A New Friend

It didn’t take long to realize that the new flat had been a mistake. Although it was great to be away from Daniel, and I was enjoying the novelty of pristine white walls uncluttered by postcards and pictures cut from magazines, we quickly came to realize that we had moved to one of the dullest

Third Time Lucky!

Sabrina the secretary had some good news for us the next morning. She had made another appointment for us to go and view a flat. This one was not in Vomero, but in a zone called Socavo, further down towards the city centre. It even had a garden, she announced proudly. A garden sounded nice,

Attempted Escape and a Trip to Avellino

“I can’t take much more of it, either,” said Thomas, as we sat together over a quiet beer in a bar that had been done out to resemble the inside of a railway carriage. “I’m thinking of looking for somewhere on my own.”“Pricey, though. That’s the problem,” I said, pushing an olive around my plate.

The Royal Palace of Caserta and Mr. Gobby

Giovanna was still cross with me the next morning. “If the English find people being cut up funny, then there must be something wrong with them.” I wasn’t putting up with that. “Excuse me, but in that room there was also a German and an Austrian. And they were laughing too. And it would have

A Disastrous Recruit and a Sense of Humour Failure

Interviews for new teaching staff were held in Cheltenham, a stroke of luck for me, as my parents lived in a village just six miles away, meaning that I could combine business and pleasure, spending a few days with family and friends, interviewing during the afternoon and enjoying a pint of bitter with Colonel Jim

Promotion

My boss had called me into his office first thing Monday morning. What on earth could he want? Perhaps he wanted to know exactly what had happened to Kevin? Maybe I had upset him in some way? Or had a student complained about me? It was always so difficult to tell whether Neapolitans were happy

Place of Good Events – a trip to Benevento

Steve was absolutely spot on. Mick was, indeed, a prick. And an incomprehensible prick as well. From the moment, he came crashing through the front door with his ludicrous bandana and silly goatee beard, effing, blinding and screaming “Och aye the noo” – or whatever – I decided that I would save an awful lot

An Alcoholic – Part 2

“Hello?” A man’s voice answered. “Er, hello? Are you the father of Kevin?” “Yes. Who’s that?” “Er, I’m a friend of Kevin’s from Naples. I’m afraid there’s been a bit of a problem, sir.” There was a pause. Then, “Go on,” in the manner of someone who knew exactly what was coming. “Well, …” I

An Alcoholic – Part 1

The time came closer for Nick, Bimbo and Roger to depart. Roger had a nice little job lined up teaching geography in a Welsh grammar school. I wondered, gleefully, how the parents would react if they realized that their offsprings’ education were in the hands of a crazed wankaholic. Bimbo hadn’t managed to learn more

Baia, Bacoli and Cumae

I was sitting reading the newspaper in my bedroom the next morning when Nick burst in, carrying two bottles of cold Peroni and a bread roll. “Hey!” he said cheerfully. “How would you like to win the ‘good bloke of the year’ award? I’ll give you two bottles of Peroni and …,” he tossed the bread