For the past few days in a row, I woke up to a grey and misty sky with rain coming down. The dark-colored Arno is flowing steadily toward the Ponte Vecchio. I look out my window to watch the people across the Arno walking down the street with their umbrellas bobbing up and down with each step. I can't even see beyond the low hills because of the low clouds. When I sit back down at my desk, I can hear the water splashing in the street as cars drive by.
When the rain stopped this morning, I dashed outside to buy a few groceries in via dei Neri. I spoke for a few moments to my ortolano (greengrocer). Instead of talking about the rainy weather, which is better than the cold we had a while back, we talked about the partita di calcio (soccer match) last night. We talked until another client walked in.
Before I opened the glass door to leave, I noticed that the sky had grew dark again. I looked up at the sliver of sky that is visible from via dei Neri, and noticed that it had begun raining again. I didn't bring my ombrello (umbrella) because I thought for sure that it wouldn't rain while I was out for only a few minutes.
I raced home on the sidewalk and stuck close to the palazzi (buildings) in the hopes of being protected by the roofs that jut out a bit. When I turned on my street I tried to stay on the sidewalk even though it's as narrow as a ship plank. It's never safe on the sidewalk on my street because the doors to most palazzi can open at any moment and someone can pop out unexpectedly. And, there's always the remnants that dogs leave behind on the sidewalk, which their owners tend to ignore and don't pick up as they should. If it weren't raining, I'd be walking in the street even though cars pass in the street as well. My street is in one direction, but at least half the people drive in the opposite direction so I never know if a car is behind me no matter which direction I walk in.
I make it to my front door and rush inside. As I walk up the steps, I can feel the drops of water slide down my face. When I get back inside of our apartment, I walk over to the window again. The rain is coming down even harder and I watch as some people have also found themselves unprotected from the rain.
I should remember by now that March is a bit pazzarello (capricious). And if there is at least one cloud in the sky, I should bring my ombrello just in case.
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