Later, at a nearby Barnes & Noble, Giancarlo stood between a pair of shelves lined with magazines of every description. Clutching under his arm the little paperback Italian-English dictionary he had picked out at the reference section, he perused the selection of Italian magazines and newspapers on offer, hoping to find something of interest that would not present too much of a challenge for Carter. He had just flipped open the cover of Gente, an Italian equivalent of People magazine, when from the corner of his eye Giancarlo saw someone come into view at the opposite end of the aisle in which he was standing. Instinctively he turned his head, and he saw an attractive woman with short blonde hair reaching for a magazine. Dressed in snug-fitting jeans and a T-shirt, a raincoat draped over one arm, she happened to look his way at just that same moment. The two briefly regarded one another, turned quickly away so as not to stare, and then looked back again, the light of recognition suddenly coming to the eyes of each.

“Giancarlo, is that you?” said the woman.

“Hello, Claire,” he replied softly, returning her smile.

The two approached one another and exchanged kisses on the cheek.

“My God, how long has it been?” said Claire when she pulled back from him.

“A long time,” said Giancarlo, nodding. “A very long time.”

It had in fact been over ten years since they had last seen one another. Once upon a time, in what now seemed centuries ago, the two had been lovers.They had first met, just as on this day, quite by accident. Giancarlo had gone into his local bank, requesting to see the manager to dispute an overdraft charge on his checking account. The manager was at the time occupied with another matter, and so Giancarlo was directed to his assistant, who turned out to be Claire. Giancarlo was immediately taken with her, and in the course of explaining his grievances regarding his checking account, he found himself inviting her to finish the discussion over dinner. Claire had obviously been as equally taken with him, for she readily accepted, and so the affair began. They were together for nearly two years, the relationship bringing Giancarlo as close to happiness as any he had ever had. Just the same, it came to a dismal end, as had all the others before and since, when inevitably she had asked for a commitment, something that Giancarlo had never been able to give. It was a painful separation for both of them. Still, it ended amicably enough, and the two had gone their separate ways with little rancor.