Day of a Lion

["Dreamin'" by Raun Burnham & Jerry Burnham over radio]

- -

Welcome home, Piccola.

I really need to pee.

Do you want some tea?

Do you want some tea?

Three spoons of sugar, no milk, no honey, no cream-- oh.

And you can skip that pitiful little biscuit at the side

they serve in Florence all the time.

Would you like breakfast?

Breakfast?

They don't serve that in Italy?

All cheese and wine.

I have patties.

Patties.

Um...

How was the ride?

- A what? -

This whole mess started this morning when I realized

I'd forgotten to pack my favorite hat.

-Your what? -My hat.

-Rat? -My hat.

-Your hat? -Hat.

-A hat. -You remember.

The big one. Borgogna.

Burgundy, the very red one.

Well, I was so sure I'd put it in my bag,

but then when I opened it at the train station...

You opened your suitcase on the train?

No, not on the train.

-That is so dan-- -On the sidewalk.

-The sidewalk. -The sidewalk.

Well, I didn't want to get on the train

before finding my favorite hat.

So then I asked the lead service attendant

if somebody might have seen my favorite hat.

How would the red hat get out of your luggage?

Who knows?

Pickpockets, the mafia, a jealous neighbor.

It could have been anyone.

So, then, as I rifled through my stuff

-on the wet, dirty floor... -

suddenly, this giant of a man suddenly appears behind me.

- -A giant?

A man. A giant man.

Well, at first I thought he was Russian.

Yes, so I thought.

He looks down at me with his wild black beard,

and I'm already completely out of my mind

because I can't find my gorgeous hat.

So then I say to him with my most charming,

most delightful little voice, soft like honey, I say...

- -

- -

- -

How was I to know that this was the train driver?

So, shocked, I answered...

Wish I had my dear Geronimo with me.

He would have helped me.

He's a good man.

He would have stepped up and said...

Yes, I would have liked that.

Isn't it just lovely being me?

Yes.

Yes it is, indeed.

Wanda?

The tea's almost ready.

What is this?

What? I-- I don't see you.

Did you change the color?

-What color? -Of the wall.

- The what? -The wall. Jesus.

The wall is blue now.

I know.

What happened to the bright yellow one?

Oh, you mean this terrible mix of grey and orange?

Hm.

When did Papa find the time to do this?

Wasn't he in bed all the time?

I mean, in his final days.

I mean, he had to rest a lot, right?

I really like the new color. It's very sweet.

Fits the spirit of the house.

Thank you. That's why I changed it.

- You painted it? -I did.

- Painted the walls blue? -Mint.

- ]I don't like it. -I don't care.

I don't mind.

Would you like me to leave?

-You just arrived. -It makes leaving easier.

Of course I don't want you to leave.

Well, I asked to come.

You did.

-I did. -And I agreed.

That's right.

But you didn't invite me.

I didn't.

That was three months ago.

What?

We agreed that I would come by three months ago.

So?

So perhaps you've changed your mind.

Would you like me to leave? I can just--

No, I don't want you to leave.

No?

- No. -No?

Well, if you want me to stay...

-I want you to... -If that's your wish...

-It is not my wish. -...then of course I can stay

-for as long as you want me to. -I want you to--

No. As long as you need me.

I feel like the fairy godmother.

Is it just fantastic to have your bigger sister back home?

I should go.

No, I want you to stay, please.

Uh, well, if you wanted me to stay,

you'd have told me by now how you've been.

-I mean, how long has it been? -Three...

-Months? -...years.

Is your, uh, painting still going well?

Did you finish your studies in, um, Paris

-before father got, you know? -Architecture.

Pardon?

I studied architecture, not painting.

Well, it all involves colors.

Looks like a task for children, doesn't it? But I digress.

It was nice.

Nice and enjoyable.

I learned a lot about what I don't like.

I didn't get exactly what I like,

but that is fine, too, because now at least I know

what I'd like to have, and that I don't have it yet.

But the way to achieve it is easier because now,

I know what it would look...

if I hadn't learned what I don't like at all.

Like, not at all, I wouldn't know what to look for.

Or maybe I wouldn't look at all,

because I wouldn't know that there's something