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THROUGH A FRACTURED EXISTENCE, TO THE RHYTHM OF ETERNITY.
IL MATTINO
Il Mattino is an Italian cafe sidled between a bookstore and a jewelry boutique in small but popular business district, just a downhill walk from the local non-denominational Christian church and residential area. The ocean is less than a ten minute drive away and within view in the distance. The area is cool even when the sun is at its apex at noon with a tinge of sea salt in the breeze.
The cafe itself is medium-sized with plenty of light let in with the large storefront windows. The decor is simple, but accented with key decor with wheat centerpieces and plants. There are some trinkets that are displayed that may look out of place, like atop the charging counter there's a sliding puzzle painted in pink, orange, yellow, blue, purple, and all shades in between.
The cafe specializes in coffee and brunch, though pastries are sourced from local Italian bakeries in downtown Little Italy.
While the establishment has two floors, the cafe takes up the ground floor. There is a yard for some reason, but that's because there are four dogs. They're kept separate from the cafe to make sure patrons are not disturbed, but people are free to go outside to pet them. Reviews have mentioned the owner lives on the second floor and the dogs' names are Harold, Olive, Vera, and Rocco.
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Jacopo as he signs and adds tip takes the time to mention the mechanical bird next to them and some oversight about it... Please reconsider the feature. Children are around.
Adds that his friend has made it sing baby shark, which both him and the server have a small laugh about before they leave. ]
Maybe your mouth is small.
[ Says Jacopo who didn't even try to wrestle it. He takes the fries back, but stacks his plate onto Adolphe's since it's empty, then wipes down the table a bit with a napkin. Less work for the servers. ]
I do agree they could have sized it down... Maybe sliders here would be the size of regular burgers.
[ Once he downs his water, he picks himself onto his feet and tucks the chair back under the table. ]
Not so full where you're ready for a nap, right?
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[ He thinks that's bad for the digestion... also pointedly ignoring the small mouth comment. ]
Let's go. Thanks for the food.
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[ It all depends on how long people can resist the sleepies. Jacopo is all right and rises from his seat so they can leave the rainforest cafe.
Gestures with a hand. ]
Where next?
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[ He points at the unfurled map.
But we can skip that and fast forward to their walk on the pier. The rest of their zoo outing was uneventful, but still fun. They're now here with the waves lapping up on the shore. ]
It's so empty out here...
[ No people for some reason. The sunset is a nice backdrop. ]
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[ Usually, there would be some people, but not this evening it looks like. As if in this moment this is the whole world and there's nothing else.
The sand almost looks like it glimmers under the setting sun. ]
The dogs find a visit to the beach a treat. Maybe next time.
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[ He wonders if they like splashing in the water. The salty breeze... he tries not to let it get to him. ]
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[ Harold is just a little guy, but he doesn't realize he is. Such is having a pea-sized brain, smart for animals but dumb for humans scale.
He continues to look out as slowly the sun disappears from the horizon and lamp posts start lighting the pier. ]
I used to when it was just Rocco. Fortunately, dogs still find fun in fetch even on the wet sand. Not so fun for me when I have to clean them after a visit. They will whine over the sand in between their toes.
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Maybe they like the new texture.
[ Of them stepping onto something new, even if it gets mushy. ]
Do you have an issue on bathing them all at once? Actually, it sounds really tiring.
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[ When you must clean each paw toebean by toebean and there are 16 paws... The things he does to make sure the dogs' skin don't get irritated. ]
I do... Olive and Harold are more excitable, so they wiggle around a lot in the inflatable pool.
[ Adolphe is usually gone when Jacopo has to bathe them, so he doesn't get to see all four dogs in a inflatable pool, some looking sad and some having the time of their lives. Maybe he has caught him shooting one of the dogs in the yard with the hose though like a water gun. ]
Did you want to go to the beach in daylight with them?
[ Is that why Adolphe asked? ]
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Oh... no. I was just curious. Everyone has a different reaction to the ocean, even dogs.
[ He's. Doing his best to keep the conversation going, so that's why he's a little caught off guard when Jacopo asks him if he wants to go to the beach in the daylight with the dogs. ]
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Oh, Adolphe. You're doing great, buddy. Jacopo picks up on the awkwardness and continues, helping him along. ]
I'm from Sicily. Being close to the sea was part of my early childhood until my family up and left. I didn't appreciate a lot of things back then. [ Reluctantly, ] Sometimes even now, but... I like the taste of salt in the air. I missed it.
[ This was more for Adolphe getting out and doing things than it was for him. How silly. ]
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[ Jacopo talking about himself really made Adolphe pause and pay full attention. ]
They say you only start appreciating something when you no longer have it in your life... though I only half-agree on that.
You're still living close to the ocean, so maybe it's not too much of a change?
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[ Jacopo keeps looking out to sea, wondering. He eventually made this way here for work, so it's coincidence at most. There have been a lot of coincidences in his life, though. ]
It helps. [ His eyebrows knit before dramatically sighing. ] I don't know what I'm being nostalgic for. I didn't have a lot of good memories in Italy. What do you think of this giant water puddle we call the ocean?
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... That it shouldn't be underestimated.
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[ Okay, that is extreme, Jacopo. Regardless, he agrees. Deep sea fish? Scary. ]
It's nice when it's calm. [ ... ] The Mediterranean sea boasts being crystal-clear year-round, you know. There's nothing to wonder about what's beneath the water there...
Well, you'd just be worried about what you can see rather than what you cannot.
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People tend to worry about everything... what they can see, but mostly what they can't see.
[ Fear of the unknown, and all that. ]
... I heard about sharks when I was little, but it's normal to be scared of sharks at that age, isn't it?
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It is. I don't think Jaws helps, either. Iconic soundtrack, though.
[ Who doesn't know the Jaws theme. ]
... This has been a good visit.