Travel Reference
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Mi chiamo Emma. (My name is Emma.)
Then, the older one.
E te, signorina? (And you, young lady?)
Mi chiamo Siena. (My name is Siena.)
Come? (Huh? How's that?)
She has gotten so used to that response over the years, that she always has her comeback
line immediately ready.
Siena, come la citta. (Siena, just like the city.)
Davvero! (Well, isn't that something!)
The first response to her name is typically puzzlement or incredulity as people wonder
whether they've heard right. It's followed by a measure of surprise since they've never met
anyone named after their city. And, ultimately, we see their pride and pleasure that a couple
has loved their city enough to choose its name for their firstborn.
In and of itself, Siena's name has given her a certain measure of celebrity. One time when I
was having a cup of coffee in a neighboring town, the barista asked me where I was from. I
said that I was an American and that I now lived in San Cosimo. Her eyes grew wide: “Are
you the father of the girl named Siena?” It was humbling to be outclassed by a nine-year-
old. Another time, we were shopping at the Coop, and I called out down the isle to Siena to
grab some broccoli. An older gentleman with a shopping cart turned toward me and asked
politely if we were the family from San Cosimo. He introduced himself as Signor Ruffoli,
a reporter for the Siena paper. He explained that he had been wanting to meet us but hadn't
been sure how to get in touch. And so we met him at the bar the next morning, and he con-
ducted a one-on-one interview with Siena. He asked her how she felt about her name, what
it was like for her living here, did she miss the United States. The following day a full page
spread appeared in the Corriere di Siena with her comments and photos, and our daughter
had her first fifteen minutes of fame at the tender age of ten.
Today, in the hospital room, as she responds to Luigi and says “Siena, just like the city”,
the woman visiting her husband in the bed directly across from us, suddenly turns around
and looks at us.
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