The Angel from Rome

Angelo’s car

The moment I laid eyes on Angelo I told myself that mature and Italian guys knew how to make a woman feel special. Here he was, in front of the reception desk, smartly dressed – white shirt with black and golden shoulder broads, tie, suit pants, shiny black shoes, two red roses in his hand, waiting for me and my friend Andreea, eager to show us the best of Rome.

Eventually the best of Rome turned out to be…him. Behind the appearance of a senior man was a young heart, bellow his grey eyebrows, a blue and vivid gaze. A passionate collector disguised as an ordinary driver.

Angelo started working as a taxi driver in Rome in 1977. At some point, he got sick of Rome traffic and decided to make a slight change. He became a coach driver. It’s been more than 25 years but he is still taking much joy in doing his job because he loves driving, engines and wheels. He has a small collection of vintage vehicles: a Fiat 500, a Mercedes and two motorcycles. He loves “La 500” best. This is the one he chose to take us to dinner to a local pizzeria. The car is the tiniest ride I ever had. Yet, it is spectacular: spotless white, chrome door handles and front bumper, wooden wheel, leather upholstery.

Fiat 500 vintage

“This was the first car I ever drove, bought with the first money I made. I was molto giovane”, he tells me and as he speaks, his face is getting younger, his eyes are getting bluer. “So, I wanted to buy an identical one, to remind me of my youth.” The car was manufactured in 1967 and he had it all redone. He even added a state-of-art sound system and a DVD player. It is only when he pushes the play button that I notice the car has a small TV display instead of a …rear mirror.  The Mercedes is a bit newer but still vintage. He uses both cars alternatively to go all the 50 kilometres to work and back home.

“On Saturdays, I take the Fiat, on Sundays, the Mercedes. On weekdays, I go by motorcycle. It’s faster. Only 20 minutes one way compared to two hours, by car”, he says.

I didn’t dare to ask Angelo the reason why the only female in his house and i life was a dog, called Chichi, who enjoyed watching TV and listening to the music. But from the words that he slipped while seeing a young bride near Saint Angelo castle,  that marriage should be kept for old age, I imagined it had to do something with freedom and communication. And growing apart. And maybe, being too much on the road.

As I was saying, I had an Angel by my side during my stay in Rome. He showed where I could eat ice-cream for an euro and drink fresh water from the fountains in the heart of Rome, made me face my biggest dream and toss a coin in Fontana di Trevi and drove me and my friend to the bus station in an empty couch. The same one he drives daily from Rome to Sienna and back.

Angelo and his four-wheels jewels are to be found in Tiburtina coach station. A living story waiting to be told again and again.

The man and the car