Atmosphere

Life in a small town is special. Some people may love it, but some can feel it is too claustrophobic and decide to escape to a big city like I did. I was born in Trevi, a little town with 850 inhabitants in the center of Italy. I love Chicago because I love big cities, and I couldn’t live in Trevi anymore. I was tired of feeling over controlled from other people in the town. Yes, it is true; everyone knows everyone’s business and what they are doing in their life in a small town. It is like having video cameras in the streets watching and judging people. I love my life now in Chicago, but I am missing something. I am missing the only place in Trevi I feel was like a second home, Bar Roma. This Bar is a place where people get together, have coffee or happy hour called Aperitivo with friends. People enjoy their Italian coffee and reading news. Moreover, people may talk locals about their lives or play games with the barman, Alberto. He is a friendly person. Everyone loves him and his humourism. Most people go to Bar Roma, and for a while, they forget their problems.

            Since I moved to Chicago, I would love to find a place like Bar Roma, but I may never find a barman who made me a cup of coffee without saying which style I wanted to have. Making coffee is a special art, and in Italy people ask for their coffee in thousand different styles. A real barman in a small town knows each of his clients and how they want their coffee made. This is because Italian coffee is a culture. In Italy, people don’t have coffee plantations because Italy doesn’t have tropical weather. Despite this fact, Italians invented how to make a tasty aroma with caffettiera Moka for the house, and Macchina Cimbali for bars and restaurants. The first Bar opened in Piazza San Marco, Venezia in the 1683. Coffee was named the devil’s drink because all unbelievers of Jesus were drinking coffee. One day after drinking a coffee Pope Clemente VIII said, this drink is so delicious and would be a sin if we let drink it only to the unbelievers. We can defeat Satan, we bless the coffee, so all the Christians can drink it. After this episode, coffee became famous, and the rich people like artists, politicians and writers, gathered to drink coffee together. My friends and I drink coffee and read a newspaper before going to work just like our ancestors did more than three-hundred years ago, my friends and I continue to drink coffee and read newspaper in the bar today. I can have my coffee at home, but I liked go to Bar Roma, especially because after reading the newspaper I can debate with the barman. I would always be listening to his opinion and just for fun disagree with him, make him feel angry and scream to me, it’s too late you need to go at work.

            After work I always liked to stop at Bar Roma and have an aperitivo. All my friends also liked to stop at Bar Roma, and we didn’t need to organize an appointment because everyone knew someone would be there to drink something and have a conversation. One of the famous cocktails I always liked to drink was Aperol Spriz, made with Italian orange liquor and Prosecco. Fortunately, in Chicago I can find some place where I can order an Aperol Spriz. Unfortunately, I can’t find the atmosphere my friends and I created during the time. Moreover, Bar Roma is a beautiful original medieval structure.  Having an aperitivo in a small town is a good occasion to meet with friends and talk about everything, like life, work, boyfriends, girlfriends, movies, music and specially talk about what we would do after dinner. We have many programs, many ideas how to spend the night, despite organizing to go to big cities to change routine, mostly of the time we stayed at Bar Roma and the reason is because we love it.

            My friends and I are a big group. Some had a job like me, but some didn’t work. Deciding to stay at Bar Roma sometimes was a choice not to leave part of the group. Going to a big town where people can find everything is expensive. My friends and I always said, why go to spend $200 in one night and we are not sure if we will have fun. Furthermore, we can spend only $20 and still have fun for sure. Yes, because at Bar Roma people played board game, cards, darts, and Alberto organized many Italian Table Soccer tournaments. I miss playing Italian table soccer. Alberto loved playing on a team with me. It was two versus two, who was losing should go out, and who won stayed and played with the next team.  People need a lot money to play and have fun at Bar Roma. Furthermore, whoever had a money problem, Alberto allowed take on credit and pay when they can. During the game night at Bar Roma, people would forget their problems and just enjoy the night like a big family.

For me, Bar Roma was a second home, where Alberto the barman was like a father.  Alberto knew the culture of how to make coffee or cappuccino. Furthermore, he remember each client which newspaper they read, and how they wanted their coffee. Regardless, in Italy the people like to ask for their coffee in thousand different styles, the real barmen like Alberto remember everyone.  Bar Roma is a place where people can forget their problems, drink with friends and have fun with games, just with only $20.00. I grew up in a small town called Trevi with 850 inhabitants, and it will be my house forever. I miss those memories and the atmosphere I created with my friends at Bar Roma, but I have chosen to follow my dreams and I worked hard for that. I am happy despite knowing I will not have another Bar Roma in Chicago. In big cities, it is rare to create an atmosphere like I had in Bar Roma. Moreover, I don’t have my old friends here with me, especially Alberto.