Times New Roman by Martha Miller

Author:Martha Miller [Miller, Martha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Martha Miller

Supposing is good, but finding out is better.

–Mark Twain

First in Line

I met Gabrielle a few times at the foundation’s office near Campo de’ Fiori. One time Gabrielle needed to run some errands, and she invited me to come along. We walked to the French caterer’s shop near the French Embassy. She bought a few bottles of wine and some other French comestibles, “for the house.” When we popped into the very popular bakery, Antico Forno Rosciolo, the crowd was thick. I imagined it would take quite a while for us to make our way up to the front to place our order with one of the two or three bakers behind the counter. Gabrielle has thought otherwise.

Unapologetically, she moves to the far left side of the crowd and marches to the front of the line in a matter of seconds and places her order for spinach calzone. A minute later we are on our way while the other patrons still stand there, jostling in the pack.

A few days later, I am craving a spinach calzone and decide to test Gabrielle’s strategy. Did the bakers personally know Gabrielle or did her air of self-entitlement produce the desired result? Squeezing in the doorway, I note the place is just as busy as the day Gabrielle and I visited. My head held high, I move quickly to the left and manage to maneuver to the counter. The same baker acknowledges me and takes my order. No waiting. Now these aren’t a bunch of tourists in this bakery. Italians make up the majority of the crowd. No one is upset that I was waited on first—at least not that I can tell. I pay and am on my way with my fragrant snack in just a few minutes. Lesson #2 of life as an aristocrat: Act entitled.

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