While I was waiting for the Fendi show, I found this little barber shop down the street. It was around 3 o'clock so the shop was closed for afternoon break but I wanted a closer look at the interior of the shop .
I peeked in the window and found this....
...the barber asleep in his chair!
Isn't this exactly what Americans picture the Italian "afternoon break"must be all about?
This is like the perfect Floyd the Barber from the Andy Griffith show meets Milan.
He even looks a little like Floyd.
Actually I was a little embarrassed that I had peeked in and seen him sleeping - like I had peeked in his bedroom or something.
Of course, after about one second the photographer in me took over and I paced around out front trying to decided if I should take his photograph.
Among other things, I thought to myself - "what if he wakes up while I am taking the photo!?"
I finally decided to take the photo when I determined that I was probably faster than him and if he got too mad I could probably out run him.
I did have momentarily frightening visions of him running after me down the street yelling "Stop The Sartorialist!!!"
but I figured people would just dismiss it as anti-fashion rhetoric.
On a side note, afterwards I asked several Milanese , mostly people that worked at my hotel, if there was an Italian word for the afternoon break - like the Spanish word "siesta".
Most of them thought for a while but could not come up with a word for it.
They could think of a word for a fast, short lunch break but not for the longer afternoon break.
I think "La Napoli" would sound good, be appropriate (nap time), and it could honor one of their most sartorial cities.
Lets see if they will adopt it!