Campy woke to familiar sounds of the village he lived in. It was a small cottage on the edge of town where the pines nestled up to the back of the property. Song birds sang of a beautiful day ahead with plenty of sunshine. He stretched at the open window of his bedroom and gazed out, thinking, at first, of a bike ride but then remembering his bike was in another country. He dressed instead to breakfast at a local bakery in the town.
"Signore Campy, how are you today?" Bruno asked at the counter of his bakery, Poco Regalo.
"I'm feeling better my friend," Campy said before he sat down at a table near the window.
Bruno came over with an espresso and pastry, placing them in front of Girlymann. "I saw Signore Donatello earlier, he will have a bike ready for you before noon."
"Thanks for telling me, I'll go over to his shop after breakfast."
The news made Campy feel even better. Donatello was one of the best bike mechanics in all of Italy. He still wore his Campagnolo shop coat that he proudly displayed when he worked on Italy's race team in the Giro. Donatello shared Girlymann's love for Campagnolo's bike components. So much so that while Girlymann took the company's shortened name used by many for Campagnolo, Donatello had a Record Campy derailleur tattooed on his left calf.
Two cyclists pulled up and waved at Campy through the front window. After they leaned their bikes against the building they walked in, greeted Bruno, ordered and sat down on each side of Girlymann.
Girlymann smiled and shook their hands. "Where are you two off today?"
The cyclist on Campy's right said, "Adamo wants to go to Milan."
"Does he ever want to go anywhere else?"
"No, it's always Milan. It drives me crazy. I ask him, 'Where else?' but no, Milan comes out."
Adamo smiled and said, "Then why does he ask me? He wants to go up mountains. ask Beppie where he wants to go. It's the mountains."
Campy put his espresso down. Brutus had just placed cups and pastry in front of Campy's two friends, "Well, when you go to Milan, you get to climb back up, that gives you both what you want.
Beppie placed a hand on Campy's shoulder, "Any news on your De Rosa?"
"Nothing yet, but I have a plan. Donatello has a bike about ready for me."
"You're going back to France?" They asked.
"Not yet, but I need a bike and there's some people I want to talk to."
Beppie said, "That French pig, Jean Claude is behind this. His family is very rich and what he can't buy, he takes. He made up the time and won the tour."
"Good for him," Campy said. "I shouldn't have interfered in the first place."
Adamo spoke up then, "Campy? You think he didn't buy his yellow jersey? He is not that good and the talk is that he paid off people to get the win."
"I'd hate to think someone could do that in the greatest bicycle race of all time."
Beppe punched Campy in the arm. "He did not race in the Giro, that is the greatest."
Campy smiled, "You're right, no pro road race is as hard as the Giro, but the Tour de France takes the world press."
The three of them finished their espressos and pastries and then said goodbye. Campy had another espresso and watched his friends head toward the road that would take them to Milan. Girlymann paid his bill and then walked to the bike shop down the street.
To be continued....
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