From The Revd Anthony Symondson, SJ Sir: It is not
only at Scratchwood that engaging Italians offer designer clothes. When I was in Rome recently a young man in a car with a puzzled expression on his face, holding a map, stopped me near the Gregorian University and asked for direc- tions to the Vatican — the quickest route, how many kilometres and so on. I explained I was walking there. He offered me a lift, said he was Brazilian, from Rio de Janeiro (he looked Sardinian), talked affectionately of his wife and four children, indicated his devotion to the Holy Father, declared he had two brothers who were studying to be Salesian priests, expressed a love of Eng- land, and produced a card which said he was a traveller for Pierre Cardin. We arrived. As I was getting out, he asked how tall I was, and produced from the back of the car, in an elaborate plastic bag, a leather suit and a pair of orange trousers, made by Versace, and offered them to me in gratitude for my help. Surprised, I said I could not possibly accept them, whereupon he said he was hungry and destitute, had I any money, these were the only things which would enable him to get a meal, they were samples and had not been stolen, all fie wanted was £50 sterling. I carry little money, but he was happy to accept L10,000 and drove away (Versace et al.) with a broad smile on his face. The next time he saw me at the same spot, still smiling, he drove even faster, wav- ing as he went.
Anthony Symondson, SJ
Bournemouth, Dorset
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