Give as the Romans Give

Italians are known for their passion, their family-oriented lifestyles, their interest in community.  Maybe, knowing those things, I should have anticipated the generosity, but I am certain I expected Romans to be cold towards Americans.

The first time I went to the grocery store on my own was certainly not as disastrous as it could have been.  I found my way there - although it was a mile walk and at one point I feared I passed it without knowing - I mostly knew the words for which I was searching, and I eventually sorted out how to purchase fresh vegetables.

While stacking my items on the conveyor belt, an elderly woman looked me up and down with a sweet smile on her face.  I did not think much of it.  My American street clothes were considerably less dressy than those of the local residents; I looked and felt like an outsider.  Presumably sensing my foreignness, the woman took out a small sheet of paper, peeled off eight stickers and placed them on my groceries.  Each circular sticker proclaimed "20%", indicating the amount of discount given.

I recognized the coupons from when Clara, my Italian student companion, explained them to me.  They were a promotion on the part of the store for every amount of money spent (for the life of me I cannot remember how much, but my head wants to say fifty euros).  The woman had earned and paid for these coupons and the gave them to a stranger for no reason that I could understand.  

I was, and am, amazed.  Even in Texas, the land of the unreasonably kind, I had never unquestioningly received money from a stranger simply for looking out of place - and I can assure you that I always look out of place.

But ultimately Roman generosity is more than a cultural quirk.  It means something to them.  It is a quiet affirmation that says "you are out of place, but not so much as you think."