We would head back to our home for the night, those park benches sheltered under that countryside train terminal canopy.
But first we had to settle our debts.
Only our gracious host would have none of that!
He was just grateful that he was able to provide some help and some relief for us. He was grateful for our conversation.
He would accept no financial compensation.
And now he was grateful that we were leaving and he could go home.
We thanked him profusely.
Pray for me, he requested of us. That is all he wanted as repayment.
We shall, we promised.
And then we asked, "What is your name? So that we can pray for you by name."
And then he told us.
And I can still hear his answer.
You really do not have to know Italian to translate this one, believe me.
"My name," he told us, "My name is Angelo."
You know, if ever I somehow managed to find my way back to that place on the map, I suspect I just might not even find a tavern out there in the countryside!
I wonder!
My name is Angelo!
Someone to welcome us,
to greet us,
to give us food and drink,
to spend time with us,
a stranger in the middle of nowhere
with all of those blessings!
A refuge in the darkness for two wanderers!
Angelo!
We made our way back down that still dark and empty road. We came back to our "home" for the rest of the night. We settled in as comfortably as one could get on those park benches.
And we caught some sleep, as much as could be caught. Park benches are not exactly the most comfortable.
It was shortly before 5:00 in the morning when the one whom we had startled the night before returned to his desk at that terminal.
He made sure we were awake and ready.
The train to Rome was on its way.
It a few minutes it was there and stopped and staying long enough for us to board it.
We were on our way back to Rome, an adventure of a lifetime now behind us.
We got to the Termini Station around seven that morning, caught the bus, Bus 64, cannot forget that one!
A short time later we were at our final stop at the base of the Jianiculum Hill. All that remained now was the climb back up that hill and then back to our rooms.
Of course there would be little time for any further rest or relaxation.
It was Monday and classes were resuming at 9:00.
Not sure how alert either of us might have been for classes that day. Can't even remember what classes we had that day.
Minds were still in recovery mode from a Sunday afternoon autumn trip to Orvieto.
But we were home ---finally!
Meantime,
keep praying
and stay safe.
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