Sebastian in the poorer part of the town was lost, having found himself wandering from one unnamed street into another. It was hot, he was sticky with sweat and thirsty. Turning the corner, he saw the beautiful young woman sitting outside her house peeling potatoes.

Not one for being backward he asked, in English, ‘Why are peeling potatoes?’ ‘For a meal of course.’ A little startled at her quick reply in English, he said ‘Why in the street?’

‘Because I can and because I want to,’ she replied.

‘It doesn’t make sense to me’ said Sebastian ‘Why not use your kitchen?’

She replied, ‘As I said, because I can and because I want to, plus it’s none of your business’.

Sebastian was taken aback. This woman was not afraid of him and seemingly uninterested.

‘Okay, I guess I stepped over the line, and you are right, what you do is none of my business’. He paused, waiting for an answer but none was forthcoming.

‘You wouldn’t have a glass of water would you, I’m very thirsty and very lost’.

The woman looked at him, squinting in the sun light trying to assess if she believed him and if she wanted to help. After a long thirty seconds, she put down her knife and the potato and said ‘Okay, I will get you some water. Why are you lost? Where are you from?’

‘I am from Australia and looking for a pensione Leone. It was suggested to me by a friend but no directions.’ Sebastian paused ‘Can you help me?’

The laughter was instant and loud, and the woman bent nearly double. Gasping as she tried to speak while laughing ‘Can you not read. Look at the sign above my head. What does it say?’

Sebastian lifted his eyes to read a faded sign hanging over the doorway ‘Leone pensione’.

He reddened, gulped some air, and said ‘Oh!’ She said,

‘Are you Sebastian?’

‘Yes’

‘I am Maria, I have been waiting for you’.