The plan was to leave Italy and make my way to Greece before I used up my ninety days of visa time. I found an inexpensive flight using my frequent flier miles that would only use 8000 miles for the one way ticket. My condo at the sea wasn’t far from the Rome airport but I couldn’t get there by mass transit without going into Rome and taking the special train from there. It made sense to plan additional days in Rome not far from the train station.
I was able to locate an Airbnb that was a share with the female host. Perhaps this would be an amiable share just as I had enjoyed in Barcelona. The small apartment in Pigneto was just a short tram ride from the station and would be in another one of my neighborhoods without tourists. It seemed like a good transition for leaving Italy.
I had no trouble getting to the neighbor and getting off at the correct tram stop. It was a sunny mild day in late November and only a light jacket was necessary. Angelina had agreed to meet me at 3 PM to let me into the space. I arrived at the address on time and was greeted by my attractive young hostess. “Buongiorno!” we addressed each other and then switched to English which she had been studying.
She unlocked the metal gate that let me into the broad courtyard and then led me to the door of the apartment building. Angelina demonstrated how to unlock the main glass door and also showed me the key that I would need to gain access at the entry gate. She pointed out the buzzer by the inside door which would unlock the building door whenever I departed. The lobby area had a marble floor with a high ceiling but the color was neutral which didn’t lend any beauty to the space.
Instead of using an elevator, we went to a spiral staircase that descended to her apartment floor. The staircase used the same floor marble for the steps and had a black metal handrail on the inside and outside of the wide steps. There was, of course, another key to gain entry to her wooden door which was one of eight in the circular space. She held open the large wooden door for me to enter with my luggage. It was important to pull the heavy door closed to ensure that it was completely closed, thereby keeping us secure. These were all normal security processes in Italy and especially in a large city like Rome. I was very accustomed to the procedures but they were always unique to each space where I stayed,
The first room of the apartment was a wide hallway that had a study desk and large bookcase. My room was just off to the left and I was happy to be able to deposit my luggage. I was also pleased to learn that I didn’t need a key to unlock the door to my room because it didn’t have a lock. There was a lock on the inside which I could use but I never felt the need to do so. My room was large and had a gated window that looked out onto the sunny courtyard. I wouldn’t have fresh air, but the light would be good since it was a Southern exposure. The room contained a double bed, a wooden table with two chairs, and a comfy arm chair for reading. There was also a small television on the wall which I never used. I would be fine for the couple of days that I would be there and it was only 40 Euros a night.
Angelina offered to show me the shared bathroom which was just next to my space but only had an entry door from the hallway. At least it was next to my room and I could easily hear if it were already occupied by her. I declared myself happy with my choice and Angelina reminded me that the room came with a daily breakfast of coffee and pastries. With that news, my happiness was increased! I informed her that I didn’t get up early and if it were OK with her, breakfast at 9 AM was good for me. She was going to be home studying for the two days, so she was amenable to that time. I learned that she was in medical school and there was an important test on which she needed to score well.
Even though I had traveled to many different Airbnb locations, I was always anxious on travel days until I was settled in at my new address. It was only now that I fully exhaled and took in the physical characteristics of my hostess. She was average height with short curly light brown hair. It wasn’t a usual color for Italian women, so perhaps it was dyed. Angelina was wearing a loose brown sweater, but even with the fabric covering her breasts, I could easily determine that they were large. She was probably a 38D and balanced her pendulous breasts with wide child bearing hips. She didn’t wear any make up and made no attempt to make herself attractive. Perhaps it was the scientist in her that drove that choice or maybe she had been abused at some time.
After I got settled in, I chose to take a walk around the neighborhood and get some food. Angelina told me that there was a good place for pizza not far away. I’m sure that most Americans would have been happy to hear that, but I could get decent pizza in my own country. It was the cheeses and cold cuts that were so much better in Italy that I was after. I managed to locate a cheese store and they told me where to go for the meat.
When I entered the cheese shop, my nasal passages immediately ascended to heaven. Some of the cheeses were just aging in the open on the long planks of wood and I took in the earthy flavors through my nose first. I knew that they would have the creamy gorgonzola which was far superior to what I could get outside of Italy and France. I also got a round crusty bread to be a companion for my cheese and meat. Nearby there was a small corner park with a bench where I was able to feast on my finds and take in the best of Italy by myself. The sun was still shining and it was a glorious day.
I easily relocated my room for the night and discovered Angelina sitting on an old sofa when I entered the common space. She greeted me and noted the leftovers of my purchases congratulating me on finding good local food. The sofa was covered with an old blue blanket which led me to surmise that the fabric underneath was worse than the blanket was. Angelina asked me an unusual question and made my mind think about my own language.
“What is a latch?” It was only upon hearing that question, that I realized I had never come across such a thing in Italy. Doors always had brass knobs. Some were ordinary size but it was quite common to find hefty large knobs that had to be bigger than some of the women’s hands. I explained the horizontal closing device to her and she declared that she hadn’t seen such a thing either. I explained that I was studying Italian while I was in Italy and from then on, she spoke in her own language to me, but always made certain that I understood what she had said.
I slept well that night knowing that good coffee would be made for me in the morning. I was awake and cleaned by 9 AM so that I could keep to the schedule I had given to Angelina. She knocked on my door before entry with the tray that contained a large mug of coffee, a small yoghurt and a modest size croissant. She probably had a similar breakfast herself. Her pleasant morning smile increased the light in the room as she set the tray down on the desk. She asked if I had slept well which I had. Leaving me to my breakfast she wished, “Buon gusto!”
I had decided to take a very long walk that day since the weather was going to be mild and it would be my last full day in Italy. I used the Metro to get to the end of the line at Anangina where tourists never travelled. I hadn’t been in this part of Rome before but I knew that there were always old ruins wherever you went in that ancient city. During my return walk to Pigneto, I was fortunate to encounter aqueducts and brick walls that were from two thousand years ago. I was always astounded by what other civilizations had left behind. It gave me a sense of perspective on the brevity of my own life.
As I neared my neighborhood, I noted a barber shop and decided that it would be wise to get my hair cut in Italy where I could speak some of the language. The sign in Italian informed me that haircuts were seven Euros which was very reasonable. I entered and took a seat and was acknowledged by the barber who was working on the one customer ahead of me who seemed to be a very uptight and picky middle age Italian. I was impressed with the good job and when it was my turn, I was able to ask in Italian for a haircut and to use the number two clippers for the sides. After the barber had begun, I asked where he was from because he was speaking in another language to a customer who had entered. The barber informed me that he was from India. “Ah, that means that you probably speak English.” I beamed. He agreed and we were able to have a pleasant conversation in English about our respective countries. Now I could just relax and enjoy the pampering that he did including using a straight razor for finishing. When it came time to pay, I provided a ten Euro bill and had him keep the change. It was a job well done and I was happy to pay half of what I would have paid in the US.
When I arrived back at my lodgings, Angelina was still in her study place on the old sofa. It was almost as though she were a fixture there. She greeted me and asked about my day. She was quite astonished when I informed her of my lengthy walk since she had never been to that part of town herself. I sensed that she was finding me of interest as she asked questions about my travels and former work. She also noted my new haircut and declared it a success. When I spoke with her about my Reiki skills, the scientist in her was skeptical.
Angelina had been raised Catholic like most Italians but she hadn’t ever had any sense of spiritual life. She had always had a more methodical and mathematical mind which didn’t allow for such fantasy. I was much the same but had to open myself to new experiences when I was training to be a Reiki practitioner. It was only through feeling instead of thinking that I was able to grasp the amazing capacity of spirit life.
She asked if I could do it to her and I readily agreed to provide her with a sample experience. Often in these cases, I would just place my hands on a person’s forearm where they could feel my hands become warm and be surprised by the generation of heat without any movement. With Angelina, I sensed that her disbelief would require more for her to become open. Since the sofa was too small and low for me to use, I suggested that she lay prone on my bed. All that she needed to remove were her shoes so that her feet could be open to receiving energy.
She hesitated for a moment before agreeing to the idea. During that time, I sensed that she was weighing my character and determining her safety and comfort zone. She had after all let me into her living space, this was not much more of a step to being open. I calculated that it would be helpful for her to take that step as part of the pathway to being receptive to Reiki. I asked to freshen myself from my day’s efforts before beginning, but that I would only need fifteen minutes.
I had a quick shower in the small confines of the Italian metal box shower in the bathroom. Any Italian bathroom I was ever in was always sparkling clean with a scent from the bottled agents used. I put on fresh clothes since the walking clothes were fecund with my body’s fluids and needed to be in a plastic bag ready for laundry.
Angelina followed me into the bedroom and promptly took her place on the bed as I had directed. I didn’t expect her to relax right away, but that would be part of the Reiki challenge. I pulled over the desk chair and sat next to her prone, clothed body. I tuned up my Reiki energy and placed my hands flat on the small of her back. She flinched slightly from the contact and I wondered when she had been touched last by a man. I didn’t apply any pressure but quickly felt the Reiki warmth flowing through me to her.
I kept my hands in the same place longer than usual so that the heat could get really noticeable before I moved to the upper shoulders. I kept my hands there longer as well for the same purpose. I planned to follow a standard Reiki torso treatment that was different from my usual massage with Reiki that was done without clothing on the recipient. There would be no opportunity for Angelina to take any of my movements as sexual but there would still be sensuality received through the warmth coming through my hands.
I felt her body sink deeper into the mattress and a few times she hummed an acceptance of the warmth but didn’t ask any questions or provide verbal feedback. By the end of the thirty minute treatment the light in the room had diminished with the lowering of the sun. Perhaps that contributed to the mood change that I sensed in Angelina as her relaxation level bordered on the suggestive state. When I did the final cranial Reiki and blessings, I sensed her body wanting something more, but couldn’t determine what.
“Will you come hold me in the bed?” were the surprising words that came when I told her that the session was complete. I was conflicted about my willingness to be with such a young and perhaps vulnerable woman. “I just want you to hold me.” I was already without shoes and didn’t remove any clothing as I climbed into the small bed and took a position behind her against the wall. “Put your arms around me,” came the guiding words as she turned on her side facing away from me. I did as she requested and took in the flowery scent of the light brown hair which was now directly in my face.
My mind raced with exciting thoughts of sex, but I knew that she hadn’t intended anything like that to happen. Perhaps she desired just the security of my age and wisdom. My physical self responded in its own predictable way but I made sure that my swelling loins were not pressing against her youthful body. “When I was young, I used to climb into bed with my parents and they would hold me between them. It always made me feel so safe. They’re both gone now and I miss them.” I felt her gently weeping and wasn’t surprised that the Reiki had unlocked an emotional memory. “Thank you for telling me,” I spoke softly to the back of her head.
We remained in our hugging position for more than ten minutes as the light in the room continued to diminish. Angelina wiped the wetness from her face with the back of her hand and roused herself to sit up. Had she been closer in age to me I might have kept my body near to her, but I chose to move towards the wall providing her with more space. “Grazie,” was the only word spoken by either of us as she slowly rose and departed the room, closing the door behind her.
I heard her walk to the back bedroom and close the door. I wondered about the thoughts and feelings that she was having, but knew that Angelina had opened to me as much as she was able. Since I was leaving the next morning, it wasn’t for me to press further into the private space that I sensed she didn’t share with anyone. I felt honored that she had trusted me with her body and emotional life.
My long walk had tired me and I slept deeply that night. When I awoke and headed to the bathroom, I encountered the morning breakfast tray just outside my door, well before 9 AM. There was a note from Angelina that only said, “Please leave your keys in the room.” From the hallway, I saw that her bedroom door was closed but that was its usual state. I didn’t know if she was there or had left for school already. I didn’t feel at all comfortable knocking on her door, since the note didn’t suggest that she wanted more contact. Was she embarrassed or just reached her limit of being open? There was no way for me to learn more about her feelings without resorting to email and that didn’t seem appropriate. I left Rome with a sense of melancholy wondering if Angelina was OK and not knowing.