, and stormed off.
With Les out of the picture, Maria smiled again, "You gonna love Alia Signor Don," but then she dawned a serious expression leaned in closer and whispered, "You be careful there Don Cuillo. Many of us know that place. It's a different, you understand?" Looking around nervously Don replied, "No Maria, I don't. What do you mean 'it's different?'" She looked around, and then, whispered, "The place, you know, around Alia, it's a not like Palermo - very different from Palermo. You be careful, okay?" Don boasted, "It can't be any worse than the back alleys around Palerma can it?" She laughed nervously, but her reply was dead serious, "You talking about, eh, how you say, bandits, eh criminals... Alia is something else..." He was about to ask her to clarify when another hotel employee approached, and she cut him off, "We'll look forward to seeing you again sir." The warm smile gave way to another look of concern.
He had little doubt that she really meant it. Leslie called from the lobby, "Don... Louiggi's loading our luggage right now honey – come on!"
When Don stepped outside, Louiggi was predictably holding open the rear door of his cab, and he blustered, "Mr. Don, Signora Cuillo, Buongiorno! Buongiorno! You come and we have a nice drive in da country, eh?" The doorman, sensing a last chance for a tip, escorted Don to the car, opening the door before Louiggi could race around to his side. Sneering in triumph at the driver, Don said, "Ah what the hell," and he whipped out his roll and peeled off a 20 euro not for the guy... and as the porter approached he gave him a bill too, and looking around mockingly, made a bad joke, "Anyone else? Come and get your Euros here..."
Leslie reached out of the cab and grabbed his arm, hissing "Get in Don! Have you ever considered we may come back here someday?" Appropriately humbled, he obediently clambered in, but he didn't miss the hostile glare from the doorman... "I know you speak English pal!" Les jerked his arm again, "Donny, get in!"
Louiggi hopped in, got the cab in gear, and with an ear to ear grin in the rearview mirror, asked, "You two a ready to ride?" "Let's go partner, yahoo" And the driver peeled out, one hand on the wheel, and the other draped over the passenger seat, and they were on their way.
@j