The Gladiator

A

Maria Tenace started to nod. She almost gave herself a whiplash stopping when she realized, a split second too late, that A

No secret ballot-the vote was by a show of hands. A

After the election, a boy whose name she didn't even know told her, "I don't want somebody turning me in to the Security Police if I say something she doesn't like. I don't think you'd do that."

"I hope not!" A

"No, I don't think you would," the boy said. "Congratulations for wi

"Thanks." A

Gianfranco was waiting outside when the meeting broke up. He also congratulated A

"Sure. Why not?" A

Two or three more people said they were glad she'd won as she was walking out of Hoxha Polytechnic. Just what she'd done started to sink in then. Any university that saw President of the Young Socialists' League on an application would be much more likely to say yes. That wasn't why she'd run, but it wasn't bad.

When they got to the Galleria del Popolo, she didn't just have a soda. She had a soda, with a big scoop of ice cream plopped in. It was wonderful. Gianfranco had one, too. They sat at a sidewalk table watching people go by. Two of the people were Russians, in baggy, square-cut suits very different from what Italian men wore. They were arguing at the top of their lungs. Except for a couple of swear words, she hardly understood anything they said. The summer holiday had left her Russian rusty. She supposed it would get better again.

She eyed Gianfranco. His people-watching wasn't all pretty girl-watching. She appreciated that.

He pointed across the street. "Look! That shopfront that's been empty forever is finally going to get somebody new in it."

"You're right." She squinted, trying to make out what was below the big letters that spelled out OPENING SOON! She didn't have much luck. "Can you read it?"

Gianfranco squinted, too. Then he shook his head. "No. Too small. Shall we go over and look?"

"In a bit," A

After they finished their sundaes and talked for a while, they did cross the pedestrian-filled street. The sign read, RARE AND UNUSUAL BOOKS TO INTEREST EVERY TASTE. A SHOP EOR THE PERSON WHO THINKS.

A

"I don't know," she said. "We'll just have to find out, won't we?"