The kindness of scary strangers

Sue was determined to hear some live music so we headed out to a "blues festival". It was our first venture on the Rome bus system. After a good 20 minute bus ride on the route that appears to be less travelled, we get off near the old Olympic stadium. I imagine the site of the Montreal Olympic stadium has the same feel - isolated, desolate and just plain creepy.

We walked for about 15 minutes hoping to come across this festival. There was literally no one around and as the fairer sex, I was beginning to worry. Sue, on the other hand had not traded in her goal of live music for my goal of survival.

In this parking lot that was designed to hold thousands of cars, we spot a single camper van. Out of the passenger window, I spot its owner/operator who happens to be shaving his forearm with a razor. As I look for a getaway, Sue makes a beeline for the van and asks in broken Italian where the blues festival is located. He coughs something back in Italian and points aggressively in a direction I can only assume is his hairless accomplice.

Eager to confirm the goodness of people, Sue leads me in the new direction where we find... the blues festival.

We have agreed to try to balance Sue's love of adventure with my need for security. I will have to work on my reaction time if I expect to tip the scale toward security.