Meta - Castellamare - Sorrento (via Pozzano)
jan windle
Mutton dressed as lamb, I exited the subway at Meta station. Binario 2 was deserted and hot as hell. Sweat pooled in my navel.
"Signora!" The ticket clerk was waving from Binario 1. I got the gist – something like "Over here, you fool!"
I made "Oh silly me" signs (finger to straw hat, rotating), and rushed back into the subway. "Piano, piano" slowed me down.
The ticket clerk hurried me into his office, introduced me to his colleague and interrogated me about my mission in Castellamare. Buying paints? He shared a name with Van Gogh. Conversation blossomed. When the train drew in they waved me goodbye like Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
Returning through Castellamare was a Through the Looking Glass moment. With a friendly roar Vincenzo appeared in this ticket office too. Questioned closely, I accounted for my movements.
I ended up in Pozzano. Pozzano was a cold dark tunnel with only graffiti to remind me the rest of humanity existed, until a harmless looking young man in red trousers appeared. Semaphore was our common tongue.
I looked for Vincenzo when I got off at Sorrento but he'd given up on me. I hoped it wasn't the straw hat.