The moment I woke up, my daughter pushed me into motion. The sea was calling, the sun was ready, and apparently I wasn’t moving fast enough. Fair enough. Adventure doesn’t wait.

We picked up our guest on the way — standing on the roadside like someone who had already decided the day would be good. Everything under control. On time. Beach secured.

We set up our spot according to instinct, not logic. Chaos, but functional. The umbrella, however, was a battle. Stones, marble edges, and a terrain clearly designed by someone who hated stability. But I managed. More or less.

Everyone ran into the warm water. I stayed seated, observing. Years away from the sea slow down your environmental adaptation. People, though — they always reveal something if you watch long enough.

Next to us, five readers caught my attention. Three men, two women, probably from Tuscany. Deep into their books, completely unreachable. Their concentration was a fortress.

I waited to see how they’d manage their day. When siesta time arrived, one of them opened small bags full of Ionian-style sandwiches. The smell alone could have started a revolution.

I took the moment. Walked over politely. Told them I was an author from Reggio Calabria. Noticed their love for reading and decided to give them something: my business card, with my site. A small gesture. A seed.

Five smiles. Five cards stored in five wallets. Five potential readers. I didn’t know their worlds, but probability theory is simple: if you don’t try, you can’t say you failed.

We left early, ready to return to normal life.

That evening, I checked the order history. Ten books sold. And a message:

“Your kindness and good manners sell more than your books.”

Nando