That life in Italy isn’t dolce all the time is something I knew already of course, because the truth is that no matter where in the world you are, there will always be things that are less pleasant. However, the slightly traumatic experience of two weeks ago I hadn’t seen coming at all. While my cousin Tahnee, who was visiting me in Rome, and I came home after a lovely evening, we were ambushed right in front of my house by a man trying to rob me of my bag. We fell to the ground and the next thing I remember is that I was dragged over the pavement while my cousin tried to kick this criminal off me. In the end, the man managed to escape thanks to the car of the criminal gang that was waiting for him in the next street, its engine running so they could speed off. My cousin and I were left upset and, for a short moment, completely defeated too.
About the many men in my neighborhood who don’t seem to be able to come up with a more meaningful day’s activity than just hanging on the street all day while catcalling women, I always thought they would never actually physically approach me. By now, unfortunately, I know better
After we had taken all the necessary steps, blocked my debit and credit card, called the emergency number and officially reported the crime to the police the next day, we were left with the shock. The day after the brutal robbery my cousin and I couldn’t speak about anything else, while wondering what impact this would have on us in the future. I never knew fear myself, thought that something like this would never happen to me and I easily walked home all by myself in the dark through streets that can be called dodgy to say the least. About the many men in my neighborhood who don’t seem to be able to come up with a more meaningful day’s activity than just hanging on the street all day while catcalling women, I always thought they would never actually physically approach me. By now, unfortunately, I know better.
It’s bizarre how the sound of panting and accelerating footsteps behind us immediately brought us back to the moment of the robbery
We both were definitely left with some fear, but this turned out to be specifically aimed at men. When a group of men walked across the sidewalk taking up all the space and not moving an inch, we automatically grabbed our bag while passing them. That creepy type staring at us just a little too long, made for my cousin and I to exchange a meaningful look and to cross the street in tacit consultation, avoiding having the pass him. When a man came running at high speed passing us from behind, we got the fright of our lives and our heartbeat was sky-high again. It’s bizarre how the sound of panting and accelerating footsteps behind us immediately brought us back to the moment of the robbery. In short, we were a lot less comfortable and more hesitating towards having men around us, which of course made a lot of sense, but isn’t fun at all. You don’t want to distrust half of the world’s population because of only a few real bad guys. As if it were meant to be, in the week after the nasty robbery only very gentle men with hearts of gold crossed our path who brought back the trust in the man bit by bit. By now I know that coincidence does not exist.
He put down his pen, looked piercingly at me and apologized for the complicated Italian system. He guaranteed me he was there to really help us, and I have to say, that’s what he did
First of all, there was Fabrizio, the policeman handling our report. When I commented slightly irritated how on earth it was possible that I had called the emergency services less than 24 hours earlier making the police come rushing to my house with sirens but that this event could not be found in any system of that same police, he put down his pen, looked piercingly at me and apologized for the complicated Italian system. He guaranteed me he was there to really help us, and I have to say, that’s what he did. For over an hour and a half we sat across from him while he laid down all the details I dictated. When he summarized the case to someone on the phone, I heard him say that two Dutch girls of “about nineteen, twenty years old” had been robbed. Whether he really thought that was our age or just wanted to be nice was not entirely clear to us, but the fact was that he raised an eyebrow in surprise when I burst out laughing.
When he was back after twenty minutes, he seemed very pleased to be able to say that there were indeed two cameras that must have captured the whole incident
Then there was his fellow policeman, with the reddish beard – and in my opinion slightly lower in rank – who was immediately sent out by Fabrizio to check my street and front door. When he was back after twenty minutes, he seemed very pleased to be able to say that there were indeed two cameras that must have captured the whole incident. My cousin and I randomly met this red bearded policeman two more times in the following days, and both times he stopped in the middle of the street, lowered the window of the car, greeted us with an enthusiastic Ciao! to then ask us how we were doing, and while sticking his thumb up he said not to worry as he had it all under control.
We booked an experience on a seventeenth-century vineyard in the hills outside Rome in which we would do a wine tasting and a fresh pasta class. La dolce vita pur sang
Two days later, my cousin and I decided that we really deserved something fun, not in the last place to take our mind off things. We booked an experience on a seventeenth-century vineyard in the hills outside Rome in which we would do a wine tasting and a fresh pasta class. La dolce vita pur sang. That we managed to take our mind off things that day would be a total understatement, as it was more than fantastic and we almost suffocated in our fresh fettuccine with laughter. And all of this was entirely thanks to the three men who made us forget all of our worries.
He turned out to be one of the most talented tenors I have ever heard
There was Luigi, the tall and skinny chef who taught us how to make the most delicious ravioli and fettucine. In between all his jokes he casually remarked that he could sing pretty decent too. I doubted whether we should believe that, until the moment he suddenly entered the room when we were having lunch to casually start singing. He turned out to be one of the most talented tenors I have ever heard.
He immediately invited me to come by again so that I could not only collect my oil, but he could also show me more of the beautiful village
There was Alfredo, the youngest descendant of the nine generations of winemakers, who continued the heritage of his ancestors with incredible passion. He also turned out to be a gifted guitar player. When later that day – we had already left the seventeenth-century villa to our great regret – it turned out that I had accidentally left my bottle of olive oil I had just bought from them in the van on the way to the station, he immediately invited me to come by again so that I could not only collect my oil, but he could also show me more of the beautiful village.
When he had told us that he had sung in a band in London, I jokingly told him to sing a little song for us
There was Nicolò, Alfredo’s neighbour who, after years of living in London, was back at his roots and now takes up the noble job as a translator during the pasta lesson and wine tasting (Luigi’s English did not go beyond “push and twist”, two very important acts in shaping the ravioli). When he had told us that he had sung in a band in London, I jokingly told him to sing a little song for us. As he only reacted with a cautious smile, I doubted he would really do so making it an even bigger surprise when he sang the song Good Riddance by Greenday – which coincidentally (?) also has a very special meaning to me – especially for us. Of course, Alfredo accompanied him on the guitar.
This time I took a different exit than usual, don’t ask why, but as soon as I reached the top of the stairs, I saw a big green cross blinking on the facade right in front of me
The day after my cousin left, it was Ferragosto – a national holiday – and everything in Rome was closed, including the pharmacies. I was a bit upset, because I quite urgently needed a nasal spray as mine was stolen in the robbery. After having checked almost every single pharmacy in the city center but with no result as they were all closed, I decided to take the subway back home. This time I took a different exit than usual, don’t ask why, but as soon as I reached the top of the stairs, I saw a big green cross blinking on the facade right in front of me. No way, this pharmacy was actually opened and as soon as I entered, I met – you guessed it – two very helpful friendly men. Father and son this time.
By now, he has not only called in the highest commissioners of both the police and the carabinieri and instructed them to give my case the highest priority, he has also found a journalist
The father and head pharmacist turned out to be called Giuseppe, who, after I had told my story to him, was completely appalled about what had happened to me and determined to help me where he could. By now, he has not only called in the highest commissioners of both the police and the carabinieri (a bit complicated, but these two are quite separate in Italy) and instructed them to give my case the highest priority, he has also found a journalist who wants to report it in the media. Because, so he argued, the more attention there is paid to this problem – unfortunately our experience wasn’t an isolated event – the better.
He taught me how to prepare a real pasta with bottarga – dried fish eggs – and while he was chopping the herbs, he showed me some self-defense technique I definitely had to learn
The son and pharmacist-in-training was called Arturo, who was as upset about what had happened to us as his father. Spontaneously he invited me for a coffee and walk through the neighborhood on Monday morning, eager as he was to show me the beauty of the area, something I had by now become a little less convinced of myself. When I told him I was a cat lover, he immediately introduced me to the two cats from the pharmacy that I could always come to cuddle. After our walk in which he really showed me some hidden gems (amongst others a cute little park that overlooked the Colosseum less than ten minutes from my place!) I had no clue about, he asked me if I already had lunch plans. I told him I didn’t and before I knew it, I ended up in yet another pasta class. He taught me how to prepare a real pasta with bottarga – dried fish eggs – and while he was chopping the herbs, he showed me some self-defense technique I definitely had to learn. Since that afternoon, he has called me every single day to ask me how I’m doing.
And that is one hundred percent thanks to all these men that not only have their hearts in the right place but also have an enormous respect for all women. So real men basically
Now, almost two weeks after the robbery, the fear is certainly still there, but that distrust of ‘the man’ has completely disappeared. And that is one hundred percent thanks to all these men that not only have their hearts in the right place but also have an enormous respect for all women. So real men basically, like all men should be.
❤️❤️❤️❤️ YES, love this.