Man, what a day! Seriously, I’m still reeling from it. So, I wake up in my little apartment on Via Roma, right? The sun’s shining, birds are chirping, and I’m like, “Today’s gonna be chill.” Spoiler alert: it was NOT chill.
First off, I had a session with this young soccer player, Marco. Kid’s got talent, but his head? All over the place. We met at the park near Piazza Aldo Moro. I’m trying to help him focus, but he’s more interested in the gelato stand across the street. I mean, who can blame him? The gelato in Casamassima is next level. But c’mon, Marco! Focus!
So, I’m talking about visualization techniques, and he’s just staring at the gelato like it’s the Holy Grail. I’m like, “Dude, you can have gelato after you score a goal, not before!” He finally gets it, but then he says, “What if I score a goal and then eat gelato?” I almost lost it. Kids these days, man.
After that, I decide to take a stroll down Via Giuseppe Mazzini. It’s a cute street, full of little shops and cafés. I’m thinking, “Maybe I’ll grab a coffee.” But noooo, I trip over a cobblestone. Like, who even thought that was a good idea? I’m sprawled out on the ground, and this old lady walks by, looks at me, and just shakes her head. Thanks, lady. Real supportive.
I finally get up, dust myself off, and head to my favorite café, Caffè del Corso. I order a cappuccino, and the barista, Luca, is like, “You okay, man?” I laugh it off, but inside I’m like, “I just fell in front of a bunch of pigeons. I’m not okay.” But hey, the coffee’s great, so I sip it and try to forget my embarrassing moment.
Then, I get a call from my buddy, Antonio. He’s like, “Let’s hit up the market at Piazza della Repubblica!” I’m down, so I meet him there. The market’s buzzing, full of fresh produce, and the smell? Oh man, it’s heavenly. I grab some fresh tomatoes and cheese. You can’t beat that in Casamassima.
But then, outta nowhere, it starts pouring. Like, seriously? I’m drenched in seconds. Antonio’s laughing his head off, and I’m just standing there, looking like a wet dog. We duck into a little shop on Via San Francesco, and I’m trying to dry off while he’s buying pastries. I’m like, “Dude, save some for me!” But he’s already munching away. Rude.
After the rain, the sun comes out again, and it’s beautiful. I’m feeling a bit better, so we decide to walk around. We hit up the old castle ruins. It’s a bit of a hike, but the view from up there? Totally worth it. I’m standing there, looking out over the rooftops of Casamassima, and I’m like, “This is life.”
But then, I get a text from Marco’s mom. He’s having a meltdown about his game tomorrow. I’m like, “Great, just what I need.” I tell Antonio, and he’s like, “You gotta go help the kid.” So, I head back down, back to the park.
When I get there, Marco’s sitting on a bench, head in his hands. I sit down next to him, and he looks up, all teary-eyed. I’m like, “Dude, it’s just a game.” But he’s all, “What if I mess up?” I’m trying to be the supportive sports psychologist, but inside I’m like, “Why do I always end up in these situations?”
I talk him through it, and by the end, he’s smiling again. I’m feeling like a hero, but then he says, “Can we get gelato now?” I can’t even. I just laugh and say, “Fine, but only if you promise to score tomorrow.”
So, we head to the gelato stand, and I’m thinking, “This day was a rollercoaster.” I mean, from falling on my face to helping a kid find his confidence, it was wild.
As I’m walking home, I can’t help but smile. Casamassima, you crazy little town, you’ve got my heart. Even with the cobblestones and the rain, I wouldn’t trade this day for anything. Just another day in the life of a sports psychologist, right?