The Russian, #Modernshabby family

Guess who's coming to dinner...

Dominic remained alone. The rest of the family went to the Fiumicino airport. They should be back any minute. There is still a moment of tranquility to be enjoyed in peace. The silence and the scent of wisteria. Domenico is standing under the arbor. With undisguised pride observes the set table, the old tablecloth of large family feasts, the large squares. Some big wine stain emerges here and there among the paintings, regardless of the hundreds of washings. Few stories, the tablecloth is made to cover the table and the table is made to eat! And today the eating is a spectacle: a seafood menu is waiting to be completed in the kitchen, inside the cottage. Here on the table there are already wine flasks. And there are the appetizers, the stuffed tielle mussels, cod, zucchini and onions. But above all, they are here, the queens of every lunch, dinner or snack-respecting, the Gaeta olives. The local specialty that marked the life of Domenico. He began his grandfather Peppino in the 60s, continued his father Gaetano, and now it's him. For the people of the country is the Olivaro Domenico. The olives cultivates and sells. But above all the eats. He bites a couple at a time while giving a final controlled at the table, the covered following an established scheme here is the place of Mary, his wife, then Francis and Adele the two little ones, Philip goes to the medium. It 'a big family. With Lucia, the eldest daughter, I am six. Lucia, his favorite girl and the big birthday of the day. He returns today from England after three months of language training. For Dominic it was hard to let her go, she is seventeen and these days ... Well, he thought, these days, if you do not let them go, they go away by themselves. Domenico is in love with his land, the traditions, but it is not a closed-minded. How often he likes to remember, laughing, as Totò, he is a man of the world, he has been in the military in Cuneo. England is a bit 'higher, over the Alps, as well as the good vineyards, there are olive groves there. He bites another oil while watching the place of Lucia. Six covered, plus one. Lucia announced it would come in the company of a friend. The new boyfriend. The first. Not just a novelty. Sure, you're just kids, you have to be open, but also be fools not good. And then let's see it this boy. Add a place at the table that there is one more friend, as in the song. The mysterious guest is assigned at the head what was the place of his grandfather Peppino, usually vacant, the decided Maria and Domenico did not take beak. However, it gives him a strange effect, mainly because the host does not know anything yet, apart from the name, Jonathan. Lucia wants to be a surprise. Domenico hopefully it's a good surprise. He did not ask further. Can you imagine how that blond footballer who seems a photo of what you can find the barber, that Beckham or maybe it's black like that actor in the film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". It was a good play. Domenico though still remembers. A white girl wore to dinner by the parents the color boyfriend. It was no surprise, those were other times. And other countries. America. Domenico thinks that here blacks, whites and reds are all welcome, just be good. Like wine. Maybe that Jonathan is a verduzzo. Eat another oil and laughs. The boys dressed up to the nines with the arbor of Italy and England flags. Domenico is ashamed to admit it, but it's a bit 'nervous, are only boys, but is keen to make a good impression, especially in front of the daughter. She wants to show her that even though he never crossed the Alps, is not that paisà that she playfully accuses him of being. For this, he prepared a surprise, secretly, two hours locked in his study, dictionary in hand. Now it has a piece of paper in his pocket with the basics for a give Jonathan a uelcom, in perfect inglisc language. It will be a very internescional conversation. Domenico is ready. At the appropriate time, it is showcasing its unexpected capacity. And that time is coming. The family van, the old Volkswagen Transporter, which usually use for the delivery of the olives, enters the courtyard. And 'cluttered, but of people. And life. First down the boys, chattering. So, Maria, his wife, with a smile to forty teeth, a grin that was almost a laugh.

Dominic asks: "Are you all right?"

And she replies: "Ah, ha ha, real gud, very well!"

The wife is an ironic woman, always ready to tease him, and now seems to have one more reason, he would like to know which one, but there is no time to talk.

Here's Lucy, she's beautiful, happy and well-fleshed. In the end he did not make the hunger there.

In an energetic hug following a: "But so what? !!". But the question remains suspended in the air. Because Dominic is thinking of him, the stranger, de streinger.

It 'Lucia to take the plunge: "Dad, he's Jonathan". Behind the check daughter a tall, skinny and carrot-like Pippi Longstocking.

Domenico shakes his hand with unusual force: "Hallo John, never name is Domenic, but you can with me Mimmo."

Lucia reacts embarrassed to show off the language of his father: "But Dad !!!"

But Dominic insists: "Eh, I prepared a sentence"

Lucia tries again to no avail, "No, Dad, wait !!"

Dominic does not want to listen to reason: "Shut up everybody, I am now speaking. To spik !! "

Lucia: "Mioddio, oh my God! ..."

Dominic: "Hallo Jonathan Ai em ... em ...". Like a broken record, has a moment of confusion, then with visible embarrassment, pulled from his pocket a piece of paper: "I am prepared, to hev Appointmnt! Em to the real EPPI ov mit iu. Dis is never famili. En dis is never dotar. "Lucia mentions a sign of protest, but Domenico continues unperturbed:" if lov iu de dotar, lov iu de famili. Uelcom you Gaeta "

Everyone turns out Jonathan, embarrassed smiles: "Thank you, Mr. Dominic, is a beautiful welcome. And I already feel at home, because, Lucia and I we met in London, but I ... I ... Frascati. "

Everyone bursts out laughing, Maria embraces her husband good-naturedly.

Dominic: "Eh, what? ... Between snapshots, here in the province of Rome ... "

Lucia: "No, Dad, Frascati in the province of Manchester!"

And now another burst of laughter. Dominic tries to overcome the embarrassment: "Heh heh, eee but say not before? Well, then you're one of us, eh, force Roma! "

Jonathan exchanged a quick glance with Lucia then replies: "Sorry, still mythical Lazio"

Domenico, the second consecutive gaffe, not discouraged, is a tough cookie, like those of its olives: "Come here boy, let's have a glass. Red or white? Red, uait? "

Taking him by the arm takes him away from the table, Lucia distant snatches of her father's jokes: "Let two olives! As they say in English?". Sees him pull from his pocket his notes: "Wait I have it here ..." Jonathan blunt: "But it does not, it does not matter." But Dominic insists: "Wait, Olive, O 'Live! Oh, LAIV! ". As every lunch, like everything else, it starts with the olives. And it is just the beginning.