Leaf 3…

“Ferodo, look out !” said Alynn, as Ferodo, distracted, lurched across the road.  The car braked, Ferodo saw the car, and the driver in a black leather jacket – finger up – and with his head out of the window yelling in italian as he screamed away.  Ferodo saw the street and the car with extreme clarity and just got himself together when his cellphone rang.  He fumbled all through his coat, and got the phone. Green button ok, “Yes” said Ferodo. “Nin Hao Mr Ferodo” said the voice on the phone. “Someone from Taiwan” said Ferodo, “Taiwan !” said Alynn, “Get off the road” she screamed again.  “OK OK” said Ferodo jumping back on the curb. “Keep it cool”.

As Ferodo got back on the curb, the Taiwanese concierge at the grand hotel Kaosiung was on the phone, to let him know that his limo he had ordered earlier that day had arrived and he should come down to the lobby now.

Suddenly Ferodo found himself not on the curb but in the Hotel in Kaosiung. In his room, no Alynn, no Rome, and on his cell phone to the concierge.  The red light flashing on his room phone.

The fire alarm suddenly went off in the room.  He shut the cellphone, dived for the door, mainly to escape the incessant alarm.  He couldn’t smell any smoke decided on eight flights of stairs rather than the elevator. Started down and ended up in the lobby.

There in the lobby was a mild form of panic, people in pyjamas, t-shirts, suits, and other forms of dress.  All were heading for the lobby doors, themselves opening and closing at random.

Sir, Sir, don’t worry.  False alarm. You wait here a minute.” said a uniformed person with a hat.

It looked dark outside.  Ferodo looked at his watch, he really had no memory now of his short time in Rome.  It was as if he had dreamt it.  Where was Alynn ? . he thought briefly.

He walked out of the lobby, down the stairs onto the main drag of Kaohsiung.  “Forget the limo” he told the concierge as he walked out. “Cancel please”.

It was cold, but he needed to clear his head.  Fading memories of this afternoon and Rome and now a pretend fire in the hotel.  A bit much really.

Not over yet. He walked down the street, and as he wandered down he turned into a deserted street down by the water.  There was no one to be seen, the street was deserted.  It got gradually lighter.  He called into a nearby cafe and ordered a drink.  “Lotus Root” he said. “San Yuan” said the vendor – an attractive girl who smiled at him.  It got dark again.  He walked out into the street.  It got lighter and noisier and he ended up inside a restroom in a restaurant in Rome.  He did have a drink in his hand, but it was not Lotus Root, or flower tea for that matter.  It was a chinotto, in a small bottle.  He was totally alone in the restroom, but then a loud banging on the door, took his attention.. “Ferodo ?” “You in there ?”.. – sounded like Alynn he thought.

This story to be continued, based on the conjunction of the uncertainty principle, so elegantly captured in Ashley’s photograph above, and the contraction of time within the skylight of the church of Angels and Martyrs in Rome.

To be continued from these notes.. CJS