Tuesday 20 December 2011

Three

Dan was a nice guy. Everybody at the Café knew that, employees and regular guests. He had only two problems: he was in his mid-thirties and single; and he was a perfect best friend, not a perfect match. If asked why she would never even consider dating him, no woman could give a satisfactory answer (unless she was already spoken for).
Trying to find a date for Dan was a kind of sport at the Café, which is why many eyes followed the blonde who stomped towards the last free table watching out over the street.


This stupid idiot! Who does he think he is, not showing up for our date? He could at least have called! I hope he dares calling me later without an apology, then I’ll let him know what I think of him!
“Welcome, what can I bring you?”
“Oh, hi, um, one cappuccino please?”

I think I’ve seen this waitress before...
Better not think about him anymore, it’s not like he deserves the attention. Where is my book? Lucky I didn’t leave it at home today.
‘Gennaio si trasformò quietamente in febbraio, senza alcun cambiamento nel tempo, ancora freddo pungente. La partita contro i Corvonero si avvicinava, ma Harry non aveva ancora ordinato una scopa nuova.’
Not so lucky I chose the Italian version, huh? Concentrate, Lucy!
‘La partita contro i Corvonero si avvicinava, ma Harry non aveva ancora ordinato una scopa nuova. Ormai chiedeva alla professoressa McGranitt notizie della Firebolt dopo ogni lezione di Trasfigurazione, con Ron ritto al suo fianco, speranzoso, e Hermione che li superava guardando dall’altra parte.’
“Excuse me?”
And who is that now? “Si? I mean, yes?”
“I wondered if you’d mind that I sat here with you. The Café is quite crowded this afternoon...”
Oh well: “Sure, why not?”
‘“No, Potter, non puoi ancora riaverla” gli disse la professoressa McGranitt la dodicesima volta, prima ancora che aprisse bocca. “Abbiamo controllato quasi tutte le maledizioni principali, ma il’
“What are you reading?”
Argh. “Harry Potter in Italian. I need to concentrate, if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, sure.”
If only I could concentrate. Stupid bastard Brian! I wish he would come now, and see me sitting here with that handsome stranger. He does have beautiful eyes...
Don’t stare! You want to read, remember?
“I’m Dan, by the way.”
“Lucy.”
‘“Abbiamo controllato quasi tutte le maledizioni principali, ma il professor Vitious ritiene che la scopa potrebbe essere infestata da un Incantesimo di Lancio. Te lo dirò, quando avremo finito di ispezionarla. Ora, ti prego, smettila di tormentarmi.”’
“... later even next to each other if they had to. There’s one difference, though: my professor said the people who get to the café first prefer to sit with a view of the promenade, which you obviously did not do. Why is that?”
“I’m sorry, what did you say?” He does have a sweet smile, too...
“I told you about Hund’s rule in chemistry, and how it can be compared with people in a café in Paris.”
“Oh.” How absurdly boring.
“Do you want to hear it?”
“Um, no, thank you.”
“Here’s your cappuccino, miss.”
“Thanks.”
Why did that waitress look at me this way? Maybe I really should know her...
Brian still hasn’t called, and he is already half an hour late. That is very unlike him. Idiot! I hope he’s ok.
‘A peggiorare le cose, le lezioni Anti-Dissenatore non stavano andando affatto bene come sperava. Per parecchie volte di fila, Harry riuscì a produrre una confusa ombra argentata tutte le volte che il Molliccio-Dissenatore gli si avvicinava, ma il suo Patronus era troppo debole per scacciarlo. Non faceva altro’
“Here.”
“What is that?”
“It’s an origami elephant.”
Hmm, might as well be true. “Did you make this?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Nice.”
Now, that’s kind of sweet. And the elephant is cute; if you look at it from the right angle it even looks like one.
‘Non faceva altro che aleggiare come una nuvola semitrasparente, prosciugando le energie di Harry che lottava per trattenerlo. Harry era arrabbiato con se stesso e si sentiva in colpa per il suo segreto desiderio di risentire le voci dei genitori.’
“You can keep it, if you want.”
Oh, these puppy dog eyes! “Thank you.”
Who cares for Brian anyway?


Falling in love happens quickly, like running before the wind - or like hurtling down a moving staircase.
The matter of Brian, though, will have to wait a little bit longer. But don’t worry, we are not talking about that spare matter of Brian.

4 comments:

  1. Kind of hard to understand with all the Italian I in between and the woman seems a bit to bitter for the nice man you mentioned in the beginning. Otherwise it seems like good work. I at least wish to know what will happen next between those two.

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  2. I thought it would be more difficult with unrelated English sentences in between, but if you all say it's irritating I might have to change it.
    Hm, I don't think it is possible for anyone to always be nice or not. Who wouldn't be angry after being stood up?
    Please don't tell me you didn't get the reference in the last sentence!

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  3. Maybe I didn't want to get the reference if it was I think now.

    And it certainly is true that one can not be nice all the time. Maybe it's just easier for some and harder for others. But you can't see into people to know which is which.

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  4. Ah, ok. It was just the first thing I thought of when writing that last paragraph.

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