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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
During the fifth month of my stay in Rome I received a most agreeable surprise from Dr. Charles V. Paterno. He had come to Italy for the first time since leaving as a little boy in 1887 [correction: 1885], had visited our town and planned to meet me in Rome on his return trip. My father, informing me of the coming visitor, had sent me a little extra cash for entertainment expenses. The understanding was that I would call on Dr. Paterno at his hotel. Much to my confusion, one early morning in February 1903, the honor guest popped into the little room which Papa and I were sharing in Via Sicilia. He was twenty-six; but with a thick beard, a la King George, he looked ten years older and seemed proud of it. He took great delight in catching me unaware – a little mischievous trait which I found later to be part of his jovial nature. Dr. Paterno spoke Italian haltingly and with a foreign accent, but succeeded in choosing the right words. After a preliminary exchange of information, the guest said that his visit was limited to a few days and that he wanted to see as much of Rome as possible. That was a welcome opportunity to display my knowledge recently acquired.
We traveled by cab which for me was an exciting experience. Dr. Paterno particularly enjoyed my trading with the cab drivers to fix the fare from place to place. We made a rather extensive tour, stopping for meals at restaurants where the food and wine were known to be good and the charges moderate. But I never had a chance to be the host. Dr. Paterno was already well-to-do and I didn’t really feel uncomfortable when he insisted on paying the bills.
The American visitor had with him the startling novelty of a phonograph, with cylindrical records, and one morning I found him dancing to the tune of his phonographic music…with a very attractive chambermaid, Maria. He still recalls the incident with a naughty twinkle. We had a grand time and established relations which, I am happy to say, have increased in mutual cordiality with the passing years.
Next: Chapter 18
