Bologna - Melania Episode

Anyone who keeps the healthy habit of going out at night within certain frequency, at some point, ends up getting the chance to discover some famous streets and bars' personalities. I'm not talking about actresses’ or socialites, of course, because these people are famous anyway, during night and day, and don't even need leaving their places to be noticed. Who I really mean, are those people we all see when going out, like the guy that looks after your car and is every night in the same spot. You know he'll get drunk for the whole night, but still, you end up trusting him night after night and giving some change for your auto's integrity, and, because, you admit to yourself he's funny sometimes, when asking things like "Humm, good party today, hun?". If you can imagine that, then, you know that inside the places things can get a little bit wilder. The light is different, there's so much available alcohol... Those ones who have nothing to lose, don't worry about keeping up the appearances, they just get into a character, or become brave enough to assume a whole new personality that wouldn't be alouded by the day light.

In one of my walks, I had just arrived to the night's third or fourth bar with some friends, when,suddenly, this old aged lady walked in, around her 60, dressing a long skirt with tiny-shining-pieces on it, and some random shirt - that in the middle of the whole image, was the less provocative thing to the eyes -, a mix of a gypsy style with an italian. She would speak very loudly some words that my italian basic understanding could not keep up. She was probably feeling like in a ritual, putting her red lipstick on and slapping, not in such friendly way, guy's backs, that would happen to be seated or just passing next to her. They would stare at her, some would laugh and some others just ignored. The same scene kept going, 'till one of the guys in my table became the slapped one. He just gave a laugh and said: "She's Melania". The woman was still around, looking around for guys to slap, saying random stuff and drinking in small sips of the beer in her hand. It didn't take more than 20 minutes, there she was going to another bar.

In this first episode, I got to know about Melania's axistency, and honestly, I hadn't felt anything special about the slaps, and even tried to ignore what was going around me. I can explain my reaction: in Brazil, whenever someone comes talk or entertain you, dressed in a unusual way, the person thinks right away that you should feel gratefull enough to pay something for the soooo-nice moment that he or she just provided you. So, my first thought was: "She better not slap me and still think I have to pay 1 Euro for it!".

The next day, I mean, the next night, there I was in another bar. It was a Sunday night, and still,

the place was so busy that I felt luck for having a table and sharing it with a friend. I remember about wondering if all countries where "Faustão*" is not on, it works the same, 'cause even though Brazil is known as the country of joy and happiness, I never saw so many happy people on a Sunday night, like I did in Italy!

Well, everything was going perfect, each one with a glass of their own, when "the" celebrity walked in, preparing to begin the night show. I have a very usefull defense when some situation like this one is going on around me, I just keep repeating very loud in my head "Don't look, don't laugh, this person will give up!!!", but, some godness decided  joke around with me, by bringing Melania to sit in the chair right by my side. So, I gave her a shy smile and stood there, pretending nothing was going on. Until the very moment she slapped a guy in the ass, while he and his girlfriend were waiting for their drinks. The guy just turned and asked her to get up. She looked very calm and not worried at all, rocking her foot, and very softly, the chair as well. I think she was mentalizing the same I did a bit before "Don't look, don't laugh, he'll give up!". Still, and even after being pulled away by his girl, he kept the very-manly-acting, sayig things like "If you can do it, why can't I? Just because you're a woman?". She said something in Italian, that to me sounded like "I'm old enough to be your mother"... So, it didn't take very long, the guy went for cigarrets outside.

I tried to brake the ice, just said anything to Melania, and it was enough for a conversation to begin, wich is really strange, having in mind I was speaking portuguese and she did it in italian! I have to be honest and say that I counted on my friend's help, Pietro - who happened to be actually italian. I started to ask things I was curious about from the first time I saw her. She said she got married once, but caugh her husband in bed with another woman, and since then, started acting like that. Kids? None, including two abortions. I knew that abortion is legal in Italy since 1978, but still, one is never prepared to hear it from someone known for 15 minutes only...

Some pictures later and a bit more of conversation, she stood up and went to another bar, I guess. Later that night, I caught myself realizing that I never saw someone giving her money, just like I also never had the chance to see her bother asking for it.

Pietro, Melania and I at Barazzo Bar! :)

 

*Faustão is a brazilian show that goes on on Sunday nights, and is capable of making one feel all the potential sadness of a Sunday night. If you're courious enough, you can check it out a bit of it here.

Barazzo Bar - Via del Pratello, 66/b 

BOLOGNA 

Italy 

Do you have some memory of a  personality of the night? Tell us where it was, if this person is still around... maybe we can find some funny stories out of it :) 

Giu