Notoriously Beautiful

4

A Good Leader

(It's around 1:00PM when I get home)
As Marco drives me home, I see my mom is waiting at our doorstep.
She shouts,
"Thanks for bringing her back so early, taxi driver," she says, purposely being extremely rudely.
I'm so mad at her. That's one of the most terrible things she could have said. Being a good leader means speaking and addressing matters assertively, not aggressively. Definitely not with an attitude like that. Which means that I apologize to Marco for my mom's ignorant behavior. I assure him she didn't mean anything bad by saying what she did.
"She's not feeling well, she didn't mean that," I say.
I get out of the car, and help my mom with the boxes.
"He's not just a taxi driver," I mumble.
"Yeah I know," she says back.
"Thank you," I say one last time, and speed walk to my door.
My mom and I, we begin to unpack all our stuff and I finally ask my mom where that mattress came from.
"You woke up at 9:00, sweetie. I woke up at 7:30 this morning. I shopped a little," she says, with a whole grand beach ball of attitude radiating.
I don't bother asking how she got to the store or anything actually. I don't speak.
(It gets late)
I realize I have spent almost the whole day in the house. I go to sleep with a sour taste in my mouth, but I don't say anything still. Good leaders never admit when they are agitated, to keep the peace amongst his or her people. I don't even say good night, which is rude of me.
(The next morning)
What she said is still on my mind. It's probably even harder to not say anything now, but I don't. I use my head, not my heart. The heart is the most important organ. It pumps blood throughout your body, giving you life. But, the heart is also where people get crazy ideas to do things that they will regret in the days following their actions.
A good leader uses their heart only when it's absolutely necessary. To show mercy, or to show compassion so that his or her people can be inspired by them. The brain, the logical, vital organ, well that one is very useful when you're contemplating decisions. Life experiences that you made with your heart however, can influence what your mind does. That's why the heart reins supreme. Not because it pumps blood through your body, but because it lets you know what you really want.
(At 2:15PM)
I go over to the hospital. I want to ask the director when I can start working. I would like to start sooner than later.
He tells me that I can start working on Monday. Since it's Thursday I am just wondering what I am going to do. I drive back home. Just mom and I. Until a woman knocks on our door.
"Hello," she says, with a really thick Sicilian accent.
I come to the door, not knowing who is there,
"Hello. Who is this?" I ask.
"My name is Simona," she says.
I open the door reluctantly,
"Hello Simona," I am confused. I'm not sure who she is, or what she is doing here. That's the New Yorker in me. Good leaders welcome people. They shouldn't be so hesitant to invite a stranger into their home, that shows that you are afraid. Good leaders should not be afraid.
Simona must have seen how confused I am so she tells me why she came to my villa.
"I wanted to say hello, and welcome you to the town," she says.
I feel so bad that I didn't let her in sooner, she's so sweet.
Apparently in Sicily someone knocks on your door, you open it and hug them, and then ask them if they want some cake or something. Simona teaches me that, in a kind way though. She doesn't tell me to make me feel bad. She tells me so I can learn some costumes, as I want to.
"Come in, I'm so sorry. Where have my manners gone," I say.
Now she looks a little confused, I think it's because she doesn't speak very good English, maybe she doesn't understand what I said. My real question is how did Simona, a girl from around town know that I moved here? Also how did she know I was from America?
"I love what you've done with the place," I think she says. I can't tell exactly what she is saying because her accent is so heavy.
"Thank you, so I take it you've been in this house before," I say.
"Yes, you bought this house from one of my closest friends. She and her husband were moving to Florence, because that's where his family lives," Simona tells me.
"I think she mentioned that, yes," I say nodding.
"Well, I just want to say, welcome, and I wanted to introduce myself. Also if you ever need a seamstress, I own a little shop, six blocks down. When you get there ask Lina, my aunt who works with me, to come and get me from the back room. My shop is called,
Simona la Sarta okay?" She asks.
"Okay," I smile.
After a few minutes of staring around the villa I say,
"My nonna loved to sow. She always made dresses for me when I was little. She wanted to teach me how to, but I told her I didn't want to. I regret saying that so much. Now my nonna has passed, now she can't teach me anymore," I say, as my eyes glisten yet again.
I remember mentioning my nonna to Marco yesterday, I can't always talk about her and her passing I think, but at the same time I kind of do.
Simona turns around and looks at me,
"Would you want me to teach you?" She says, as the words come out of her mouth, I feel my face beaming with light.
"Seriously?" I ask as I look up at her. She was at least a head taller than me.
"Yes, well of course," Simona responds.
For a second, I forget that I am an adult. I forget that I have a job.
"Oh, Simona. I forgot, I probably won't have any time," I say, looking down at my shoes.
"You are forgetting, Katerina, right, that's your name?" She asks.
"Yes, I was meaning to ask you how you know I—" I say before she cuts in between my sentences.
"Okay, Katerina, you're forgetting that you're in Sicilia. Here, we have time for everything. Take it easy and you'll see" she says, as she throws her hands in the air grinning, and begins to walk towards the door to exit.
"But, Simona, how did you know my name, and how did you know to speak in English to me," I say, but she was already too far.
She didn't hear me, or maybe she did. All I know is, her words are piercing into me.
"We have time for everything."
If that's really true, I never want to leave this place. Never!