Sometimes you just have to laugh!

I just got accosted in the street and scolded by a group of women!  Well 4 women but one ringleader as the others seemed less interested in telling me off as observing what the outsider had to say for herself!

So here's what the problem was: water here in the old town doesn't run into drains but down cleverly paved sloping streets til it reaches the sea.  Today I had a lady clean all 4 storeys of the house top to bottom and it was so, so worth it, but the water that had run down when cleaning the front door had made its way down the centre of the street and round the corner and was perturbing this dear lady!

Hardly a torrent!

I mean, seriously!  Does she shout at the sky when it rains?!  Rather than get into an argument about it being only water and nowhere near her house and probably cleaner than the street, I put on my most concerned face and used my best Italian to say I was sorry and explained it was the cleaning lady and said I wasn't sure what I could do.  And when she went off on one about it being the evening, I said I didn't understand and the other old ladies softened, and I asked if it would be better to have water in the street in the morning and she said yes and I said ok and politely wished them a good evening!

I still don't really see why she had a problem (maybe one of my Italian readers can explain what I'm missing?) but find it funny to imagine her seeing the water, marching round the corner to find its source and then being so happy when I passed so she could say her piece in front of her friends!

Altogether now: "Signora.  SIGNORA!"