"Four people get off and I swear the car feels a little empty." It seems you turned an awkward situation into a pleasant random human interaction. My favorite kind!
Jim, you know as well as I do, there is a story everywhere. The smallest incident can engender hilarity or tragedy. Just the drama of being alive is enough. So... when can we expect the next Cummings masterpiece?
Oh... worry not. It will come. At least you don't have that burden of a nagging agent. ( But If you should ever be burdened by one, send them my way please...)
Wow! The whole universe is in that story! I love it. From awkward to comfortable. From Jane Eyre to Sharron Bassano. From Italy to England to global to inner worlds abounding. Great!
If we wanted to be safe and comfortable, we could just stay home, right? I remember the adage, "A ship is safe in the harbor, but that is not what ships are for." Made sense to me. Thanks James Ron
I am reminded of riding the train from Shanghi to Beijing - wall to wall people - and everyone pointed at us - we were white and an oddity at the time - 1989.
I was with my daughter and son in law - he was born and raised in Wuhan China - so got us around and spoke the language. Even so we it was a challenge. We were there just before the Tiananmen Square massacre. The walk on the Great Wall was amazing.
Thanks Sharron for bringing me along on that leg-numbing ride of yours from Venezia Santa Lucia to Firenze. Your words made me feel the train and passengers, and recall my own travels there a few years back (I somehow managed to get a seat though). Have you also visited Bassano del Grappa, a beautiful town not far from Venice? When I first discovered your Substack, I wondered whether you might some connection to that area.
Thanks for coming along, Jim. Yes, Bassano del Grappa is such a lovely little town. Here is a comical three minute tale of Bassano that you will like if you have ever been there.
No, but I've lived in Italy for a bit and love the culture, the language, la bellezza. I took a slow little train across the mountains from Trento to Bassano del Grappa, and spent a magical afternoon walking around that lovely town. Would've enjoyed an impromptu aria from a balcony like you did, but that wasn't in the cards for me. Lucky you!
We are both so fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel. It gives us a vast storehouse of exhilarating memories that never fade. When we can no longer physically travel, we travel in our heads train by train, bus by bus, back to all the many places we have witnessed. You know what I mean, Jim, I am sure.
Yes, I guess nearly any situation can be changed by just changing the angle , the personal point of view. Thanks Heather, for reading this foolishness. I KNOW how busy you are and I am honored that you come back to 🍁Leaves.
Never know where the needed support will come from. I have flowers and hummers too, that enhance my mood. Well, and also a small bottle of expensive gin ( medicinal purposes.) Okay. It is 9 o'clock, Heather. Step away from the computer and head for the shower. Oh wait, that would be me...
Ah, well, we don't travel for comfort, do we? We travel to be shaken -- and stirred. Thanks for reading my stories,Rebecca. I somehow have the vague feeling that I am penciled in on one of your TO DO organizational lists, and it makes me smile to picture myself there.
Always fine stories of your travels to Italy and Scotland!
Thanks Linda. A small incident that apparently made a big memory for me. You never know where a story will arise, do you?
"Four people get off and I swear the car feels a little empty." It seems you turned an awkward situation into a pleasant random human interaction. My favorite kind!
Jim, you know as well as I do, there is a story everywhere. The smallest incident can engender hilarity or tragedy. Just the drama of being alive is enough. So... when can we expect the next Cummings masterpiece?
Right now I feel a little bit like Kenneth in "A Letter From Proxmire," minus the nagging literary agent. Haha!
Oh... worry not. It will come. At least you don't have that burden of a nagging agent. ( But If you should ever be burdened by one, send them my way please...)
Will do!
I'll remember that "best ride ever" script and see if it works wherever there is a cram. )))
Ah well, maybe you had to be there...
Wow! The whole universe is in that story! I love it. From awkward to comfortable. From Jane Eyre to Sharron Bassano. From Italy to England to global to inner worlds abounding. Great!
You are a sweetheart. I am happy you still come over to read at 🍁Leaves, Deborah.
You make things so real that I feel I am there. What a nice twist at the end.
Thank you, Wade. Everything is relative, isn't it! I have so many crazy incidents in my memory bank.
Grin and bear it - and remember it for future stories. Felt like I was there also. 👍!
If we wanted to be safe and comfortable, we could just stay home, right? I remember the adage, "A ship is safe in the harbor, but that is not what ships are for." Made sense to me. Thanks James Ron
I am reminded of riding the train from Shanghi to Beijing - wall to wall people - and everyone pointed at us - we were white and an oddity at the time - 1989.
How brave you were! Traveling in China in 1989 was quite the challenge I would imagine!
I was with my daughter and son in law - he was born and raised in Wuhan China - so got us around and spoke the language. Even so we it was a challenge. We were there just before the Tiananmen Square massacre. The walk on the Great Wall was amazing.
Wow! What a memorable experience, Janice!
That it was!!!
Thanks Sharron for bringing me along on that leg-numbing ride of yours from Venezia Santa Lucia to Firenze. Your words made me feel the train and passengers, and recall my own travels there a few years back (I somehow managed to get a seat though). Have you also visited Bassano del Grappa, a beautiful town not far from Venice? When I first discovered your Substack, I wondered whether you might some connection to that area.
Thanks for coming along, Jim. Yes, Bassano del Grappa is such a lovely little town. Here is a comical three minute tale of Bassano that you will like if you have ever been there.
https://sharronbassano.substack.com/p/bassano-del-grappa
My Bassano ancestors were fishermen from the Ligurian coast. Do you have Italian roots?
No, but I've lived in Italy for a bit and love the culture, the language, la bellezza. I took a slow little train across the mountains from Trento to Bassano del Grappa, and spent a magical afternoon walking around that lovely town. Would've enjoyed an impromptu aria from a balcony like you did, but that wasn't in the cards for me. Lucky you!
We are both so fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel. It gives us a vast storehouse of exhilarating memories that never fade. When we can no longer physically travel, we travel in our heads train by train, bus by bus, back to all the many places we have witnessed. You know what I mean, Jim, I am sure.
When you blurted out, "Man, this is the best train ride I have ever had! Isn't this fun!" ....you had me!
Such a simple decision made such a difference.
Yes, I guess nearly any situation can be changed by just changing the angle , the personal point of view. Thanks Heather, for reading this foolishness. I KNOW how busy you are and I am honored that you come back to 🍁Leaves.
Not foolishness. Fantasticness.
PS - I almost crashed and burned yesterday. Thank heavens my flowers, hummers, and bees were there to talk me off the ledge haha!
Never know where the needed support will come from. I have flowers and hummers too, that enhance my mood. Well, and also a small bottle of expensive gin ( medicinal purposes.) Okay. It is 9 o'clock, Heather. Step away from the computer and head for the shower. Oh wait, that would be me...
Ah, there are often pleasures to be found in shared experience, however uncomfortable!
I loved this: "In Bologna, four people get off and I swear the car seems a little empty."
♥️
Ah, well, we don't travel for comfort, do we? We travel to be shaken -- and stirred. Thanks for reading my stories,Rebecca. I somehow have the vague feeling that I am penciled in on one of your TO DO organizational lists, and it makes me smile to picture myself there.
In ink, Sharron! Important people I would like to reply to absolutely make it onto that list!
I love the 'shaken... and stirred' comment related to travel - yes and yes! 🙌