Part 4 (1/2)
CHAPTER NINE.
”Let them go,” said Luca. ”They'll wait up for us on the other side.” said Luca. ”They'll wait up for us on the other side.”
They were pedalling up a steep section of road, struggling to keep pace with the lithe younger riders ahead who danced along effortlessly on the pedals. It had been weeks since Peppi last rode his bike with any regularity and months since he trained on any hills. His legs and lungs were on fire. His only comfort was the knowledge that Luca, judging by his labored breathing, was suffering just as much.
The ride had started out pleasantly enough. As they rode along out of town, Luca had introduced Peppi to the rest of the group. From their reaction, Peppi could tell that his name had been mentioned before. ”That's Peppi,” he had heard the younger riders whispering respectfully. ”Luca's old teammate. He won a sack of races in his day.” That he had been so well remembered gave Peppi a warm feeling inside.
Now, however, that comfortable feeling of warmth in Peppi's heart and soul had turned into the acute discomfort of his aching leg muscles as the road grew steeper still. He and Luca slowed to a crawl, so much so that the two were almost in danger of falling over sideways. It was only pride and sheer determination that spared them both from the humiliation of having to dismount and walk the last few meters to the top; they would have preferred to drop dead on that very spot. Mercifully, the road leveled out as they reached the summit of the climb. They pedalled over the top and were greeted by the view of a long, gloriously flat road winding its way through the valley below.
”I think...you've suffered...enough...for today,” declared Luca between gulps of air.
”There's...always...tomorrow,” Peppi puffed in reply.
They coasted down the hill and gradually caught up to the other riders. By then the group had settled into a moderate tempo, allowing Peppi and Luca to cling to the back with a reasonable amount of effort. Soon they had recovered enough to join in the paceline. Peppi stayed behind Luca, letting him lead the way up to the front as he had done so often years ago when the two raced together. Luca had just reached the front of the line and was taking his pull into the wind when Peppi happened to look down for the first time at the rear derailleur of his friend's bicycle.
”Luca!” exclaimed Peppi. ”You're using s.h.i.+mano?”
”So what?” called Luca over his shoulder. He pulled off to the side to allow Peppi to pa.s.s to the front of the line.
”A nice Italian boy like you, using j.a.panese components instead of Campagnolo,” said Peppi, clicking his tongue as he went by. ”I don't believe it.”
”Hey, welcome to the global economy,” replied Luca with a shrug. ”I would have thought a nice American boy like you would understand.”
At that the two of them laughed. The others in the group smiled and laughed with them for it was good to see two old friends reunited after so many years. The whole crew pedalled on, jabbering all the while about little else but racing and riding, about derailleurs and pedals and gear sets and wheel hubs and about who was going to win the Giro that year. Those were the things most important to them at the moment; little else matters when you are riding a bike.
When they all finally returned to Villa San Giuseppe, it was nearing midday and the bright sun warmed the piazza as the riders rolled in. They gathered once more around the fountain and chatted a while longer before heading their separate ways for Sunday dinner. Before long only Peppi and Luca remained. They got off their bikes and sat on the steps by the fountain.
Peppi looked about the piazza, trying to reconcile his memories of the place with the scene now presented to his eyes.
”Things have changed,” he said.
Luca looked about the piazza with him. ”Everything changes,” he replied. ”But you know, at the same time, everything stays the same. Sometimes it all just looks different to you.”
”But where did all these cars come from?” said Peppi. ”When I left there were maybe one or two in the whole town. Now it looks like everyone has one.”
”Ayyy, that was after the war when you left,” said Luca with a wave of his hand. ”No one had anything back then. Life is easier these days. If you'd stuck around, you might have a car or two of your own by now.”
”I'd still prefer my bike,” said Peppi.
Luca grinned and nodded in agreement. ”Your Italian is still very good, by the way,” he told Peppi. ”I'm surprised you haven't forgotten it after all these years.”
”You can take the boy out of Villa San Giuseppe, but it's hard to get Villa San Giuseppe out of the boy,” said Peppi.
”Bravo,” said Luca. Then he paused and gazed at his friend for a time. He nodded his head toward Peppi's hand. said Luca. Then he paused and gazed at his friend for a time. He nodded his head toward Peppi's hand.
”I see a ring on your finger, Peppi,” he said, ”but I don't hear you mention a wife.”
Peppi looked down at his hand and shrugged. ”I can't bring myself to take it off,” he replied.
”I understand,” said Luca. ”Children?”
Peppi shook his head. ”How about you?”
”Two,” said Luca, unable to suppress a smile at the thought of his children. ”A son and daughter, and two grandchildren! Who would have imagined, eh?”
”That's wonderful,” said Peppi. ”When do I get to meet them all?”
”Soon,” said Luca, ”but first, amico mio, amico mio, tell me what finally brings you all the way back to visit Villa San Giuseppe after all these years?” tell me what finally brings you all the way back to visit Villa San Giuseppe after all these years?”
”I haven't come to visit,” said Peppi. ”I've come to stay.”
”To stay?” stay?” said Luca, surprised but clearly delighted by the news. ”But where, here in town?” said Luca, surprised but clearly delighted by the news. ”But where, here in town?”
”I thought I'd live in the mulino,” Peppi answered. ”In the house where I grew up. It's still mine by right.”
”Il mulino?” said Luca thoughtfully. said Luca thoughtfully.
”Yes,” said Peppi. ”I want to go see it right now before I go back to Sulmona for my things. Why don't you come along, just in case I've forgotten the way.”
”Well-yes, of course,” said Luca, his brow furrowed. ”But first, why don't we go to my house. My wife is making dinner. I can give you some dry clothes to put on, we can eat and talk, and later on I'll drive you back to Sulmona. Then we can go see the mulino.”
”Okay,” said Peppi. ”A nice home-cooked meal sounds very good to me right now.”
”Va bene,” said Luca, patting him on the back. said Luca, patting him on the back. ”Andiamo.” ”Andiamo.”
”I hope your wife won't mind having an unexpected guest.”
”Don't worry,” Luca a.s.sured him as they pedalled off. ”You'll like my wife. She's the best cook in all Abruzzo!”
CHAPTER TEN.
Luca and Peppi were discussing peppers and tomatoes and the cultivation of grapes when they finally came to the house a short time later. Luca lamented his lack of time to spend taking proper care of his garden. were discussing peppers and tomatoes and the cultivation of grapes when they finally came to the house a short time later. Luca lamented his lack of time to spend taking proper care of his garden.
”The factory keeps me busy almost every day,” he complained to Peppi. ”And then if I feel like riding my bike for a while-well, there just aren't enough hours to the day.”
”You just need to get up earlier in the morning,” Peppi chided him.
”You and my wife should get along very well,” said Luca with a rueful sigh.
Filomena had seen them walking their bikes by the factory and up the path to the house. She a.s.sumed that her husband was dragging home to dinner another hungry straggler from his pack of cycling cronies. The extra plate was already set on the table by the time the two walked through the door.
Besides Filomena, Luca's son, Costanzo, was there with his wife, Maria, and their two teenage children, Gianni and Vittoria. Only Luca's daughter, Lucrezia, who had gone to visit friends in Pescara, was missing. When Luca first introduced Peppi, all of them, Filomena included, gaped at the newcomer as if they could not believe their eyes.
”You are Peppi?” said Gianni with great respect. ”The bicycle racer?” are Peppi?” said Gianni with great respect. ”The bicycle racer?”