Errico knelt by the Vespa and snapped the hose back into place. He stood and pulled a rag from his back pocket, wiping his hands. “Try it now,” he said.
Enzo threw his leg over the scooter and kicked down on the starter. The motor caught at once, belching out clouds of white smoke that filled the alley. He beamed at his friend. “You’re a genius!”
“It was only a plugged fuel line.”
“I couldn’t fix it. I tried, too.” Enzo smiled. “If I get a car, we can double date. Only room for one girl here,” he said, patting the seat behind him. “Ciao.” He gunned the Vespa, waving as he tore out into the square.
Errico wasn’t interested in a double date. He wanted Enzo alone.
He wanted his eyes and his shoulders, his white teeth and full lips.
Errico was used to wanting what he could never have.
Excellent story. Wonderfully written with a bittersweet end.
Indeed.
Poor Errico! Unrequited love is so sad. I wonder if Enzo guesses at his passion? Excellent writing, Josh!
Poor Errico. It’s easy to offer the advice, “Keep looking,” but oh so hard to do. I hope he finds someone eventually.
[…] © J Hardy Carroll […]
[…] Image credit J. Hardy Carroll […]
Oh! Delightful twist at the end. Nicely done.
Great story, but poor Errico. Unrequited love sucks.
I fear for Enzo this kind of ‘want’ cannot be good for him. An everyday event was turned into a horror story (at least for me) in an instance – nicely done!