Looking

I have to a admit it. I still like to admire pretty girls. Some might say that makes me a dirty old man. I say if a man stops looking, he’s dead.

The best girl watching I ever experienced was when I got drafted into the military and was stationed in Italy.

They were the most beautiful women I had ever seen. I fell in love the first day I was there. A guy that had been stationed there for over a year invited me for a ride down to the local bar. The open patio with umbrella-covered tables was crowded. We sat down, ordered some Peroni beers and then I saw her. She was leaning in the doorway and was engaged in a heated argument with her brother inside. I was unaccustomed to the intense emotions of Italians and her intensity captivated me. She was lean, with dark eyes and long dark hair. She was the owner’s daughter. I saw her several times during the next few weeks and then her family shut down for the winter. I didn’t really have a chance to get to know her. I was warned not to get involved as Italian fathers and brothers were protective to a fault.

During the rest of my stay in Italy the sheer number of beautiful women constantly overwhelmed me. Everywhere I looked they were there and what was great was that they looked back. Italian women didn’t feign disinterest like American women. Needless to say, I had a great two years in Italy.

Recently I returned to Italy for an extended stay. Immediately, I notice a difference in the women. The dark and lean are hard to find.. The junk food culture has spread to Italy and I was hard pressed to find a young women who didn’t have a little “tire” around her waist. Another disappointment came from the fact that they no longer looked back. Not because of culture change, but only that now, I am over 60 years old.

I was walking around downtown Naples one day going no place special. As I turned a corner I spotted a real beauty coming my way. When we were about 30 feet apart, she looked up and flashed a heart-stopping smile. I returned the smile and when we had almost met, she raised he hand and shouted, “ Ciao Armando!” She sped by me like I was invisible. That was a short life for a fantasy. In life, nothing stays the same.

Good thing for me.

That dark eyed, beauty that I had seen leaning in that doorway many years ago… I’ve been waking up next to her for over 40 years..

©2010