Novel - The Ozone Café, Leaving Italy

Leaving Italy

Vincenzo lifted his soft Calabrian beret from the hatstand, wrapped his Scottish scarf twice around his neck and whistled to Pomadina, already carrying her leash. He stepped into the tiny lane of his misty town. He would walk up to Mrs Scorcese’s bread shop for the last time. He would amble back down the right handside, call into old Joe’s for his last newspaper, then buy three red apples at Bernie’s for the bus trip. He was leaving for Australia.
   'Hey,' he said to Gino Scorcese, 'I got my boat tickets in the mail today. One for me and one for Pomadina.' He looked down at the dog, lifting her hind leg in a rotating movement as if winding a hidden clock.
   'You better put some flea powder on that animal before she gets to Australia,' said Angela Scorcese. 'Otherwise, they won’t let you in, huh?'
   'Aah', said Vincenzo. 'Maria doesn't want her to go, not yet. But I need some company in that new place, before she decides to come.'
   'She’s half-n-half, Vinny,' said Angela. 'She told me. Angie, I don’t wanna move ‘cause of the girls.'
   'Aah,' repeated Vincenzo. 'She’ll miss my warm body too much, and then pronto, she’ll ring me up, and say Vinnybum, I’m coming!'