Maybe we’re just used to the different branches of police in the States, but ask any Italian about the police here and they just snicker. Aside from the corruption problems, there’s apparently a big rivalry amongst the many branches and nobody’s quite sure who does what. Hanging out, looking cool, and holding a bigger gun than the guy across the square seems to be the thing to do. Whether zipping around on BMW motorcycles, sleek Alfa Romeo’s, horseback, or on foot; there's always someone from one of the numerous police branches around every corner.
The other day I got my first taste of, dare I say it, the mafia! I was working on the computer in Santo Spirito square with the kids, when a caravan of seven black cars and vans with dark glass pulled up. They were loaded with bodyguards and one family who headed across the square for lunch. The family chose an indoor table, maybe so they weren’t such easy targets, while the bodyguards fanned out across the square. They had guys at the front door, on the stairs of the church, sitting on park benches…at least 15 of them. They were not discreet in the least as they were all big buff Italians in sleek black sport coats, just standing there during the entire lunch. You could tell when the meal was wrapping up because they all started shifting around and talking into the lapels on their coat. As the “boss” appeared outside, his men quickly surrounded him as he pulled out a huge cigar and lit it up. He headed to his car in a cool and confident walk that’s hard to even describe. His wife and two young kids were ushered into one of the vans further back in the caravan and off they all went. Afterwards I went over to the restaurant to ask their waiter whom we just witnessed, and was told matter-of-factly, “We don’t talk about that”. Mamma Mia!
