To Rome With Love

I had a dream to never return.

("FLY" by Domenico Modugno)

I painted my hands and face blue.

Then suddenly I was abducted by the wind,

and I started to fly in the infinite sky.

Flying, oh, oh

Singing, oh, oh, oh, oh

Into the blue painted blue

I was happy to be there.

And I flew flew happily,

higher than the sun, and still higher.

As the world slowly disappeared far away,

soft music played only for me.

Flying, oh, oh

Singing, oh, oh, oh, oh

Come, come, come.

Oh-oh, a damned barrier. Bang!

Sorry. I don't speak English very well.

I'm from Roma. My job, as you can see,

is to see that the traffic move.

I stand up here, and I see everything.

All people. I see life.

In this city, all is a story.

See that young man over there?

He's a Roman, Michelangelo.

Oh, uh... Excuse me.

Um... Trevi Fountain?

- Uh... so it's two blocks...

- Uh-huh, two blocks...

- and then across the piazza.

- OK, and that's Piazza Mignanelli?

- No.

- OK, no. Piazza di Spagna is this... No?

- No. This is Piazza Venezia, right?

- OK.

Look, I'll show you.

Um... this is Piazza...

I don't... I don't know.

Uh, look, you know what?

I'm going that way, I can show you.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

You speak very good English.

That's because of my work.

I visit New York often.

Oh, that's where I'm from.

- What do you do?

- I'm a lawyer.

- And you're, let me guess, a tourist.

- For the summer.

- I'm Hayley. Hi.

- Hi. Michelangelo.

It's been an unbelievable summer.

We read about in all those romantic

novels, American goes to Rome,

meets handsome Roman at Trevi Fountain.

No, he's utterly adorable.

Now, Antonio and Milly

were also a young couple in Rome.

They married in the little town of Pordenone,

and came to Rome for their honeymoon

with plans to settle there.

And then there was that well-known

American architect,

concluding his vacation

with a few days in Rome.

And finally, we meet Leopoldo Pisanello,

an average Roman citizen of the middle class,

dependable, agreeable, predictable.

I think it happened so fast.

I can't wait to bring you home

and introduce you to my parents.

I can't wait to meet them.

- It is delicious.

- Buono, mama.

And what do you do, Hayley?

Uh... I'm self-employed.

I help clients find art.

My background is in fine art.

He's lawyer. I'm very proud.

All my children, I work night and day

so they get to education.

We want to meet your parents.

They come to Rome?

Oh... well, yes, as a matter of fact,

they're on their way.

Ladies and gentlemen, we're beginning our

descent into Fiumicino airport in Rome.

We may experience some turbulence.

Please keep your seat belts fastened,

and make sure all trays

are in appropriate position.

Great, turbulence!

My favorite!

No. You just relax and

stop clenching your fists.

I can't unclench when this turbulence...

You know I'm an atheist.

I don't like this. It's bumping.

The plane is bumping.

- I don't like it moves like that.

- I can't wait to meet her fiance.

You know he's a communist.

There's not even a communist party here anymore.

No, he's just very very left.

Hey, listen, I was very left

when I was his age too.

But... but I was never a communist.

I couldn't share a bathroom.

Ok... He's not a communist,

he's just a do-gooder.

What... what does it mean, "a do-gooder"?

Who believes not into

material possessions, you know.

What? Well, look,

if she's gonna marry an Italian,

I want her to marry somebody with,

you know, with material possessions,

with a yacht, with a couple of Ferraris,

with... with a villa in Sardinia, you know.

Don't you want our little Hayley

to marry into a "Eurotrash"?

Wow, I don't like it.

- I don't the plane does that!

- Just stop it!

- It's not...

- Stop it! Just relax.

- I don't like it. I get a bad feeling.

- OK? Breathe.

Please.

Thank you.

- You like this? - A lot.

- It's beautiful. - Yes, Yes.

Look, love, it's late.

My uncles are coming. Come on.

Yes, but what if they don't like me,

what will we do?

- Love, but what do you care?

- Be... - You are so beautiful!

You just have to be yourself.

Don't worry.

They are important people. Maybe a little

harsh, but not put off.

They are nice.

Next week I will be working in their company.

I do not want to say or do things that could compromise...

.. this wonderful opportunity that they offer.

- You will do nicely. Trust me.

Will I? - Of course.

Listen, what I was saying

on the train...

Yes, I will probably miss

Pordenone,...

.. But it is a job that I cannot refuse.

Do you realize!

If all goes well, we will live in Rome.

We will meet wonderful people.

We will have children.

And maybe one day we will have a

villa with servants, like my uncles.

Yes, but I have to go to the hairdresser.

I look like a schoolhouse teacher

with this hair.

- I should be a little 'more chic.

- It 's late. You have to go now?

- It'll only take a moment. I'll be quick.

- I would not make them wait...

- Okay. Hurry though, eh?

- Okay.

- Goodbye.

- Hurry up, eh.

I'm sorry,

the hairdresser is full.

- There is no one else around here?

- Sure.

You leave the building, go right,

second left,...

.. Pass under an arch,

immediately to the right, there is a bridge.

After the bridge, the first

left, straight ahead.

- It is on the right.

- Thank you.

The food is better than Malibu,

I would say that.

I can't wait to do some sight seeing.

Oh, John can show us around.

He used to live here.

Oh, God, Carol.

It was thirty years ago.

So?

- It must've been great then.

- That was fabulous.

I was young and in love,

and a complete fool.

But it's the eternal city,

it never changes.

And I too want to go to see the ruins.

It is Rome after all.

All those old ruins just depress me.

I'll get Ozymandias melancholia.

Besides, I saw it all when I lived here.

So we'll leave you and then

we'll hook up later. OK?

I'm just not a good sightseer.

I prefer just to walk through the streets.

"Ozymandias melancholia",

where did you get that phrase?

"ARRIVEDERCI ROMA" by Renato Rascel

(Instrumental Version)

Excuse me, are you...

are you John Foye?

Yes. How do you know that?

Right. I recognized your picture

from the Herald Tribune.

You designed all those shopping malls.

- That's how you're picking me?

- No, I'm an architect.

- Well, studying to be, anyhow.

- Really?

Yeah. You... you working

on a project in Rome?

Uh... no, on vacation. I lived in Rome

for a year when I was your age.

- Really? Whe... Where?

- Here, Trastevere.

Yeah? I... I live here,

I'm on Via dei Uffiti.

That's my old stomping ground.

I've been wandering around all day,

I can't seem to find it.

Really? No, it's literally

two blocks up to the left.

- Well, I...

- What?

- Do you... do you want me to show you?

- I don't know if I should revisit it.

But... OK, why not?

This honey is from the square in Rome,

right in the middle.

Two euros! But it is good! Oh!

Come on, finish your breakfast. Thank you.

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