Kaput

So we headed out this morning to the Museum of Rome Liberation.  Meh.  All in Italian and rather underwhelming, compared to the Gestapo museum in Cologne.

We pushed on to the Church of San Clemente.  A really cool archeological site, which (for a 10 Euro fee) allowed us to go deep underground to see 1st century ruins.  Pretty cool.  I surfaced and walked out onto a large sidewalk at a corner.  There was a women sitting on a park bench.

I sat down next to her, facing in the opposite direction.  She was desperately trying to light her cigarette with a BIC lighter.  Flick... Flick.. Flick she went and nothing.  Finally I turned and motioned for her to hand me the lighter.  She was an old woman, with years of experience on her face.  She handed me the lighter.  I shook it (that works sometimes) and flick... flick... flick.  Nada.  I looked her square in the eye and said “KAPUT”.

She erupted in an outrageous laugh, which was as infectious as a cold in a day care center.  Within seconds, we were both laughing hilariously (like a couple of teenagers at two in the morning).  We laughed for 45 non-top seconds - one of those stress relieving belly laughs that brings tears to your eyes.

I said “un momento”.  I stood up, spying a mini market across the street.  I walked there and for 1 Euro purchased a mini BIC lighter.  I returned, handed her the BIC and she lit her cigarette.  She started to hand me the lighter.  I held up my hand and said “no”.  She smiled, thanked me profusely and a minute later, we both departed.  

Just a moment in time...