Quite a Meal!

As we descended the steps of the hotel, it appeared that everyone in town had joined the original procession. There was total silence until one young Italian boy stepped up to us and began talking in Italian. When he realized that we could not converse in Italian and that no one in town spoke English, we were certainly at a stalemate. I don't know if it was fear or desperation that made me reach for my passport and show it to him. After closely perusing the passport, a wide smile spread across his face as he lifted the document above his head and yelled "Mistretta" to the crowd. A huge roar arose from the townspeople as they converged upon us to offer hugs and handshakes all around.
We were whisked off to someone's house and made to sit in the kitchen where immediately large quantities of wine appeared on the table. As we began to indulge in the wine, a number of women began to cook, what seemed enough food, to feed the entire town. There were meats and cheeses, pasta, lasagna, salads, and even more wine. We were introduced to dozens of people, who they were, I had no idea. All that I remember is that we were treated as long lost relatives who had come home to visit. I don't know if I ever ate or drank as much as I did that day in Mistretta.