http://ifcus.org/cgialfa The Jotter Pages is a glimpse into one of my many notebooks. The italics are the actual writings from my jotter and the roman type are my comments today. This entry takes place in Rome, Italy 1984.
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Thursday, October 4, 1984
Right now it is 8:00 pm and I am so pissed off. After a long trip from Paris, I am finally in a room in Rome. I arrived here early, due to my hotel room in Florence resembling a jail cell. I checked into the Florence hotel and checked out again within 10 minutes. There were no other hotels available in Florence so I took the next train to Rome. I was lucky to find a room here at the Holiday Inn until my reservation at the Pensione Merano begins in a few days. There was a bottle of champagne and two glasses on my dresser when I arrived. Welcome to Roma!
After a long day, I was too tired to venture out to a restaurant so I ordered room service. Initially, the guy who brought it up to my room seemed nice. On his way out, I asked him why I had received a bottle of champagne and he said because I was a VIP. He didn’t speak English very well and I was too tired to try and convince him I wasn’t a VIP so I just left it at that. A few minutes passed and there was a knock at my door and it was him again. He said that the champagne was delivered to the wrong room but that I could keep it.
Later that evening, he returned to my room to collect my dinner tray and offered to open the bottle of champagne for me. His name was Fabrizio and he was quite handsome with thick black hair and Italian features. We began to chat and he poured me a glass….and then poured himself one too. Before I know it, this bellboy was sitting on the edge of my bed very close to me. I ‘m thinking, “What the hell is this guy doing?” Fabrizio tells me he must leave and he leans over and begins to make out with me. I pushed him away and pointed to the tray, telling him to get out. He matter of factly collected my tray and left without a word.
I hope Fabrizio doesn’t come back here later. I wont answer the door if there’s a knock. From now on I am not going to tell anyone I am traveling alone….I guess it was stupid to tell Fabrizio. Live and learn.
8:30 pm. I just came back from putting my jewelry and travelers checks in the hotel safe. I met Fabrizio in the hallway near my room. He then proceeded to walk with me toward my room so I turned to him and said a stern “Goodnight.” He asked if I would like to invite him in. I replied, “No.” Then he says he wants to apologize about before. I said goodnight again and went into my room and quickly locked the door. I am so glad there’s a chain on this door because Fabrizio could probably get himself a key. A chair in front of the door wont hurt either.
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The Italians and I certainly had different ideas about room service.
I like to think that I am a much smarter traveler now some 27 years later. Although, the thought of a little room service……
