"That's all pollution's fault!" said the woman screaming.
"She's certainly the maid" thought Ulysses turning up the TV's volume. He
was in the hotel trying to rest, to have a peaceful afternoon before a dark
night in Rome would drive him crazy.
He just wanted a simple, normal, easy, fucking bitch. He could try with the
maid, probably she could help him to relax.
Ulysses heard her voice again. She was screaming.
"I can't really say it... But it is on the dailies... And the television was
saying it too..."
"What the hell? The television was saying too?" asked Ulysses to himself.
"What the hell was she speaking about?"
"I am really afraid to stay in this hotel" said the maid. "I think I'll take
a week off... I don't care if I am going to lose money."
Ulysses turned off the television. He jumped out from the bed and went to
the door. His hears were listening attentive and concentrate: not to lose
any single word.
"Two tourists had been killed... In this hotel... By a strange virus... The
embassies are forewarning their citizens..."
Ulysses shook his head. He couldn't believe what he heard. He was in a hotel
were two tourists had been killed by a strange disease. He opened the
newspaper and checked immediately. His fingers were running through the
pages. The article was in the local section. It was true. A virus. A
dangerous mortal virus. Not even a sexual virus that he could take
precautions against. No. It was a fucking misterious virus flying on the air.
Ulysses looked around. Probably it was fluttering on his head in that
moment. Just beside him, hamletly deciding if to attack or not to attack.
Ulysses called the receptionist. He was freaking out. She told him to calm
down. "There is no danger" she repeated kindly. "I assure you sir..." she
tried to say.
Ulysses was not sure at all. He knew Italy had millions of tourists each
summer. And when they lose a pair of them it's not a big deal.
"Has a sanitary inspector arrived?" asked Ulysses alarmed.
"No sir!" she said.
"Is he supposed to arrive?"
"No sir!"
"Are you a biologist?"
"No sir! Of course!"
"So how the hell do you know that there is nothing to worry about?" screamed
Ulysses at the telephone. "How could you know that we are not in the middle
of the first drill of a viral terroristic group?"
Ulysses didn't hear her answer.
"Are you still there?" he asked.
"No sir!" she said. "I am coming up."
Ulysses lit a cigarette and waited. Five minutes passed.
Ulysses lit the second cigarette and stopped walking nervously through the
room. Ten minutes passed.
Ulysses was lighting his tenth cigarette. It was a half hour he was waiting
for her.
He was mad. Called her back.
"I am sorry" said a different voice. "My colleague left five minutes ago.
May I help you?"
"Yes, the bill" said Ulysses roughly.
"Sir, aren't you just arrived?" asked the new girl innocently.
"Yes and I'll come back the same day the sanitary inspector will come."
"Is a sanitary inspector coming here?"
"No!" said Ulysses. "If a virus could be in here," he added "you can be sure
he would never come. That's why I'm leaving."
