“Hello, two ounces of ham.”
A girl looks up from her shopping list and with fiery eyes incinerates that lady full of jingling bracelets who so lightly stole her place at the meat counter.
“Excuse me, but do you think it’s the right way? You didn’t even take the number! If you’ll excuse me, it’s my turn.”
“Look, don’t get too hot, they’re already serving me. When I’ve finished it’ll be your turn again.”
Lucrezia observes the scene with a mixture of irritation and compassion. The arrogance she is witnessing, that belief that her time is more precious than that of others, makes her grit her teeth. At the same time another sensation creeps inside her on a deeper level: the awareness of injustice.
Why does life always seem inclined to favor those who raise their voices the loudest? Why is it that those who elbow their way into space are rewarded while those who wait politely for their turn are forced to suffer? These questions burn inside her more than the sun outside the shop begins to warm the days and fill the air with the scent of spring. It’s as if the world itself is unjust, as if the scales of justice are always tipped the wrong way. But Lucrezia knows that she cannot allow anger to take over: she cannot resolve the injustice with further abuse nor afford to lose her job. What she can do instead is act according to her principles, remain calm and try to correct at least a small part of that distortion. So, with a sigh that takes away some of the tension accumulated in that delicatessen counter near the center of Modena, she decides.
She turns to the girl kindly: “Sorry for the wait, miss. What can I give you?” Then, with a forced but polite smile, she looks at the arrogant lady full of jingling bracelets: “If you want to be served, I advise you to take the number. It’s the fairest way for everyone.”
“Thank you. Look, I would kindly ask you for some raw ham, Tuscan salami, pancetta, stracciatella, brie and soft pecorino. I have to make a mix of bruschettas with a Balsamic Vinegar with the scents of cherry and mulberry which is absolutely deliious! It’s now my specialty for dinners with friends…”
“Look at this menu! I just needed a bit of ham!”
“Ma’am, you have your ham right in front of your eyes, if you don’t realize the impression you’re making! Now go on, we’ve been far too kind”, exclaims Lucrezia. Because it is okay to choose the path of civilization even in the face of arrogance, but when someone insists it is good to highlight the rudeness to stop it in its tracks, otherwise it will always grow, just like a bad weed infests the soil at the first warm weather. And as she cuts the slices of raw ham, a little hope makes its way into Lucrezia’s heart: perhaps, one gesture at a time, we can contribute to making the world a little more just.
