Milan never stops, a city as chaotic as it is precise.
My name is Luca, I'm a young guy and my life is a perfect storm: a precarious balance between my hectic life and a hidden passion for vinyl records. Yeah! a hidden passion for collecting vinyl records that I rarely get time to indulge.
After a long night solving a seemingly impossible work problem, I found myself juggling one endless meeting after another. This morning, as I rushed to the office, my phone would not stop ringing. Distracted by my thoughts, I ignored the calls a few times. Eventually, I finally gave in and answered with a distracted, "Hello?"
"Good morning, this is Saint Anna Clinic. We're calling to confirm your appointment for tomorrow at 10."
Confused, I racked my brain. I had no recollection of scheduling anything! I replied, "There must be a mistake! I don't have an appointment at the Clinic."
"Oh! I'm sorry. It must be an error in our systems... Have a nice day!" said the voice, hanging up before I could ask more. I shrugged and kept moving.
Upon arriving at the office, I realized I had forgotten an important document at home. Panicking, I called my flatmate, Federico, hoping he could help me.
"Federico, listen, I left a red document folder at home. Could you bring it to the office when you go out, please? It's crucial!"
On the other end of the line, he sighed, "Luca, I'm already at work too, so I can't help you right now. What's going on with you today? Take care, ok?"
That's when it hit me: I had mixed up the meeting date entirely. All that panic for nothing. I forced myself to refocus, but the phone rang again.
"Yes?"
"Hi, Luca! It's Francesca. So, everything is set for tonight, right? Eight o'clock as usual?"
I froze. Francesca? Who was Francesca? I stammered, "Oh... Francesca, I think you've got the wrong number or the wrong Luca."
She gasped. "Oh no! My mistake! Take care, okay?" She hung up before I could respond.
Later, frustrated by a string of confused calls and missed appointments, I escaped to the bar downstairs. Giorgia, the bartender, greeted me with her usual cheer.
"Hello Luca, the usual coffee?"
"Yeah, thanks. It's been such a strange day." I muttered, waiting at the counter.
As she handed me a steaming espresso, hot and black, she asked, "What's going on? You look frazzled."
I vented about the bizarre calls and confusion. "Everyone seems determined to call me by mistake today. And then Federico says, 'Take care,' like I am the one acting weird!"
Giorgia burst out laughing. "Maybe it's one of those days. Who knows—maybe fate's trying to tell you something! Maybe our phones know more than we do!"
I chuckled, feeling the weight of the morning ease. "Maybe you're right."
Just as I finished my coffee, my phone buzzed again. Resigned, I glanced at the screen and picked up, ready for any surprises.
"Yes?"
"Luca! It's Stefi. The record you were looking for—it's here. We've been holding it for you!"
My mood instantly lifted. "Thank you, Stefi! I'll be there soon!" I paid Giorgia with some haste and headed to the record store. "Bye, Giorgia! Maybe today hasn't been so bad... Take care, ha!"
At the store, I saw Stefi, who I had known for years. "Here it is—the vinyl you've been hunting for." She said, holding out the treasure.
I stared at the cover, elated. "Finally! Thank you, Stefi."
"It's my pleasure. Take care, Luca, okay?" she added, with a cryptic smile.
I smiled as well. "Thanks, I will!"
Heading home, I thought about how many times I’d heard ‘take care’ that day. Sure, it's a common phrase, but it seemed to resonate differently. When I got home, I placed the record on the turntable and sank into the couch. As the music filled the room, something on the album cover caught my eye. A handwritten note read: 'TAKE CARE! - S.'
It was Stefi's handwriting. I leaned back, letting the day's chaos melt away. All those calls, the missed meetings, the mix-ups—they felt like puzzle pieces falling into place now. It was as if the universe was telling me to pause and savor the moment.
The music enveloped me. I closed my eyes, a serene smile on my face. ‘Take care’ was a precious reminder, and maybe today wasn’t so strange after all.
"Luca, take care... alright?"