Of Europe and Canada

I have sat atop steps just like these; looking down the narrow pathways that led me here . I have sat atop steps at Centenial Park here in Cambridge at the crest of Main Street . I have sat here both on my own and with one or more other people . I have sat atop steps like these in my waking hour and when I am deep in sleep and dreaming. I usually find a spot to sit and write. This is a photograph my friend sent me . It is in Italy . It was an odd feeling when I opened the attachment ; I had been there before ;yet I haven’t. It is in Europe and I have never been far from the borders of Canada. ….

I sat atop the steps waiting for you as you had asked me to. I had started off in the morning walking about the town looking at and falling in love with the architecture. I had never seen so many churches in one city and all had a different history to be told.

I wandered aimlessly through the town square ; people selling their wares . There were cars I had never seen before. This was all a new experience for me. “Buon giorno !” someone yelled from far above me . I looked above me and there was a young man waving ;”Buon giorno” he repeated . “Hello “ I yelled back towards him; shielding my eyes from the sun ,and waved . I continued on walking through the streets; stopping to get a cold drink from a sidewalk café .

I sipped on my drink and could not help notice the wall across the street from me. It was covered in gorgeous flowers. The wall of a building was an artists canvas . It was beautiful art and nature at its finest . I reached around to my backpack and took out my camera to take a picture. My journal fell from the backpack .

I took a few pictures and put the camera away and went to pick up my journal . “here you go .” a man said ; handing me the journal which had opened . “You write ?” he asked me.

I write pretty well everyday . “I do sometimes” I answered
“You are from America ?” he asked
“No Canada actually” I answered
“are you here long- I can show you around “ he offered
I was there for 3 more days so I answered “sure that would be a big help -Let me buy you dinner ?”
He smiled ;shook my hand and thanked me .

He showed me his city and then we stopped for dinner. It was only then I realized he was the young man yelling “Buon Giorno” from a balcony overhead . We sat and enjoyed our dinner; shared stories of our lives lived and yet to live .

“I am a singer; would you like to hear me sometimes sing ? “ he asked
As much as a free thinker I am ; I was in a new country and not sure how another guy singing to me would go over . I decided I was there to unwind so why not. He sang and it was like a morning dove . He had such vibrato to his voice it literally sent shivers from the base of my skull to my feet .

It was amazing. People at other tables around us applauded his talent . He got up from his chair and took a bow ; a huge smile on his face. “If singing is your dream and passion ; you go for it ! “ I told him

We wondered around town for a few hours ; him pointing out things I would have missed . We stopped at the base of some stairs and he shook my hand “ I will return soon ;I have to go now for a bit Joe-Meet me back here in two hours okay “

I wandered around the town square for a bit more and then decided to walk to the top of the stairs . I removed my backpack and pulled out my journal .

I must have fallen asleep . When I woke up I was sitting on a park bench ;fallen red and orange maple leaves beside me. I looked from the top of the hill and down. I was not in Europe, I looked and saw the quiet streets of Main Street Cambridge ; yet even here I can go anywhere . If you have a dream that’s in your heart; you have to follow it through straight from the start …