STALKER

Chapter 118 - 1st February, 2024 - Venice

The flight from Sydney to Rome was a nightmare, no more traveling economy.  It will be first class from now on. The two long legs and a stopover that stretched from 2 hours to 6,  left us wasted by the time we arrived. I was glad that I'd booked us into a hotel for two nights before catching another flight to Venice. Weirdo and I caught up on some sleep, so by the time we got to Venice we were as good as new.  

As we descended through dark grey clouds onto a misty runway I gave up on the idea that my first glimpse of Venice would be a glorious explosion of colour but I still couldn't stop smiling.

Once out of the arrival gate, I pushed our trolley aimlessly, more interested in looking at the happy expectant faces around me and letting the beautiful language roll over me, rather than getting us safely out of the building.  Now and then Weirdo pulled or pushed me in one direction or another so I didn't run over anyone. All I could do was grin like an idiot at him. Being a seasoned traveler he was used to all this. For me it was thrilling. The expression on Weirdo's face was the sort you see on parents when they are humoring a hyper toddler.

Once past the main crowd, there was a line of men holding up tablets with names on them. In my state of bliss, my name didn't register but I did see a familiar face smiling back at me.

"Tomaso!!!!!  Ciaoamico. È così bello vederti faccia a faccia." I let go of the trolley and bolted toward my friend. As I got to him I realised the guy was much shorter than I had imagined.  Our online conversations had fooled me, he was a good foot shorter than me. I wondered if I was what he expected. My hair probably through him. In the last week, I'd dyed it back to its original blonde.  What the hell...the next minute whether he wanted it or not he got a Morrison bro hug. The guy had been an absolute rock the last few months. Tomaso had helped me with the most trivial issues without complaint.

It was a couple of minutes before I remembered I left Weirdo somewhere behind me.  Awkward... explaining why I'm hugging some random at the airport.

"Signor Morrison. OOOffff!!!" I lifted him off the ground. "Buon giorno. Hai fatto un buon volo?" He squeaked when I let him down. He looked flustered and smoothed down his suit as if he was checking for any broken ribs.  

"U hmmm.." Weirdo brought the trolley to a stop beside me.  "Have I missed something?  What is it with you and Italian guys?"

Tomaso extended his hand to Weirdo with a little bow, all very professional and formal.  He was aware that everything I planned was for Weirdo's benefit. Their handshake was far more civilised than my caveman greeting.   

"È un piacere conoscerla SignorTroy." His accent sounded richer in person.  I could see Weirdo was trying to work out who this guy was that I had greeted so enthusiastically.    I explained Tomaso was from a firm of solicitors and that we had been working together on a little project for a few months and we had gotten to know each other well.  I was pleasantly surprised that he had come to meet us.  Weirdo looked appeased.

"He said he was happy to meet you," I told Weirdo, who managed a polite. "Come stai?"  He let go of any suspiciousness he may have felt simply because there was too much going on around us.

"Questa è una piacevole sorpresa. Non sapevo che saresti venuto personalmente a prenderci. Sono così felice di conoscerti finalmente di persona." Tomaso lead us to a quieter spot, out of the stream of people rushing towards the gates. "È un piacere conoscere anche lei, signor Morrison. Dopotutto lei è il mio cliente preferito." 

"It's Tim, just Tim." I gave him a pat on the arm and nearly sent him flying. I really needed to stop doing that, Tomaso's a bit of a delicate flower.