We took the train from Bari to Rome where we had to change for Orvieto. As we settled into our seats, an American and Italian couple both made for the same seats opposite us. The American lady immediately challenged the Italians saying that the seats were theirs and pointed to her ticket with the seat number printed on it. The Italian was courteous and patient as the woman demanded to see his ticket repeating again and again in quite an aggressive manner that the seats were theirs. I was fascinated by the contrast of hostility and old world manners as they attempted to sort out the double booking.

The Italian politely asked to see the woman's ticket. She waved it triumphantly under his nose stabbing at the seat number and then pointing to the identical number above the seat. Yes indeed they were the same. The Italian gentleman, with a masterful pause before delivering the knock out blow, then pointed out that while the seat numbers were correct, she was in the wrong carriage.

The woman let out a long, slow gasp of air as she deflated rapidly in front of the audience who were now following the drama with rapt attention.  She looked at her husband who had been a mute observer the entire time, and brayed out in a loud voice,

'Honey, we don't know a thing.'

You could just feel that everyone in the carriage wanted to applaud this unwittingly accurate self evaluation. They then shuffled off with her two gigantic suitcases to find her seats elsewhere.