When I visited the pretty hill town of Urbino in the center of Italy, I had arrived with the name of a local sculptor who was a friend of a friend. That distant connection did not prevent Fuffi (left) from welcoming me into his home, introducing his family, humoring my tourist Italian. Years later, when I met Nick's friend Paolo, and he told me he was from Urbino, I facetiously asked, "Oh, do you know Fuffi?" Paolo was amazed, said, “Of course, I know of Fuffi. He’s one of the great characters who bring Urbino to life.” He explained to me that the late sculptor was legendary, regarded as local royalty. (Paolo also got nostalgic when I mentioned Il Buco, a pizza place I'd remembered and one that featured prominently in Paolo's youth. I'll also mention here that when Jay and I met an Italian couple in the Casablanca train station years later, and they mentioned that they were from Urbino, I brought up Il Buco...and they started in.)
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