Sevice with uno Sorriso

You may recall that last year around this time I went shopping for new glasses with my friend Marco. He shamed me into doing away with the professor look and with Laurent's final approval I started sporting a pair of light weight trendy Adidas frames.

Well while on vacation I went to take them off to thoughtfully suck on the temple arm after having read something profound - okay it was a menu in a restaurant, but they can be profound - and one of the nose pads arms, nose pad attached, remained resting in place. Now one does not expect that bits and pieces of a pair of very, very, very expensive Adidas glasses will detached themselves of their own free will. Particularly not when they are made of the same metal as is reported to be used on intergalactic space probes and have been futher tempered in the fires of the damned.

Given that I no longer could find the receipt and the level of customer service I have experienced on most occasions here in Roma - we won't rehash the IMAC story - I expected the worst. I knew they couldn't be repaired and what were the chances of having them replaced? Give it a try said my ever optimistic spouse. Give it a try said my friend Marco in a tone of patriotic defensiveness. Give it a try said my friend Laurie with a bit of a smirk.

So yestreday morning I walked into the Optica looking for Andrea, the good looking young man who had first served me, knowing he would be, at the least, nice to look at if not sympathetic to my sorry tale. No luck - a total stranger was sitting in front of the D&G display with that "I am a sales person in an exclusive store sitting in front of a display of glasses you could never afford." look on his face. So I took a deep breath and launched into my standard apology for my bad Italian with my very English accent and explained - with many descriptive gestures - what had happened.

Okay said the Gentleman - no really he said okay. He looked at the de-nose-paded frames, weighed them in his hand and then said: I'm sorry... Oh boy I thought here it comes - I had 16 days to return a product I wasn't satisfied with! Where is my bill? What did I do to break them? ... but it will take about five days to get a replacement.

What? My jaw dropped! Is that too long? he asked. I was gobsmacked but managed to stammer an incredulous no. I had another pair of glasses - my old professor ones - with me so it wasn't going to be a problem. He smiled, took my name, cell number and copied down the serial number on the frame. And with a very friendly wave said: I'll call you the minute they are ready. Arrivederci

I reeled out of the store into the bright sunlight of Viale Regina Margherita - okay part of that was trying to get accustomed to the focus on the old glasses. Had this been a dream? There had been no fight! No argument! No looking superior! No curt cutting off in mid-whine! In less than two minutes my problem had been solved. Take a note of the date - September 3, 2010 at 1045, I was in Roma and I had received Service, capital S, with a SMILE.

04 settembre - Santa Rosalia

Men Never Make Passes II

I want no comments about this picture - I didn't have the time to photo shop all the wrinkles out, hell nobody has that much time.

This is as close as I can get to the shaved, freshly cut hair, jacket and tie mandate I was given by my friend Marco.


I have a feeling that despite his best efforts I still look like a professor!

24 settembre - Beata Vergine Maria della Mercede

Guys Never Make Passes...

At men who wear glasses!
with apologies to Dorothy Parker.

On-going Conversation between me and my Napolitano friend Marco:

6 months ago:
Me: I need new glasses, I think I'll do that next week.
Marco: ....
5 months ago:
Marco: Do you have your new glasses yet?
Me: No but I will see about them next week.
4 months ago:
Marco: Do you have your new glasses yet?
Me: No but I'll see about them next week.
3 months ago:
Marco: Do you have your new glasses yet?
Me: No but I'll see about them in a week or so.
Last week:
Marco: Do you have your new glasses yet?
Me: No I need to go with someone who speaks Italian but I'll see about ....
Marco: No, we will see about them next Wednesday. Meet me at Piazza Regina Margherita at 1745.
Tuesday Night:
Marco: Tomorrow we will get your glasses.
Me: Yes I'll meet you after work.
Marco: You should have your hair cut and make sure you shave!
Me: ???????
Marco: And wear a nice dark blue suit.
Me: I'll wear my tuxedo.
Marco: You are a silly man. You must look your best when you are choosing glasses, its very important.

So this past Wednesday I met Marco at the appointed place and the appointed hour - I did not have time to get my hair cut but I had shaved, was wearing a blue dress shirt and had actually remembered to bring my prescription. We went into a few Optica in my neighborhood.

I tried on a pair of frames and noticed that Marco had that look on his face that you give people who order a cappuccino after noon hour. "Do you really intended to look like an old professor?" he asked rather pointedly. I put them down sheepishly and reached for the next pair and returned them to the counter very quickly when I saw that look! I tried several more sportier, lighter frames and found a great pair of Rayban - blue tinged, light and studious without being antique professor. The look on Marco's face told me he approved. Then he asked all those questions in Italian that I would never have been able to - guarantee, types of lens etc.

At the next store I knew better than to even consider the "professor" frames and went straight for the more sporty ones finally settling on a pair of thin Adidas specs. And again they got the Marco look of approval. More discussion with the oculist about guarantees, lens etc.

I wasn't able to find a photo of the RayBan but here are the Adidas.

But which did I prefer. They were both nice but different. And a pair of glasses is a big investment here. Again good solid Napolitano logic came into play.

Marco: You must go home and think about it. And tomorrow come back with Laurent, he is the one who has to look at you all the time.

Good advise, so I went home and thought about it, took Laurent back the next day and made my decision. Marco agreed wholeheartedly with my choice. In 10 days time I should no longer look like a "professor".

11 settembre - San Ramiro