Thursday, December 07, 2006

Trains, rains and Luca Toni


Well, it turned out to be one of the strangest Sundays on record in my time tracking the Viola. Our first plan was that myself and my father would drive to Lucca, catch a train to Florence and watch the boys. Train strike, however, so no go on that front.

So, the day dawned and about 11am in our little Tuscan village base everything looked set fair. Until we set out on the car journey. With every passing mile the fog intensified and the rain got heavier. The conversation went something like this.

Dad: "This is awful."
Me: "Too true."
Dad: "Be even worse later on."
Me: "Too right!"
Dad: "Don't think I could face driving home in this."
Me: "Me neither."
Dad: "Will we just go to the Pozzo and have a slap-up lunch and watch it on telly?"
Sound of brakes as car turns around to head back to the heart of the Garfagnana.

So, we never made it to the game but ate and drank like lords instead. In our local bar some scemi wanted to watch Cagliari-Milan so we ended up in a friend's house just in time to see Toni strike. Happily, we didn't miss a classic but the three points were vital. As the night got even more miserable I think we realised we had made the right decision to stay put. And another cracking meal with a good bottle of red made the case all the more convincing.

8 comments:

martinobhoy said...

Pah! A bit of rain. Call yourselves supporters?

ginkers said...

We are truly pathetic, it is true but the call of a fine meal, warmth and being able to see beyond the end of your nose (granted in Ninty's case that is quite far) proved irresistible.

Spangly Princess said...

haha ah well. don't think you missed much in the way of a match, at any rate. clearly you're still more italiano than scozzese at least in your aversion to a bit of rain & cold.

ginkers said...

We are a big pair of feeble fans who would rather have a good meal than risk travelling through thick fog to see our team.

Red said...

Rain sucks, but having to drive in it after dark sucks so much harder. And the fog. Sweet Jesus! I would have done exactly the same thing. Especially for a nice bit of grub...

Spangly Princess said...

I sympathise, but it's not exactly la mentalità ultra you've got there is it? hehe. I mean, 'sempre al tuo fianco except when there's a spot of fog'??

ginkers said...

I dont think I could ever claim to be an Ultra. I once tried to leave a game half way through because it started to snow and I was frightened I wouldn't get home.

Anonymous said...

YOU HAD TO BE THERE TO SEE HOW BAD IT WAS AND ALSO TO SEE HOW GOOD THE MEAL WAS. DO NOT CALL US COWARDS WE WENT TO WATCH THE QUEEN OF TEH SOUTH LAST WEEK AND THAT TAKES COURAGE