Only in Catania

And now from the “Strange and Weird Fact File,” an actual conversation, taking place 15 minutes before Catania Elephants practice:

 MATT EPPERSON, ELEFANTI WR (Frantic): Pronto. 

 JJ: Its me – you don’t have to answer in Italian.  Where are you guys?

 MATT: We’re stuck.

 JJ: What do you mean you’re stuck?

MATT: Well, we got picked up for practice 20 minutes ago – then as we were driving away from our house, all of a sudden a PARADE rolled by and everyone stopped.  It’s like a parking lot!

JJ (laughing hard): Are you serious?  How do you get blindsided by a parade?  I mean, it’s not like they just pop up out of nowhere!   In Catania, parades do and will pop up at a moments notice… similar to pick-up basketball games in New York City… Especially at the height of the Saint Agatha celebration>

MATT: Dude… all I know is that one second we were driving, and the next minute balloons and people are going passed us – 20 cars in front of us and 100 cars behind us just instantly parked in the middle of street – and just hopped out to follow the parade.  And now we’re trapped!

JJ (laughing harder): Face it… that is hilarious… what are you gonna do?

MATT: Wait it out I guess…

JJ: It’s not like it’s a monsoon.  You seriously just got stuck in a parade?

MATT: No joke.

JJ:  Only in Catania…

  Matt jumped right in and won the first “gasser” sprint without warming up or stretching.  Good job Mr. Dedication>

~ J. Twice