Page 32 of Two Chances With You

“I can’t believe what assholes you men all are. The three of them, taking advantage of one girl, all alone, what pieces of shit!”

We sit in silence, and I continue to drive. Gin turns up the radio. “I really like this song. Do you know what the words mean?”

I try to listen to it but I can’t lie to myself. I’ve learned perfectly well how to use a computer, how to do graphics, 3D and all the rest, but I’ve always struggled with English. “I get some of it…”

“It says, ‘Don’t know much about history, don’t know much biology…’” Gin continues to translate, saving me from embarrassment.

I listen to her. “I like those words.”

“It’s a pretty song.”

I don’t know why, but it seems to have just happened along, perfect for the moment. “Yes, it’s pretty.”

And right away, another song starts on the radio. This time, though, I don’t have any problems. “You, dressed in flowers or headlights in the city, in the fog or in colors, picking roses barefoot and then…” I let myself go. I look out, into the dark of night. One of those strange coincidences, the right music at the right moment, a car that doesn’t belong to you, a road without streetlights, without traffic, the infinite in front of you, a girl at your side. A very pretty girl, by the way.

She adjusts her jacket. “How long until we’re supposed to be there?”

Just then we pass the exit right before the tunnel for Prima Porta. They’re all there, Bardato, Manetta, Zurli, Blasco, and some other people besides. I also glimpse a few women. I zip past without stopping.

“No, we’ll be there in a minute.” I accelerate, but anyway I’m pretty sure they don’t recognize me. They expect me to come on a motorcycle. And alone. Instead I’m in a car and withher. I go on driving as if nothing had happened. Gin looks out the window.

“You see that? There’s a group right there, waiting for someone who’s running late. What a ridiculous place to arrange to meet someone.”

She looks at me right after she says it. My heart is pounding. I can’t believe she’s figured it out.

“Right, what a ridiculous place.”

She continues looking at me. “This is a strange situation, isn’t it?”

“What situation?” I hope she doesn’t want to talk about the group again.

“Well, the fact that we’re here in this car, you and me, two perfect strangers. And all sorts of things have happened. The minute we met we were already practically having a fistfight. And all over just twenty euros.”

“Which you were trying to steal from me.”

“True, but don’t keep getting lost in the details. Then we have a blowout, and I have to change the tire.”

“Go on. Don’t you get lost in the details either.”

Gin smiles.

“Three guys stop, one of them tries to come on to me, you beat them up, and now, just to end in glory, we’re going to dinner with a group of your friends. We already seem like one of those typical couples. Just an ordinary night out, with a few unexpected twists.”

“Right, except that we’re not a couple.”

“Okay, certainly.”

I continue driving, but her statement sounds strange to me. “Well, that ‘Okay, certainly’ doesn’t just meanOkay, certainly. There’s a lot more behind it, right?” I look at her, waiting for an answer.

“Excuse me, eh, but what are we, an item, you and me?”

“Not at the moment, no.”

“No, the correct answer in this case, seeing that we’re even discussing it, should be clear and simple, justno, not ‘no, not at the moment.’ Is that understood?”

“Okay, certainly.”

“So, we’re not an item.”

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