"Toc Toc… Who's There?" A Slightly Unsettling Evening in Tuscany
There are many things I love about living in Tuscany. The changing seasons, the gentle routine we have with our newfound relaxed and happy life here, and those enchanting winter evenings when the night draws in early, and snuggling in bed after a busy day feels like a luxury ~ and being indoors, much cosier. 🔥 First thing this morning I captured beautiful autumnal colours in Fiesole, whilst on my daily dog walk.
But every now and then, something happens that reminds you that even life in beautiful Tuscany isn't entirely made up of sunshine, olive groves and glasses of Chianti. It's as real as anywhere when it comes to ensuring your safety at all times.
And so, let me introduce you to the "toc, toc bandito", not to be mistaken for a TikTok bandito, who decided to knock on our door at 7pm last Monday. I personally think he was 'scoping' the place. It was definitely not an animal knocking slowly, loudly and in a deliberately controlled fashion. (Sadly not my family tortoise that I lost five months ago 🐢).
"Knock, knock, knock..."
It sounds rather like a character from an Italian comedy but unfortunately this particular encounter wasn't at all entertaining. There I was, perfectly visible inside our house through the lounge door net curtains, working on my computer with all the lights on. It was pitch black outside and someone I don't know was loitering at the backdoor, which is unusual given the electric gate entry and abundance of high fences here. Even Al heard the heavy knocking from the bathroom, over the shower noise.
Not a normal and friendly (recognisable) neighbourly greeting or knock, but a deliberately slow, hard knocking, three times. It felt menacing and instead of going immediately into fight, flight, freeze or fawn... I said nothing and f*cked off out of the room and down the hallway.
One thing is for sure, I was never going to answer the door . My instinct made me get up from my chair and nonchalantly saunter out of the room towards my husband, Al's, direction ~ where our dog was too. Ironically, I knocked on the bathroom door a few times and asked him to come out, "now... please"
Al responded; "I'm coming... I'll just get a shirt on and I'll be out". Always best to look good for house security manoeuvres, hey?! Even though gladiators fought semi-naked in Roman times. But he finally appeared and I was glad that I had not given our covert guest an open invite, a reaction or any chance to intrude whatsoever. Also quite happy that our dog had appeared on the scene, with heightened awareness, ears forward and an intensely angry look in its eye. That all seemed like security enough. 🐕
We headed out to find out who it was – but in hindsight, we won't do that if it happens again, as our security connection can kick-in. We can view the grounds before anything like this happens, with A.I. detection of suspicious behaviour that rules out foxes, dogs and cats and infrared, police station connection, flashing lights and alarms, so as not to under-do it! 😂
We couldn’t know who it was or what they wanted, but the slow knocking and their disappearance left me feeling uneasy, for sure.
Of course, this isn't a story about Tuscany being dangerous. Far from it. It's still the place I love, with all its warmth, character and everyday kindnesses. It's simply a reminder that real life carries on behind those beautiful Tuscan views. And sometimes, being a little more aware of what's happening outside your front and back door is no bad thing, especially if you have children at home, or crown jewels stored in a safe.
Noone was there at all. They'd legged it. Perhaps our dog 'assuming the position' was enough to threaten their own safety? We figured that whoever it was can only have exited across the garden to the road.
For sure, better home security and improved privacy helps us feel more comfortable, 24/7. New long curtains now block the view and add security to our evenings. The extra privacy feels good, but it wasn't cheap. Flood lights and audible alarms, the costs to be shared with our immediate neighbours. New family moving in next month. 👍 Have ruled out all the people we know who live near us, and it wasn't any of them asking for a cup of sugar or a cigarette.
What unsettled me most was how quickly an ordinary, cosy evening could feel different. Drawing the curtains now feels like a small act of reclaiming that comfort. Tuscany is still home, and still lovely, but beautiful surroundings don’t make any of us immune to an unnerving experience.
And now, back to the kind of knock I do welcome: a friend at the door, preferably carrying one of Lavinia’s beautiful cakes. A much sweeter note to end on. 🎂
Ciao and stay safe, especially as the dark nights draw in.
