Man, what a day! I swear, being a glazier in San-Casciano-in-Val-di-Pesa is like riding a rollercoaster blindfolded. So, I wake up, right? Sun’s shining, birds chirping, and I’m thinkin’, “Today’s gonna be chill.” Ha! Spoiler alert: it was anything but.
First off, I hit the Via Roma to grab my morning espresso. You know, the good stuff. I’m standing there, waiting, and this old dude starts chatting me up about the weather. Like, c’mon, it’s Italy! It’s always sunny! But he’s going on about how the grapes are gonna be late this year. I’m like, “Buddy, I’m just here for my coffee.” But whatever, I nod and smile.
Finally, I get my shot of caffeine and head to a job on Via della Libertà. It’s a small place, just a simple window replacement. Easy peasy, right? Wrong! I get there, and the lady’s like, “Oh, I changed my mind. I want a stained glass window instead.” I’m thinkin’, “Lady, I’m a glazier, not a Picasso!” But I can’t say that, so I just roll with it.
Now, I’m scrambling to find a supplier. I dash over to the local glass shop on Via di San Francesco. The guy there, Marco, is a character. He’s got this wild hair and a laugh that could wake the dead. He’s like, “You need stained glass? You’re in luck! I just got a shipment!” I’m like, “Great! But I need it like yesterday!”
So, I’m racing back to the job site, and guess what? I trip over a cobblestone. Classic San-Casciano! These streets are beautiful but brutal. I’m on the ground, glass in hand, and I’m like, “Really? This is how it ends?” But I get up, dust myself off, and keep going.
Finally, I get to the house, and the lady’s there, looking all excited. I’m like, “Okay, let’s do this.” I start measuring, cutting, and fitting. And then, outta nowhere, her cat jumps on the table. I’m like, “No, no, no! Not the glass!” But the cat’s like, “What’s this shiny stuff?” I’m sweating bullets, but the lady just laughs. “Don’t worry, he’s harmless.” Yeah, right!
After what feels like an eternity, I finally finish. The stained glass looks amazing, if I do say so myself. The colors are poppin’, and I’m feeling proud. But then, the lady’s like, “Oh, can you add a butterfly?” I’m like, “Lady, I’m not a butterfly factory!” But I can’t say no. So, I whip out my tools and get to work.
By the time I’m done, it’s late afternoon. I’m exhausted but happy. I step outside, and the sun’s setting over the hills. San-Casciano is beautiful, man. The vineyards, the rolling hills, the old buildings—it’s like a postcard. I take a deep breath and think, “This is why I do this.”
But then, I remember I still gotta get paid. I go back inside, and the lady hands me a check. I look at it, and it’s way less than we agreed on. I’m like, “Excuse me? This isn’t right!” She’s all flustered, saying she thought it was too much. I’m like, “Lady, I just spent my whole day here!”
We go back and forth, and I’m getting angrier by the minute. Finally, I just say, “You know what? Keep the butterfly. I’m outta here!” I storm out, feeling like a drama queen.
As I walk back through the streets, I can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. San-Casciano-in-Val-di-Pesa, you crazy little town! You’ve got me running around like a headless chicken, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
So, yeah, that was my day. Full of ups and downs, cats and stained glass, and a whole lotta drama. Just another day in the life of a glazier, I guess!