Ciao Firenze; Hallo Potsdam

The night of Easter T and I went back to the square for my last time-- mz last time this trip, anyway. We sat with out Torre wine and listened to Ken play for a while before we saw Ian, sitting with Ken's girlfriend (I learned alot about Ken via Ian and unfortunately he's taken. But she smiles alot and I'm just a dreamer and we had wine and the world is happy) drinking wine. We went over to him and immediately he greeted us,"girls, girls!" with arms outstretched and kisses for each of our cheeks.
M came shortly after and met Ian. She got the same three questions and also a chocolate Easter egg from Ian, who had gotten them from the bakery that leaves food out for him. He passed 'em out to each of us, "Happy Easter, Happy Easter," and we drank wine and listend to music.

It started getting colder, Ken had packed up and gone home, and I had to pack up to be ready for my 8:19 AM train. I asked Ian more about that commune in France before we left. He told me that it would be a safe place for me and urged me to call them. When we finally said bye, Ian's eyes welled up for a moment. We are "in the water" together, meaning we are water signs (I think?). He said that´s why we have a connected, we're both Scorpios, "didn't you feel it when we first met, it was like, yea, it was cool. I like you, Cat Crow." I dunno much about astrology but I know something about Ian drew me to him, or him to me. I told him a couple times to email me, to assure him we'd speak again, although T has to make him an email address and show him how to use a computer, in general.
"Yes, yes," he said "I'll invite you to Toads graduation, and Toads wedding! He's no longer 'weaving roses for the dead' now, is he? Not so morbid, now, Toad." And I could see a brighter future for Toad already.
We hugged a couple times and I hated to see him sad.It's alwazs harder to be the one who stays, you know? And I have friends to go see, places to go, family who cares about me, food at my finger tips. Ian never mentioned his family. He's a street person, afterall, a damn cool one.
"I'm very sorry you're leaving," he told me.
"But I'm very happy we've met," I said.
"Oh yes, me too, me too." He smiled a bit and then furrowed his brow, "You be safe," he warned, "always we aware of who you're talking too."
I assured him I'd be safe.
"May your journey be a happy one," he told me, and those words will stay with me forever.

What made Italy so wonderful were the people I met, the people I was blessed enough to chill with: T (who is so wonderful and who I sorely missed back in SB), Ian, and M, T's roomate I mentioned. We stayed up, T, her roomates and I, that night talking about love, life, and my trick to rolling a good joint. I made plans to meet M in New York on The 4th of July for a music festival, Blue Heron, where we'll camp out for a couple of days-- revel in our youth and good tunes. I already wrote in my planner/sketchbook/ scribble book "miss class Thursday." I'll be in summer school then and I figure if I plan on missing class I might miss less class overall. If I know in advance I'll miss Thursday, I'll be less likely to miss that Monday, Tuesday, Wed. It's all very logical.

T walked with me to the train station the next morning and I spent the entire day on the train, or trains, I should say-- four to be exact. I had Voltaire, Leary, and a collection of Italian short stories with me. Voltaire kept me sane, especially when my gigantic backpack ("Hans") and I were kicked out of our seats by some sharp people with reservations. I rode more than 5 stops sitting on Hans or leaning against him on the floor between train cars.

Just when I was thinking this day was "off," Marge hopped on the train. She'd been visiting extended family in Hannau and now we were riding together, Marge, Hans, and I to Berlin. "Prost," a ticket-man, walking past and seeing our beers in our hands (I love Germany), "cheers"ed us, and I knew then, things were back to the heightened state of Perfect I've been accustomed to of late. Marge and I spoke "drunken baby Deutsch" (but really, we're not that bad) for most of the ride, got into Potsdam at midnight, and I've been enjoying nature, health, and wurst ever since.

Already we've had Banana beer (which is really, really good), I've been running, loving being out of the city and back into nature (romance of cigarettes has faded completely), have a crush on a bartender (but probably, not really), and we're going to A CONCERT TONIGHT! wooooo!

may your days be filled with music! And "your journey a happy one"!
Love,love

cat

P.S. It'a John the Baptist's finger supposedly held in Santa Croce, and it was Michaelangelo's body that was stolen. I want to emphasize again that I saw Dante's Tomb (!!!), and that it's interesting that people collect bodies. People all over do it, you know, like cemetaries and stuff, head stones. We're very much like Elephants, or Elephants like us... especially as Americans. (joking, haha?). PEACE