In the Car with Dad and Umberto Tozzi

In the Car with Dad and Umberto Tozzi

 

I've been to the pizzeria five times already. I go to the park too, and the ice cream shop. They never reopened the school. Or the gym. They told me I have to wait until September. So I guess I'll wait until September. But it takes patience and I don't have any patience left. I've used it all up.

When I go out I always wear a mask, but then I see that hardly anyone else is wearing one. I wear it because otherwise I'm afraid they'll say I can't go out, and I don't want to stay home anymore. The pizzeria is nice. I go there all the time. You don't have to book because there aren't many people. The waiters are few too. I think it would be nice to go to the gym. If I can go to the pizzeria, why can't I go to the gym? I really don't know.

In September I'm changing schools. Because I'm in my third year and I chose to do hospitality training, I won't go to via dei Genovesi anymore—I'll go to via della Paglia. But I've already told everyone I want to go to via della Paglia and I don't want to do lessons at home on the computer. I love going to school. I have breakfast at the bar too. Every morning now I go down by myself and have breakfast at the bar. I don't want to have breakfast at home anymore. I don't want to stay home for lunch either. I go to my grandmother's or my aunt's. I call and invite myself.

And I love going to the Fiamme Gialle training sessions. They're nice and they let me train with them. So I run, jump, and do gymnastics. I spent a lot of time watching Sonia and the others doing pole vault. They go way up in the air. They're crazy. But so nice. They train with music and they're always happy. I was a trainer and I'd say whether the jump was good or not. Then I watched the people jumping hurdles. One guy hit the hurdle and went flying to the ground! I have so much fun watching the running sessions. I do a full lap around the track—that's 400 meters. Without cutting across! I'm not a cheater! I wear my Roma cap because otherwise the sun burns my head. But I wear it backwards or I can't see where I'm going and I crash into things. After I run I go to the bar and sit at a table. I drink ice-cold lemon iced tea. Really cold. And eat a little chocolate pastry.

When I drive home in the car I fall asleep because I'm exhausted. I'd go to the Fiamme Gialle at Castelporziano every single day. And because Dad and I sing Umberto Tozzi songs in the car, and I know all the words. But soon I'm going to the beach and everything changes.

Benedetta Mattei

Benedetta Mattei

Born in Rome on January 1, 2004, Benedetta Mattei is a first-year student at the "Gioberti" hotel institute in Trastevere, with the goal of working as a receptionist and waitress. She leverages her…

Read more →

In total 349 authors have contributed to Ombre e Luci.

Leave a comment

Your comment will be published after editorial approval. Your email will not be published.

← Back to Magazine