Little Things Mean A Lot - by Leon

Being fortunate enough to live in the absolute heart of Rome; any more central and our bed would be on the Spanish Steps; our office is located just five minutes on foot from our apartment - so sometimes when I indulge myself in the pleasure of taking that short walk as though it were the first time, I can momentarily forget that I had to wait ten minutes before the water in the shower turned hot this morning or that I lined up for an hour and a half in the post office yesterday to pay an electricity bill - because the girl behind the counter was answering her cell phone to argue with her boyfriend every five minutes.

Romans seem to have infinite patience - I guess it has to be from being around for so long.

Every one of these small hassles are worth it just to live in this magical disorganized and extraverted city; If New York is "the city that doesn't sleep" then Rome is the city that doesn't wake up until around 10:00am.

I make my way down the elegant cobblestoned Via Vittoria where no one is ever seen inside the upscale boutiques, as everything seems to be home delivered.

Via Vittorio is also the home of the Rome conservatorium, a magnificent and imposing building that could only be located in Rome; the heavy stoned facade is a colored mix of red and terracotta, perfectly faded over many years; something which could not possibly be imitated today; one of the many ancient buildings in Rome that are so surreal it is like being on a movie set.

I'm treated to the sounds of the early conservatorium students rehearsing a classical violin piece or the high vocal pitch of a Puccini opera that I vaguely recognize but can't name.

As I turn the corner into the famous Via Del Corso, where in just a few hours the street will be packed with old and young alike taking their lunchtime "passagiatta; attractive overtanned girls in six inch heels and large black sunglasses, some strolling slowly licking their a gelato as though it were the weekend even though it's only Wednesday.

Italians don't let a minute go by without their daily pleasures - no matter what the day of the week is.

Via Del Corso is definitely the best street in Rome for people watching - in fact it is more like "people on display" you can watch or participate.

Buy the outfit, make sure it's short and tight, get a tan that's three shades too dark, find a partner that also has a tight outfit and is overtanned and you've made it; you can now strut your stuff down Del Corso.

I close my eyes and smell the fresh coffee wafting out from the bars, almost knocking over the hurrying delivery boy whipping into a bar balancing a fresh batch of "cornettos" on a tray.

I smile to myself as the blonde traffic cop in full make up who looks more like a model in uniform with her long hair, blows her whistle at a Vespa driver zipping down a one way street, then shrugs as she is ignored.

As I take a left turn off Del Corso and reach the front door of the office in Via dei Greci I think to myself; with this constantly going in a spectacular backdrop almost 3000 years old, why would anyone even care if the little things don't always work.

I open the front door and the corridor is dark - I'm informed the electricity in the whole street just blew and won't be fixed until morning.

Oh well, back to Via Del Corso - tuff life.