on the path…Betty and Herb Do Rome
My cell phone rings, and it’s Herb. He wants to know if he woke me up. Betty is talking in the background how I have to visit Rome, that it’s just, ‘Wonderful!’ Except Betty says ‘wonderful’ with an ‘h’ in place of the ‘r’ and stretches the first syllable out 2 beats. This lets me know she’s having a really good time. She has time enough to talk slower than usual.
Herb starts telling me about the flight over, how impressed he was that it only took eight hours. They fell asleep, and when they woke up, they were in Italy.
They were getting ready to go to the Collessium (sp). Herb is excited about a special brochure that shows what the structure used to look like, by flipping tranluscent overlay pages on top of the third that’s left.
Herb began telling me about the Vatican, and Betty chimed in that they saw the catacombs where Paul was buried.
They’re better tourists than I because they seek these things out. A ‘Tom-Tom’ could be strapped around my neck and I could still get lost finding the Vatican. Instead, I would end up seeing the Pope Mobile double parked in front of a Starbucks.
Slightly different points of interest, somehow I’ve always found this trait endearing.
Eventually, Betty and Herb are going to embark on a Mediteranian cruise. All this is for their 45th Wedding Anniversary. I’m a pretty fortunate guy to have such parents like this.
So, Happy Anniversary, Betty and Herb, a much deserved vacation indeed. Tell Fellini I send my regards, may he rest in peace.
Thanks for checking in,
Stephen A. Thomas