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Sal, “with some sausicc’ and some nice rabes. Dio mio, why did you have to say it? Mannagia, you got my mouth watering now!”
    â€œSeriously,” said Tony, “can you still live in that place? And is there anybody around there who’ll even remember you if you show up someday?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Peppi admitted. “But Luca will be there.”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œHis best friend,” said Ralph, “the one from Villa San Giuseppe. The one he used to race his bicycle with.”
    â€œWhat is this, you know his life story?” said Gino.
    â€œWhat do you want?” said Ralph. “I remember when people talk about things. It’s about all I remember these days.”
    Gino turned back to Peppi. “So what do you think?” he said. “Is this Luca still around? I mean, how do you know he’s not dead or something? Remember, you’ve been gone a long time.”
    â€œHe’s not dead,” Peppi chuckled. “I’d know.”
    â€œBut how can you be sure?” said Tony. “When was the last time you talked to him?”
    â€œI haven’t talked to him since I left Italy.”
    â€œThen how will you find him!”
    â€œEasy,” said Peppi. “I’ll just show up at the piazza one Sunday morning on my bicycle and he’ll be there with the others, all ready to ride just like every Sunday morning. He’s a cyclist. That’s what cyclists do.”
    â€œWhat a surprise that’ll be for him!” said Ralph.
    Peppi shook his head. “No,” he said, “he won’t be surprised. Luca’s been expecting me for a long time.”
    â€œAnd I think all those miles riding your bike have finally gone to your head,” said Tony, ducking once more behind the sports page.
    Later, Ralph left for an appointment with his orthopedist and Sal went to shop for groceries with his wife. Tony was busy with another customer and Gino was getting ready to go to the pharmacy. Peppi decided it was time for him to go too. He walked out the door with Gino and stood by his bike for a few moments.
    â€œWhere are you going now?” asked Gino.
    â€œI don’t know,” said Peppi. “It doesn’t really matter. I’ll just let the wheels roll wherever they want to go. I’ve been off the bike for quite a while now.”
    â€œWell, it’s good to see you back on it,” said Gino.
    Peppi smiled and mounted the bike. He gave Gino a wave and pedalled off down the road, thinking all the while about Italy and Villa San Giuseppe and Luca and the mulino. Little by little, as he gathered speed, turning the pedals over faster and faster, he began to notice the glare of the sun, the contours of the road, and the feel of the brisk wind in his face.

CHAPTER FIVE
    Peppi waited until well after the New Year before announcing to the rest of his friends and relatives that he intended to return to Italy. The news was greeted by almost unanimous dismay and anguished attempts to dissuade him. By then, however, Peppi had already booked his flight for Rome. His mind was made up to go in early February.
    The day before he was to leave, Angie and Delores came to help him pack. Peppi could have managed the job well enough on his own for he didn’t plan to take much, but the two women had insisted. They were worried sick about him. In truth, Peppi finally relented and agreed to let them help him partly because he knew it would make them feel a little bit better, but mostly because it would keep them from pestering him about the whole thing.
    â€œI still don’t understand why he wants to go back and live next to some filthy old mill when he has this beautiful home right here,” said Delores.
    â€œI don’t understand either,” Angie agreed. “It doesn’t make sense. I tried my best to talk him out of it, but he won’t listen.”
    They were folding Peppi’s shirts and