Where's the Pope?

Almost 3 months in Rome and we finally made it to a Sunday appearance by the Pope at St. Peter's square. The place was packed with people, balloons, signs, flags and cameras. I lost count but there were literally thousands of people there. The formation was a little odd with the bulk of the crowd standing off to the side not facing St. Peter's Basilica at all. Counting on the wisdom of the masses we funneled into our spot looking onto a non-descript building. I scanned the crowd and strained to read the signs and large banners. They all just proudly stated the parish they were from. Some came with balloons or logo'ed umbrellas to be noticed. I didn't see any protestors or signs of dissent. I schemed aloud, much to Sue's embarrassment, that we should fill a dozen condoms with helium and float them above the crowd. I was brought back in line and continued staring toward the building waiting for the stroke of noon, when the Pope would appear. The crowd started to stir when a dark dressed man appeared at a simple window and hung a velvety pennant out the window. Ten minutes till showtime.

Finally, someone dressed all in white appeared at the window. While no one in the square was close enough to confirm it was the Pope, we all played along. We watched the white blur wave at us and we all waved back in excitement. I was surprised to hear the Pope actually address the audience. I was quite satisfied with the wave, but he spoke for 15 minutes, mainly in Italian and didn't appear to say anything controversial. There would be no revisions of doctrine today.
As the thousands turned to leave, we realized that there were only a handful of exits in this massive square. Again, a little too loud for Sue's liking, I pronounced, "It is easier for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle, than for a man to leave St. Peter's square."

(enlarged by CSI team)