Out in the dark and in what then seemed certainly like the middle of nowhere.
Something was going on and I was about to find out what.
Leaving my traveling buddy behind with the wine in the dining car, I headed off, traveling through a couple of other cars before I caught the sight of the conductor. He was working his way through the cars, moving in the direction toward of me and so we were headed directly for each other.
He caught sight of me.
And instantly those Italian arms of his began waving as he cried out to me to get off the train!
Apparently, he had made radio contact with another train which was headed to Rome. Both trains stopped at this common point. We could switch trains and get to Rome at a still reasonable hour.
Only, I could not just get off the train.
I had to get back to the dining car and get my friend moving as well.
As soon as our eyes caught each other, I began yelling to him to get our stuff and get moving.
To which he responded, "But we haven't finished the wine yet!"
No time for the wine!
We had to get moving.
And so we did, disembarking the Naples non-stop and heading in the direction of the train on its way back to Rome.
We stood on the ready to climb into the waiting train.
Only to watch in total frustration as it began to pull away!
We had delayed a bit too long and someone concluded that we were already on that train.
No choice, then, but to get back on the Naples non-stop.
And so we turned around to head back.
Only to see this train begin to pull away as well!
Obviously, the conclusion was that we had successfully made the transfer.
Only there we stood.
In what really seemed like the middle of nowhere.
Evidently, it was a train station - country type station.
There was a sizable canopy providing a covering from inclement weather, a couple of park benches for sitting, some overhead lighting and an actual desk with someone behind it!
Someone who stared at us in total disbelief.
He was obviously shocked to see us standing there. From his outfit, he must have been the station manager, ticket seller and whatever else.
And he was closing up shop and getting ready to leave but now there were these two wanderers with which to deal.
We explained to him and he explained to us.
Now we would just have to wait there for the 5:00 AM train to Rome.
Could we get a cab?
Your kidding, right?
Could we hire some local to drive us to Rome.
Seriously?
Could we get a place to stay?
Those benches will just have to do.
Some food?
Look around.
What do you see?
Nothing - right?
Well, welcome to the Italian countryside at night.
Enjoy!
Our only glimpse of human life was packing up and heading home for the night.
See you in the morning.
Well, with no where else to go and nothing else to do, we decided to make something of a pilgrimage of the time. A pilgrimage, by the way, is traveling with God in charge; one's GPS, so to speak, is God who is free to call the shots.
We started walking down the dark deserted road, nothing on either side but the fields; nothing in front or behind but the empty road.
And the darkness.
We were making very sure not to turn off that road in any way. We needed to get back to that terminal.
We prayed.
"Hail Mary, full of grace . . . "
The words poured forth and we fingered our way through the Rosary.
And then up ahead we saw it; we heard it.
A building!
And lights!
And laughter!
Sounds of people, of life.
It was some sort of Inn or Tavern!
Out there in the middle of nowhere.
In the middle of the night!
. . . And come back soon for still more of this saga! There is definitely more!
Meantime,
keep praying
and stay safe.
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