Posted by on Nov 18, 2017 | 20 comments

image

HEY, you guys–put this TV on the right station, okay?  It’s the DERBY!!!

Well, all I can say tonight is definitely TV in that we are all three watching the famous Derby–a soccer match between la Roma team and the Lazio team, dire enemies and from the same town.  Each large town in Italy has two teams and people root for one or the other and we are romanisti, fans of the Roma.  In fact, every time mamma takes a taxi, she asks the driver if he follows soccer, so that she can chat a bit about Italy’s favourite pastime, and if the guy is a laziale (as they are called), there is not much conversation after that.  But if he is a romanista, oh, boy, they yak and yak for the whole ride.

And one day, a really rough taxi driver was a little too rude to mamma, who had all sorts of packages and couldn’t manage and he was no help at all and even so mamma left him a tip on the seat of the car and he didn’t see it and started complaining about not getting a tip (on the seat of the car, remember) and mamma stalked off but turned around immediately, saying, “Well, it is CLEAR that you are probably a LAZIALE, right?” And that was the end of that.

And of course he was, mean as a mad rattler.  The laziali do NOT have a good reputation nor a lot of affection from romanisti, but it takes two teams to make a ball game, right?

image

But it’s nice that there are always little kids who come in with the players.  This first guy in the line is Dzeko, our attacker who is HUGE and a top scorer.

It’s really nice having a team you love and follow, especially if the team is very, very good and the Roma is WONDERFUL.   Even I watch every game (do I have a choice?  My couch is next to the TV and I’m not budging…).

image

Two of our favorites, Dzeko and Perotti, giving each other a high five after a play.

Sorry, I have to run because the game is staring in a few minutes and I can’t miss the kick off!

image

HEY, GUYS, do it like THIS! Right in the net!

image

Later…..WE WON–2-1!!!

 

 

WE WON