In Sardinia...maybe forever.

I'm out for a walk in a town of 30,000 in Sardinia. But it seems like a ghost town. Uninhabited. Because it's Sunday afternoon. Truly a day of rest for many Italians. They take Sunday seriously. As special. Staying at home. For Sunday dinner. A family gathering. Stores are closed. I'm taking a break. Sitting on a stone retaining wall at a city park just off Piazza Roma. I'd sit on a park bench. But they're all in the sun. Too hot. So quiet. Except for the chirping birds. I spot an old man. Walking down the sidewalk. Hands in his pockets. I like the scene. The lack of hustle-bustle. Italians have a word for this kind of day. Pigro. Yes, lazy. A lazy Sunday afternoon. I remember Sundays like this. When I was growing up. In Wisconsin. The family gathered for dinner. Pleasant talk. A day off. A slow, leisurely life. I miss that in modern-day America. Living has become fast-paced. Hectic. Reason for me to stay in Sardinia for a long time. Maybe forever. --Jim Broede