and crossed myself.
I think that surprised Gina and she said to me, “I didn't know you were religious.”
I shrugged it off as I pulled her into some empty seats in the back row of pews. “More superstitious than anything. I play the odds. Better safe than sorry you know.”
She studied me for a second and her eyes narrowed. What was she seeing? Then she said softly, “No, there's more to it than that.”
I stiffened a bit, but she let it drop at that as Father Mike walked past toward the altar.
The sermon was almost fun. He spoke more of self-introspection than preaching the Bible. It was sort of refreshing. It had been a long time sing I attended a sermon. I preferred to visit churches on the off days to be alone as I discussed things with God, if he is up there. I see religion as a personal thing, not a group sport.
After bidding Father Mike ado with a promise to have a pint with him before I left London, the chimes in the huge clock in the eaves of the church chimed noon. I grinned at Gina in her dress and asked, “Shall I pizza you before I badger you for the wealth of knowledge in your cute noggin?”
She shook her head and motioned to her dress. “This is hardly the wardrobe for pizza.”
I grinned back and wiggled my eyebrows. “So you'll eat your slice with a knife and fork, like a lady.”
She mirrored my grin and whispered, “You are such a bad influence on me, Liza.”
I nodded and replied to her as she led me to her car, “Why yes, yes I am.”
She brought me to a back alley brick oven pizza parlor, Gertrude's. I'm not kidding, it was in a back alley. It was paved with cobbles and there was a handful of adorable artisan shops in the alley, tucked away in its own little world. This is why I love befriending locals in my travels, they always know of the secret little places only a local would know about. We sat on one of the small tables on the cobblestones under an awning since the four tables inside were full up.
I had to snort when Gina really started eating her oversize slice with a knife and fork. She looked up at me, my slice hanging half out of my mouth as I watched her. She grinned and said, “Bloody hell.” And she picked up her slice and took a huge bite.
I was much happier then and continued taking my bite.
When we finished, I was surprised when the heavyset lady with the perpetual smile dropped off two more fresh slices to us. Gina grinned at my confusion and said around another bite, “She'll feed you till you pop.”
I smiled at that. I was a little taken aback when the woman took only our drink order when we arrived, then came back with the drinks and our first huge slices. I didn't see any menus anywhere. She finally put me out of my misery and explained, “Here at Gertrude's, you just eat what is served to you. It is seven pounds a head, all you can eat. She's won more awards for her pizza than you can count, she's bloody brill.”
I smiled at this. It was sort of a novel concept. Then I paused and asked, “So, I was wondering, what do you know about the American deejay named Scratch?”
She took a sip of her iced tea then shrugged. “He's famous around here and in New York. He can scout out the most unlikely places and find the next superstars. I think he has something going with London Harmony, they keep signing his finds.”
I grinned, she thought Scratch was male. Well, that's what she tried to project, I'm positive she didn't mean for me to see her face. I nodded. “I'm trying to find... him. He has something of mine that I need to get back. Any clue where I should start looking?”
She contemplated this a moment. “Not really. He only pops up at random raves or clubs, nobody knows when he is going to show. But a girl I went to school with, Francine Brighton, works at London Harmony, and has been seen hanging around with him from time to time.”
Great, a lead. I swallowed a bite
I think that surprised Gina and she said to me, “I didn't know you were religious.”
I shrugged it off as I pulled her into some empty seats in the back row of pews. “More superstitious than anything. I play the odds. Better safe than sorry you know.”
She studied me for a second and her eyes narrowed. What was she seeing? Then she said softly, “No, there's more to it than that.”
I stiffened a bit, but she let it drop at that as Father Mike walked past toward the altar.
The sermon was almost fun. He spoke more of self-introspection than preaching the Bible. It was sort of refreshing. It had been a long time sing I attended a sermon. I preferred to visit churches on the off days to be alone as I discussed things with God, if he is up there. I see religion as a personal thing, not a group sport.
After bidding Father Mike ado with a promise to have a pint with him before I left London, the chimes in the huge clock in the eaves of the church chimed noon. I grinned at Gina in her dress and asked, “Shall I pizza you before I badger you for the wealth of knowledge in your cute noggin?”
She shook her head and motioned to her dress. “This is hardly the wardrobe for pizza.”
I grinned back and wiggled my eyebrows. “So you'll eat your slice with a knife and fork, like a lady.”
She mirrored my grin and whispered, “You are such a bad influence on me, Liza.”
I nodded and replied to her as she led me to her car, “Why yes, yes I am.”
She brought me to a back alley brick oven pizza parlor, Gertrude's. I'm not kidding, it was in a back alley. It was paved with cobbles and there was a handful of adorable artisan shops in the alley, tucked away in its own little world. This is why I love befriending locals in my travels, they always know of the secret little places only a local would know about. We sat on one of the small tables on the cobblestones under an awning since the four tables inside were full up.
I had to snort when Gina really started eating her oversize slice with a knife and fork. She looked up at me, my slice hanging half out of my mouth as I watched her. She grinned and said, “Bloody hell.” And she picked up her slice and took a huge bite.
I was much happier then and continued taking my bite.
When we finished, I was surprised when the heavyset lady with the perpetual smile dropped off two more fresh slices to us. Gina grinned at my confusion and said around another bite, “She'll feed you till you pop.”
I smiled at that. I was a little taken aback when the woman took only our drink order when we arrived, then came back with the drinks and our first huge slices. I didn't see any menus anywhere. She finally put me out of my misery and explained, “Here at Gertrude's, you just eat what is served to you. It is seven pounds a head, all you can eat. She's won more awards for her pizza than you can count, she's bloody brill.”
I smiled at this. It was sort of a novel concept. Then I paused and asked, “So, I was wondering, what do you know about the American deejay named Scratch?”
She took a sip of her iced tea then shrugged. “He's famous around here and in New York. He can scout out the most unlikely places and find the next superstars. I think he has something going with London Harmony, they keep signing his finds.”
I grinned, she thought Scratch was male. Well, that's what she tried to project, I'm positive she didn't mean for me to see her face. I nodded. “I'm trying to find... him. He has something of mine that I need to get back. Any clue where I should start looking?”
She contemplated this a moment. “Not really. He only pops up at random raves or clubs, nobody knows when he is going to show. But a girl I went to school with, Francine Brighton, works at London Harmony, and has been seen hanging around with him from time to time.”
Great, a lead. I swallowed a bite
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