Pick pockets and phone cards alike
September 26, 2008
St Paul outside the walls was the focus of our attention today, it’s the last of the four major Basilicas to visit and our final place of pilgrimage. Yet another magnificent church that is well known for having portraits of every pope around its walls. This is a massive church with ample room for papal portraits, however space is not unlimited and legend has it once all the space is used up, “that’s it”. For the record there are 22 spaces left. Should see us out.
Occasionally when we have Mass at the churches we visit, sometimes others who happen to be in the church join us. They’re made welcome. Today was no exception and at the end of Mass we discovered that one of those who by chance had joined us was Hubert Bonnet-Eymard’s cousin who was visiting from Lyon!
The journey to St Paul’s was by bus and a packed Metro. The train was crowded, however as is the way in Rome there’s always room for one more. In this instance were were 12 and still no problems. These crowded situations are ones that we’ve been warned about and getting on the train John Murphy, as a matter of course, put his hand in his pocket to protect the contents. In crowded situations like this people are understandably pushed. Pushing also provides a distraction for pick-pockets to flourish and as quick as he felt it, a foreign hand was removed from the entrance of his pocket. In front of of John were two men who for the rest of the journey John watched like a hawk. Tim Costello was to John’s left, he was also exposed to the threat. Warned of the situation, Tim also focused his gaze in their direction and in getting off the train he observed that it’s a shame that Italians have a reputation for pick-pocketing when most offenders are as these were, Eastern Europeans.
An issue that’s come back to haunt several of us is the phone bill from La Neyliere. Those wanting to make toll calls purchased a phone card at the St Symphorien shops, paying 7 Euro with the understanding that they would get 150 international minutes. As it turned out, the card was bogus, so as well as paying for it, the La Neyliere phone bill was also charged and at a rate that was greater than the normal toll call rate that La Neyliere pays! The amount in question, was in excess of 250 Euro and has left a large unexpected hole in some pockets.
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