Giovanni's

I think that’s Giovanni outside.

Texting. At a table by himself.

He hoped locals would refer to this as ‘the piazza.’

 

There used to be a lady playing piano here

A half-Italian ex-dentist’s receptionist who always dreamed

Of playing the piano in the corner

Of a nice little restaurant but is now

A dentist’s receptionist again a grand piano

Replaced by a CD of piano music

 

and the sous chef didn’t last long

there was nothing to sous

it all seems such a long time since opening night

every table filled with everyone Giovanni had ever met

who had no idea what to have for a starter:

“But everything looks so delicious!”

 

His parents were so proud.

“We’re so proud of you Giovanni!”

“Well I did this all for you,” he never told them.

He wanted to recreate those dinner parties

they threw when he was young

when he’d listen from upstairs.

 

This was once the place for special occasions.

“Mum, for Mother’s  Day I’m taking you to Giovanni’s”

“But they’ll have been booked up months ago!”

Ring boxes being removed from top pockets on Valentine’s Day

“Oh my God of course I wills” spreading across the room,

“More Champagne please, Giovanni!”

 

All the clean shaven eau de toiletted new shirt lads

on first dates in the early days of Giovanni’s  

will be in their forties now unable

to recognise Giovanni's.

 

Maybe it was the wrong street

or the wrong town

or the one bad review at the top of the page

to anyone who Googles

or maybe it’s just a town that developed the wrong taste buds.

 

Maybe it's since the chef left

or Gabriella, the Maitre D, who gave Italian lessons free of charge

at luchtimes at the local primary school

to a generation of kids who grew up speaking

with a surprisingly convincing Florentine dialect.

One day she wasn't there any more.

'Where's Gabriella? Where's Gabriella? 

Is there no Gabriella today?'

Gabriella doesn't work here anymore.

 

She doesn't work here anymore?

 

Sad shake of head.

 

It won't feel like it when you’re sitting alone

at a table by yourself, texting,

but maybe ... maybe things will turn out okay for Giovanni

sometimes in life you just need that menu change.