A Day In Venice!

September 15, 2007

I am not sure when I realized the city of Venice existed, when, I first heard about the sinking city on the canals. But I wondered, as I heard Cooper’s little voice say “You got me a present at the dentist?” After repeating Venice two more times, I gave up and said, “I got you a present in Italy, Coop!” His little voice lit up on the other end of the phone and proudly said, “We are going to Italy two days after my birthday!”

My heart glowed, “I know little Coop, and I can’t wait. Do you know that I love you like crazy!?”

“I love you too!” And with that, I heard my mom and sister laughing in the background, asking him to tell me what he had just done. I could almost see his little grin on his face as he shyly answered, “I just smooched the phone!” Oh, my little Cooper, how did you get to be such a treasure?

It’s hard not to think about love, wandering through the streets of Venice. Almost sick of my own broken heart, it was easy to focus on the love that I did have. As I drifted by the shop windows with beautiful glass, I thought of my Mom, my sister and Heather. I thought how they would love this place. The carnivale masks that made the windows sparkle made me think of writing and performing plays with my little Spencer and Cooper, just a few short months ago.

By the time we got to San Marco’s square with pigeons feasting out of the hands of eager tourists, I felt small. The Italians sure know how to decorate a building. It would be easy to get lost in the crevices and corners of the massive structures and it would be easy for one to believe you were the first person on the planet to notice such a detail of a stone flower or a pious face placed ever so meticulously in a tiny corner. Music played at the numerous cafes that lined the piazza and our tired feet led us to a small table to enjoy over-priced bottles of Pellegrino and white wine. The music quieted us, as the sun shown down on our tilted faces. I felt like dancing. What a perfect song and place to dance! Right in the middle of the piazza, and as I opened my eyes, I focused on a young couple, no older than 22, dancing beside us. His eyes locked in a joyous smirk in hers. She, realizing that every woman in the piazza was longing to have the love she was so effortlessly consuming. My body smirked at the scene. “This is Venice!”