by Angela McNutt (Spokane, WA)WHERE MY LACK of Italian failed this evening, a soccer ball picked up the slack. At the end of my first street stroll of Cagli, I returned to Casa Lapis to find two younger boys kicking a soccer ball back and forth. Desiring for aerobic activity I walked toward them to ask, “Posso gioccare?” Two smiles and two yeses greeted my inquiry. Introductions out of the way, the oldest brother, Andrea, spoke a little English but was too embarrassed to speak. His English, I’m sure, is much better than my Italian. At a failed attempt in asking if they each played on a team, we all shrugged our shoulders in unison and played on, void in conversation, but united in action as the ball found its way back and forth, back and forth, amongst our feet.
