Journeys: And finally, la Fontana Trevi

So here's how we always end a visit to Rome, or begin one, or whatever. The point is, we always come here to throw our coins. You throw 10 lire, or some small amount. You stand with your back to it, and throw it over your left shoulder with your right hand. This is to insure that you will one day return to Rome. So far, it's worked every time.

We took a cab from the bridge to the fountain because it was blistering hot. Any other weather and we would have walked, and, oh, the crowds when we got there!

Doesn't the water look cool? It may be, but it was just the hottest day yet, so we got some gelato, took a few pictures, and grabbed a cab back to the hotel.

I could hardly wait to go in the pool. Oddly, Joyce didn't want to, but for no apparent reason. I mean, heck, yeah, we knew the water was freezing, but the kiddie pool would be okay. She decided she wanted to take a bath. I decided she was an idiot and went alone, and I took a book with me so I could stay gone longer. Up on the roof, all the adults were sitting on the bottom of the kiddie pool again, and I joined them. Then I sat in the shade reading until I was completely dry, which means quite a while.

When I got back down, I finally pried it out of Joyce that she was embarrassed about the way we had to get in and out of the pool. The kiddie pool had no railings or steps, so you hed to get down on the deck on your hands and knees. Really? So freakin' what? Do you know these people? How are they getting in and out? Same damn way. Do you care what they look like? No? Well, guess what: they probably never even looked at you!

Was I mad. She wouldn't go with me because some stranger might look at her and think a thought. You've got to be kidding me. Other people's opinions aren't worth crap, for one thing, and chances are they didn't even have any!

So I said I wasn't going to walk to dinner again because she wouldn't go to the pool with me. We had quite an argument. Lots of crying. And here's where the semi-happy ending comes in. She said if I would go with her, she would do something with me that she really didn't want to do. And she didn't put any limitations on cost or, or duration, or type of event. So I get a free trip someplace she doesn't want to go. What do you think? Southeast Asia? Amazon? Nile? Well, it'll be a while before I use this, and I'll be thinking long and hard about it.

So we went to dinner down the street, as usual. See? Our last night in Rome turned out okay after all. Joyce was right; it would have been a shame to waste it, and I'm glad we didn't.