Kinky boots...

I've learned something over the past week.  Nothing useful I'm sorry to say, but every time I mention my hamstring being in a fine old mess, someone will refer to it as my 'hammy'.  I am now wondering whether 'hammy' is a recognized word for this, and not just an unimaginative name for a pet hamster.  I'll be honest with you, every time someone says the word, I'm immediately on escaped rodent watch.

So I said I'd tell you a few tales of last week.  One of the funniest was the taxi drive back from Sorrento after a particularly boisterous evening involving too much alcohol, some unbelievable food, two hats and a long walk to the square that never was.  'Someone' had moved it apparently...

The six of us were in fine spirits (you could almost hear it sloshing around on the back seat) and as we negotiated hairpin after hairpin, we joked and chatted with Gentleman Claudio, our taxi driver of choice for the week.  As we screeched round corner number five, several police cars passed us at great speed in the opposite direction, and Ms L piped up. (She is the sister of Mrs S and the owner of a great cause of distraction to every taxi driver.  So much so, that we stopped her riding up front with the driver for our own safety).

'Put your foot down Claudio.  They are after us'.

I was sitting in the back, and the widening of his eyes was instant.  'What you mean?' he asked (his English was good, but not that brilliant in a state of emergency).

'Well', continued Ms L, 'we've just stolen a load of jewelry and you're our getaway car'.

At this point, Claudio would have been remembering how quickly we had all piled into the taxi at our pre-arranged collection spot, telling him to get us home as quickly as possible.  Right now, this tied in rather well with a jewelry heist (and not four ladies of sensitive age needing a comfort break) and he said in a tremulous voice. 'You bank robber?'

I then joined in (it's always me, I really should know better).  'You've heard of Ocean's 11, haven't you Claudio?  Well we are the Casa Sophia 6.  We're very well known and respected in the criminal world and you'd do well to keep driving'.

I don't know whether he believed us or not, but he carried on driving us to and from Casa Sophia for the rest of the week and it was never mentioned again.

I think he was afraid of saying too much in case he ended up in the Gulf of Naples sporting a rather shabby pair of concrete over boots and sleeping with the fishes.

When in Sorrento, and all that...