Rome, Day 18

Deep full moon night, after a full day with a friend of 45 years flown in from Germany, talking also “masks” in family lives… war-prison sonewhere in Siberia after Wehrmacht defeat at Kurland,… a deadly plane crash in 60’s racist American South,… near faces hiding secrets of love and misers…
Topped with ice creams near the Tiber at midnight.

Why was Gibbons surprised?