In the wake of Bella's smile

And there I was....

staring out of my inharatance,

a three hundred year old diamond

cut glass lead came window.

High on a steep terraced hillside

overlooking this early morning

sweeping sun drenched Tuscan

village.

Someone's almost perfect villa

wrapped around my lonely

undeserving sense of self.

I say almost"because of the roof,

it lay crumbled beneath my cocked

sideways terracotta dust covered

boots.

Open to the early morning sky

I too was bathing in amber light.

After clearing rubble and broken

weathered bones of left behind

old world furnishings,

I dreamt close to lathered

embers crackling in the

blackened smooth stone

fireplace under familiar stars.

The next morning I hiked down to

the village cafe where I rented a

room with a small balcony over

this quaint garden dining area.

Arousing wafts of expresso,

hints of live rosemary and

fresh baked croissants.

Lucky me, the rental sign had

just been put in the window.

I was perfectly situated across

from my beautiful Tuscan villa!

My imagination reached vividly

over my watery gray existence.

All this money falling into my lap,

some foreign land... a home....

A few weeks later Bella

the daughter of the cafe's owner,

called out to me from the street.

In her stern yet charming accent

informed me that the crate partially

blocking the patio dining entrance

was for me.

Myself, the dishwasher Carlo and

Bella stared into the opened crate.

It's this old hollywood movie prop,

the one and only iconic sea green

vintage Vespa scooter used in the

1953 film Roman Holiday.

Twenty two bids and it was all mine!

With his mouth open

Carlo's eyes swelled.

Bella turned away angrily....

I wasn't sure why.

In his excitement Carlo informed me

that his older brother Tommaso

restores and rents vintage scooters

near the Piazza Venezia in Rome, and

that I should trust only him to put it

back together.

I agreed, Carlo arranged for

it to be shipped toTommaso in Rome.

The old me had all the trust issues,

somehow the new me just let it go.

I applied for citizenship and was told

I was not to leave the country until

a decision was reached.

I felt strange about giving up on

America, at the same time I felt that

I would not live to see her truly united.

The colors of the flag seem to be

disembodied from the whole symbol.

Some white separating red from blue.

Weeks turned months as curious

Caffè Piaggio's patrions and I gazed

across at my little piece of heaven.

Measuring with my feet and sketching

plans turned into jumping through the

hoops to meet the strict renavation codes.

About the time I became a dual citizen

my new home had a reclaimed tile roof

and a balcony too!

Unfortunately Carlo disappeared

around the same time the cafe

was broken into and the cash box

was cleand out....

Bella told me she knew someone

who knew Tommaso and we should

go to Rome and possably find the Vespa.

She told me that vintage Vespas have

a way of disappearing from this part of

Toscana.

She was too beautiful and a little too young.

I wasn't sure whether I was more afraid

of getting us deep into trouble in Rome

or forgetting how older men can become

creepy to a youthful irresistible beauty.

The idea that I let slip away the

original Vespa,the very scooter that

cinematically sparked this cult classic

through androgynous joy, freedom and

a touch of lonely romantic notions....

She took my hand and pulled me on to

the southbound train. For the next

hour and a half she lived in her phone.

It was getting dark and I was

feverishly pacing in my head.

She was twirling her arms length

braid around pearlescent lavender

polished fingernails.

Her glances,soft fluid Italian voice

and reassuring smile helped keep me

seated.I was just getting adjusted to

the incredible speed of the train

as it trembled into Rome.

A short taxi ride later in a sparkling blur

of beautiful lights, she said

"Whatever happens never say my name."

"No Bella" "No Bella"....

Her glossy brown eyes locked with

mine as I gulped air and swallowed.

The car door flew open and four shapely

legs appeared in red tail light glow.

Out of thier steamy silhouette in a rushed

wispered voice"veloce veloce."

We followed them across the street and

climed into a gleaming sliver convertible.

In the back seat Bella pulled my head into

her lap....

Silenced bracelets pressed into my neck;

her forefinger touched to her lips 'shushed'

I layed there witnessing the emanating

light and shadow rome over her full lips

as her long eye lashes aimed steadily

through the sporty windshield.

Nestled below her ribs I felt her racing

pulse gaining in stride with mine.

The weight of her cool black braid rippling

across the bridge of my nose heightened

my senses as the topless night air swirled.

That full moon loreded over the

branched veining old world roads

beneath blue black cloudless sky.

After a few harsh turns we pulled into a

villa's garage and came to a slow stop.

Bella kept me in a tight grasp as four

girlish footsteps disappeared behind

a softly closed door.

She wispered

"it's under that blanket by the work bench."

We gently lifted the cover and for the

first time I saw my 1946 Vespa the first

of it's kind.

As we quietly attempted to push the Vespa

out into the moonlight I stumbled over

an oil pan and toppled a dirt bike onto

the rear bumper of the convertible

snagging me down with it.

I could hear Bella kickstarting the Vespa.

My attempts to stand seemed futile

as my feet slipped in the spreading oil.

We could hear dogs barking as a man

shouted "Silenzio! Silenzio!"

I "gulped "

Bella's struggling figure

desperately kicking away.

The door thrust open....

On went the light.

I ripped away my sleeve

rolled over and got to my feet.

The little scooter fired up!

Bella took off....

I ran out of there as a crowbar

just missed my head

violently tumbling across

the stone paved drive.

Bella skidded to a stop.

I slid onto the fender,

looking back as we pulled away

fast moving shepherds closed in.

Full throttled dirt bike screams....

Whoever was coming after us

certainly could outrun two on

a little vintage scooter....

Out of that blue smoke filled garage

came a roaring thunderous

wound out of control

head-on smoke trailing slam'

into a stammered parked

primer gray work van.

I was furled around Bella's slender

waist as gnashing fangs flanked our

tucked elbows.... they tore away

Bella's hem I could see her exposed

scratched thighs pressed together as

I screamed, kicked and pounded thier

mussels.

Cutting through open yards

we smashed through patio furniture,

then plowed through a field of

deep white lillies.

Earthy tasting blizzard of delicate

soft waxy petal flesh on my tongue,

as honeyed spice mist rushed

over us in white flickering

headlight flurry.

Soon after we made it to the road

leaving the dogs behind.

I kissed her on the cheek.

With Bella's braid alive over

my shoulder,

we leaned into the night,

into the pulsating arteries of Rome

and at times with airplane arms.

The rush of the night air foiled

away my thief of time.

Her creamy white silk blouse

whipped away at the years

between us....

I so didn't want it to end.

Then;

I wondered what Bella was...

The purr of the engine slowly

dissolved to a lonely hum....

.... I could not help the fact that I had

become infatuated with Bella,

after all, in that fleeting moment

with her in my arms...

she filled the void carved out by my

life's unfurling circumstance.

The night air mixed with the lavender

growing along this winding path.

We leaned in softly to each curve,

following small ground lights

leading to a stone arched gate

vine wrapped in blue moonflowers.

We stopped.

After a curious lengthy pause....

....."let me introduce you

to my mother."

That was the third time

I gulpt air that night.

This time her eyes smiled as I

fell into her lovely expression.

I nodded yes.

As we approached the doorway

the intricate cut glass door and

matching side lights warmly

sparkled like candlelight through

brilliant cristal.

Her name is Serafina.

Sweetly greeted by her firmiller

glossy brown gaze,delicate hands

and full lips.

Thier resemblance rekindled my

hope infused smooth blackened

stone dreams.

Her voice was distinctly unique,

a kind and gentle colored rasp

with a refined finish.

I noticed thier matching braided

hair taken in both sides of their

embrace. I was enchanted.

Over the most delicious crusty

torn pieces of sourdough plunged

in perfectly peppered tomato soup;

my half empty glass brimmed as

that night spiritually poured on.

I was taken aback as Serafina

was excited to explaine how she

was the mastermind behind this

well coordinated plan to recover

my specail storied little sea green

Vespa!

Bella's face lit with joyfull retelling

of our bumbling escape as the

beautiful smatter of white lillies

still adorned her hair.

My second chance life...

out of a iconic film and it's

timeless little heart warming

machine that bonds it's

wishful rider's together.

I graciously thanked them both.

Then offered them to go for a ride

anytime.

I could see my pining eye's

reflected in Serafina's.

She tilted her head adorably

before saying,

"let me drive"

The room glowed

in the wake of Bella's

smile.

"Fine'