italiafile

What's the most dangerous job in Italy? I have a nomination. On the Via Garibaldi 4 lanes of traffic and at least 2 lanes of parked cars vie for space on a 2 lane road. Buses and trams negotiate the tracks and overhead powerlines, while the scooters, more often than not, plump for the pavements as a clearer route through the city. In the midst of this a man stands on a rickety and very tall set of ladders as he puts up Christmas lights. That is, right in the middle of the road. His ladders are of the wheeled variety and he makes stately progress down the middle of Via Garibaldi as he suspends illuminated stars to the overhead wires. His mates, who obviously chose longer straws, attach the light bulb bedecked swags to buildings at either side of the road. To ensure the ladder balancers safety, the ladders wheels are painted red and white, but even this clever ruse doesn't stop cars and buses from missing the ladders by a hairs breadth. Despite this, or perhaps because of the constant threat of a mangled death, they have managed to put up the Christmas lights along the entire length of the street in less than a day. I am impressed.