Yesterday, we decided to go to Ikea, along with three of Paolo’s friends (all male, by the way). If you’ve never experienced Ikea, it’s a like an amusement park for women. Everything you could possibly need for your house is in one huge store, with displays, customization options, etc. And all for great prices. The thought of going with four boys seemed like the start of a joke, but really it isn’t even the strangest thing I experienced yesterday.
Now let me set the scene for you. We had to drive to the outskirts of Milan to go, which is about 30 minutes away. The road we used was about the equivalent of a US highway, some country, some city areas, etc. There were five of us squished in a Volkswagon Golf, with expectations of buying lots of things. And it was mid-afternoon and raining. Ok, now on to the good part.
About 10 minutes into our drive, I noticed a woman sitting in a chair, about 15 feet away from a fruit stand, well-dressed, with a large umbrella. There was nothing else really in the area, other than the fruit stand. The only thing I could guess was that she was waiting on a bus. The boys were all talking, but I can’t always understand everything, so I didn’t really pay attention. About five minutes later, I saw another woman in exactly the same strange situation; seated in the middle of nowhere, with an umbrella. So I finally just asked what was up with that. The boys all told me that they were prostitutes, but I really couldn’t believe it at first. I mean, I can’t really see that there’s a great market for prostitution on a rainy afternoon on the way to Ikea. But clearly, I was wrong. We saw at least five more after that, some more scantily clad than others, one who was most likely a man. So of course I had to ask questions.
Apparently, when they get a job, they either go to nearby motels, or the “customers” just pull over their car. After finding that out, I noticed several cars pulled over randomly; one with an open umbrella beside it. I’m still in slight disbelief, because I mean, it’s almost like drive-thru prostitutes.
I’ve seen them before of course, but never in the middle of the day. In the middle of the country. In the rain. And furthermore, this can’t be very safe. Not that the oldest profession has ever been the safest, but to just be alone in the middle of a cow pasture, with only your thigh highs and an umbrella can’t really be the smartest thing ever. And the business side of me really can’t help but question whether this is really the best scheme for making money. It seems like most people looking for hookers probably would be looking elsewhere, not on the way into a city, in the afternoon. Maybe I just don’t know the market that well, but I thought they were called “ladies of the night” for a reason.
Sidenote: prostitution is illegal in Italy. But like many other things here, it is slightly overlooked. Until Berlusconi hires one at least, in which case the media makes a huge deal over it, and then the public will most likely choose to re-elect him as PM.
The Ikea trip was lovely, by the way; I would highly encourage you to go if you’ve never been to one before. It’s one of my favorite companies because of the structure and efficiency of it, which I won’t go into as to not bore everyone who doesn't love the business details. Not to mention the incredible deals and ideas you’ll get there. So if you ever need some new home furnishings/decorations/accessories, make your way to the closest Ikea, and make a game of counting the umbrellas along the way.
Ciao for now,
Kathleen
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